OTHER FORMS OF WORKPLACE COMUNICATION

Written Communication Written signs or symbols are used to communicate Examples include e-mail, letter, report, memo, etc This is the most common form of communication in a workplace

Why Written? It is easy for employers to send a message to a large number of people. Sending e-mails directly to each staff member ensures the messages have been seen Companies will normally have bulletin boards for notices that staff are expected to check on a regular basis Companies can send out paper memos or letters perhaps with a paystub

1) EMAIL Email is one of the most common forms of workplace communication With the consistent growth in technology, it is easily the most convenient and effective way for employers to communicate with their staff This way, you can read what they need and get back to them when you have a few minutes It is expected for you to respond to work e-mails within a few hours

1) EMAIL Although e-mail is one of the most common, it can also be the most dangerous Sometimes our messages can be misconstrued WHY? Because there are no non-verbal gestures

Things to Consider Maybe we want to make a phone call instead? Do we want our message to be etched in stone? Are we aware of how easily our message can be shown to unintended audiences?

Things to Consider Tone Try using a larger amount of words like “please” and “thanks,” though there is a fine line between being pleasant and sounding obnoxious. Using phrases like “no later than” can sound like an ultimatum when stated in an email

Things to Consider Your Audience What if that ultimatum was sent by a lower-level employee to the company CEO, who was not pleased. Be careful about who you cc; it sends a signal to other recipients. Try to be clear and concise without sounding arrogant

Things to Consider Be considerate Organize the information so it is easy to read and digest Get to the point Make lists or charts so they are easy to follow Avoid excessive description

Things to Consider Grammar and Punctuation Reread your emails before hitting send It looks very unprofessional if your email message is full of spelling errors, run-on sentences, or lacks punctuation

Things to Consider Emotion Try to avoid sending emails when you are feelings angry or frustrated Because we don’t have other non-verbal cues to go off of when reading an e- mail, the tone in which we word things can be very unprofessional

Notices Notices or postings are commonly found on bulletin boards in the workplace They are an easy way for the employer to get a message out to a staff It is the responsibility of staff members to be checking the bulletin boards on a regular basis Notices can take a variety of forms including handwritten notes to more formal messages like that of a memo Employees must be able to decide who the notice is directed towards and take the appropriate action

Memos Memos (or memorandum) are a form of communication between employees are the same company They usually address one subject and are written in a clear, concise manner

Memos The top portion of a memo contains the information that is required to determine the intended audience including to, from, date, subject Memos are often delivered directly to the reader They are much more formal than a notice. The information they provide is normally more important

Other Forms Agendas – an outline of what is going to occur in a meeting, who will discuss it, and how much time it is going to take Fax Covers – these are sent along with a fax document that may contain specific information that the reader might need to know about the fax.