Whether you need to bring something to another person's attention, provide news or guidelines on a company policy, or are trying to get something done and delivered to you, you need to send a memo about it. You can't afford to be wordy. Neither you nor the receiving party has the time to waste. When you keep correspondence concise, you increase the chances that your text will actually be read!
When to Send a Memo
Some Valuable Pointers
Some pointers will apply to any memo that you may write. Following are just a few to bear in mind:
Put the main message of your memo at the very beginning; then elaborate or explain, but briefly.
Re: Telephone protocol
There have been some complaints received about the way our telephones are answered. Since we have no receptionist or telephone operator, we all need to pitch in to observe proper phone etiquette:
Thank you for making the effort to be courteous and "telephone smart."
Re: Dress code
Yes, we do have a dress code! And no, this does not mean you can't wear what you want. The company dress code is intended merely to provide guidelines for proper business attire, to ensure a neat and professional appearance on the part of all employees.
Complete guidelines on dressing for professional success are available in the Human Resources Office. Here are just a few tips:
For men: Conservative business suit, with tie. White or pastel colours are preferred for shirts. Try to avoid excessive use of jewellery. No jeans, shorts, sandals, or other very casual attire, with exceptions noted for Casual Dress Day.
For women: Simple business suit or dress, or tailored pants with blouse/jacket. Scarves and jewellery for accent are perfectly acceptable, but do not over-do. No jeans, shorts, tank tops, etc. Some exceptions noted for Casual Dress Day.
Re: Our new Vice President
It is a pleasure to share the good news that Anne Kimble has accepted a promotion to the position of Vice President of Marketing. Anne starts her new responsibilities effective immediately.
Anne has been a long time valued employee whose contributions to the growth of our marketing and advertising efforts are well known to you all. She played a key role in the 65 percent jump in sales we experienced in the past year. Her promotion is highly deserved, and we know she will help to take our company to even greater heights. Please join me in congratulating Anne on her new position!
Re: Employee grievance procedure
Due to recent events, it has become necessary to clarify the procedure when employees wish to register a work-related complaint or grievance.
It is important for all employees to remember that they should not bring their grievance to anybody but their immediate supervisor; or, if the complaint has to do with their supervisor, to the person immediately in charge in the department. The supervisor or manager should then report it to his or her superior, as well as to Human Resources (if deemed necessary) for review, investigation and resolution.
Records of all grievances should be kept scrupulously. Document everything, and follow up to ensure that the grievance is getting a response. If the problem is resolved to the employee's satisfaction, summarize it in a memo for the file and have him/her sign it.
Complete information on the employee grievance procedure is available in Human Resources. If you have any questions, see Mary Beth Edelson in Room 509.
Re: Breaks
Coffee breaks and lunch breaks—they're a great time to rest and relax and socialize with our co-workers. We all need the occasional break. However, if they go on too long, then we are losing precious time that should be spent on our jobs.
As a reminder, you are allowed two coffee breaks of 15 minutes each, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. You are also allowed a lunch break of not longer than 30 minutes. Should you need additional time during your lunch break, you must clear it with your supervisor first.
Please act responsibly. Do not take breaks that go beyond the allowable limits.
Re: Performance reviews: New forms
In response to feedback from managers and supervisors, we have recently revamped the evaluation form for employee performance reviews. Attached is a sample for your information, with key sections highlighted. Note:
If you have any questions about the form or procedure, call Jim or Mary in the Human Resources Office
Nouns (imenice): | Verbs (glagoli): |
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attention - pažnja guideline - smernica, savet company policy - politika kompanije receiving party - strana koja prima correspondence - korespodencija, prepiska paper trail - pisani trag file - arhiva, dokument hard copy - štampani primerak evidence - dokaz receiver - primalac reference - preporuka, referenca incident - događaj formality - formalnost issue - pitanje, problem, stavka resolution - rešenje choice - izbor form - formular further information - dodatne informacije phone extension - lokal (telefonski) task - zadatak attachment - dodatak |
bring something to someone's attention - privući nekome pažnju na nešto deliver - dostaviti afford - priuštiti waste time - traćiti, gubiti vreme increase - povećati track a project - pratiti projekat require - zahtevati provide - obezbediti tend to - težiti post - poslati emphasize - naglasiti, istaći make announcement - najaviti, objaviti draw attention - privući pažnju bear in mind - imati na umu elaborate - razraditi hesitate - oklevati obtain - dobiti carry out - izvršiti summarize - sumirati indicate - naznačiti note - pomenuti |
Adjectives and adverbs (pridevi i prilozi): | Prepositions and conjunctions (predlozi i veznici): |
wordy - koji previše govori concise - koncizan, sažet clear-cut - nedvosmislen valuable - vredan, dragocen crucial - presudan, najvažniji relevant - važan specific - određen brief - kratak clearly - jasno attached - priloženo, dodato, prikačeno |
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Nouns (imenice): | Verbs (glagoli): |
---|---|
attention – care, support, looking after guideline – recommendation, advice, suggestion correspondence – communication, writing, contact file – record, document evidence – proof, verification receiver – recipient reference – recommendation incident – happening, event, occasion issue – question, matter, problem, subject resolution – solution, settlement, outcome choice – selection, option form – document, paper, sheet, questionnaire task – assignment |
deliver – give, provide afford – have the money for, manage, bear, pay for, spare, stand waste time – dawdle, idle increase – raise require – need, demand, involve provide – supply, give, distribute tend to – strive, aspire post – send, mail emphasize – highlight, stress, accent make announcement – make known, tell, declare, publish bear in mind – remember elaborate – develop, improve, enhance hesitate – be reluctant, be unwilling, demur obtain – get, gain, acquire, attain, accomplish carry out – put into practice, follow, obey, accomplish summarize – sum up, resume, review indicate – show, suggest, display note – mention, indicate |
Adjectives and adverbs (pridevi i prilozi): | Prepositions and conjunctions (predlozi i veznici): |
wordy – long–winded, verbose, tedious, windy concise – brief, short clear–cut – straightforward, precise, explicit valuable – useful, important, helpful, worthy, precious crucial – vital, important, essential relevant – significant, appropriate specific – particular,special, characteristic, distinguishing brief – short, concise, quick clearly – understandably, distinctly, openly |
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Nouns (imenice): | Verbs (glagoli): |
---|---|
attention - unconcern, negligence, carelessness evidence - disproof receiver - giver formality - informality resolution - problem, trouble, irresolution task - inactivity |
deliver - maintain, withhold afford - refuse, reject, deny increase - decrease, decline, drop require - retain, forbid, interdict provide - disapprove, deny, disallow, withhold post - withhold bear in mind - forget hesitate - persist, continue obtain - transmit, consign, transfer carry out - fail, neglect summarize - expand, add indicate - refuse, conceal, deny note - ignore, neglect, overlook, disregard |
Adjectives and adverbs (pridevi i prilozi): | Prepositions and conjunctions (predlozi i veznici): |
wordy - uncommunicative, reserved concise - thorough, detailed clear-cut - delicate valuable - useless, negligible, unworthy crucial -noncrucial, nonessential relevant - irrelevant, improper, incorrect specific - unclear, unspecified brief - unlimited, extended, countless clearly - ununderstandably, scarcely, unintelligibly attached - unattached |