LESSON 11.

Writing Workplace Communication Materials

Written Communication in the Workplace

As in any form of correspondence, business or workplace correspondence involves three
factors: the sender, the message, and the receiver.
As the sender initiates the process, the intended reader is expected to respond
according to the nature of the business letter.
The message, the purpose, and the target receiver ir audience must all be considered in
writing any business letter. The message and its purpose should be clear for the letter to be
properly understood by the intended receiver.
When you write a business letter, read your work as if you are the target reader and ask
yourself the following questions:
- Does the message appear to be important?
- Is the message easy to understand?

Tips for Effective Written Communication in the Workplace

1. To ensure the effectiveness of written communication materials in the workplace, the
following qualities must be remembered:
● A-ccuracy - The content must be truthful and accurate. It must stay true to facts.
Sweeping statements that may be challenged later on should be avoided.
● B-revity - Sentences must be kept short and direct. Simple, carefully chosen
words and expressions should be used while information overload is avoided.
Nonetheless, completeness should never be sacrificed for brevity.
● C-larity - Visualize the reader in font of you wishing only to hear precise words
whose meanings cut across quickly and clearly to him or her. A good grasp of
grammar will be a great help.
2. Select the format that is standard, prescribed, and acceptable to the institution
represented or to the parties in the transaction.
3. Courtesy, whether in written or oral form, is more implicit than explicit in purposive
communication. Use positive words that are proactive and not reactive. Correct word
usage and sentence structure will make a real difference.


Business Letters
Business letters are essential in the workplace, especially in the external operations of
an organization. It is through business letters that an organization can reach out to its clients
and vice versa. The different kinds of business letters illustrate the different communication
situations that constantly need to be addressed by the internal and external functions of an
organization.

Standard Formats of Business Letters

The three standard formats of business letters are full- block, modified-block, and
semi-block. The differences between these three are illustrated through the following examples:
Standard Formats of Business Letters
- Full Block
- Modified Block
- Semi-Block

Letter of Inquiry
A letter of inquiry, also known as a letter of interest, is written to ask for specific
information regarding a particular subject matter. Letters are usually written to inquire regarding
particular goods or services of a business. The sample letter used to illustrate the standard
formats of business letters is an example of a letter of inquiry.

Response to Inquiries
Letters of inquiry should always and promptly be responded to. Professional and
business ethics demand that the receiver of such letter take the action that the sender expects.

Letter of Claim
A letter of claim is usually used in legal matters to assert some kind of wrongdoing. This
letter aims to notify the one responsible for the said wrongdoing and demands a response that
would address its effects. Claims are also used in the context of legal matters especially in
instances of a breach of contract.
Adjustment Letter
An adjustment letter is a response to a letter of claim. It contains the response to the
claimant's statements, whether the claims are welcomed or not. If welcomed, the letter would
also include offers to resolve the effects of the action deemed to be unacceptable as well as the
explanation for it. If it is not, the claimant is entitled to a constructive, non-adversarial tone in the
adjustment letter.

Letter of Request
A letter of request reports situations which demand actions and decisions to be acted
upon. In the workplace, a letter of request is a formal letter which requests a specific product or
service within the professional business context.

Memo, reports, and other written documents in the Workplace

 A memorandum (memo) is a written message which serves as a reminder for a
particular matter. Memos relay information to a large number of readers at the same time. A
memorandum is a document that records events in the workplace for everyone's information.

Types of Memo
1. Instruction Memo - contains directives that organization members need to follow (e.g.,
a memo to remind employees to strictly follow the company's dress code)
2. Request Memo - contains a request for the provision of facilities and services (e.g.,
request for the use of the conference room for a meeting)
3. Announcement Memo - notice of an important event in the organization (e.g., hiring,
company fire drill)
4. Transmittal Memo - notice officially announcing the release of a report (e.g., memo
transmitting the annual report to the manager)
5. Authorization Memo - granting permission to the undertaking of an operation in the
organization (e.g.. permission to receive a document)

Memos are used for the internal undertakings of an organization whereas business
letters are used for external operations of the organization. Memos are more focused on the
flow of communication within the organization.
Format of a Memo
Word processing software programs have varied memo templates to choose from
making it easier to write memos. As indicated in the inverted pyramid (Figure 11.1), the
information should flow from the most important to the least. On the next page is a sample
memo.

The following should be considered in writing a memorandum:

1. Use of formal or academic language
2. Clarity
3. Conciseness
4. General use of the active voice of the verb
5. Absence of grammar lapses

Incident Report
An incident report, also called accident report, records the occurrence of an unusual
event in the workplace. This repeat usually follows a template that comes in forms to be filled
out by the witnesses to the incident. The main components of an incident report are the problem
description, action taken, and recommendations.

Minutes of the Meeting

A meeting is a gathering of people to discuss, plan, make decisions, and resolve issues
together. For documentation purposes, a detailed and descriptive report is prepared.
The Minutes of the Meeting has the following components:
Introduction
1. name and address of the organization
2. type of meeting (special, executive, regular, emergency)
3. call to order - time, date, presiding officer
4. attendance for groups less than twenty (20) members, with both the present, late, and
absent included

Body
● reading, correction, and approval of minutes of the previous meeting
● business arising from the previous meeting
● new business

Conclusion
● announcement - time and date of the next meeting
● other matters - new matters that may need to be covered in future meetings
● time of adjournment
● name and signature of the minutes-taker
● name and signature of the presiding officer

Clubs, organizations, and companies have prescribed formats for the minutes of their
meeting. The minutes-taker has to be flexible enough to adopt what is customary to the group.

In preparing the minutes of the meeting, the minutes-taker must ensure that the minutes are:
1. in chronological order;
2. factual, brief, and free from editorial comments or slanting of factual statements;
3. the gist or a recording of summary of the meeting and not a transcription of the matters
discussed; and
4. a verbatim report of parliamentary points, motions, resolutions and points of order.

A simplified variation of taking minutes of a meeting is possible if and only if permitted by the
group in the assembly. Bee the differences between the standard format provided previously
and the deviation in the following example.