MEMO
TO: All Employees
FROM: Arthur Dahlquist, General Manager
DATE: June 21, 2008
SUBJECT: Wide Area Telephone Service (WATS) Lines
WATS lines were installed three years ago to give all employees easier telephone access to our customers and suppliers in other parts of the country. In fact, our company's growth rate has increased since then, and we attribute at least part of that growth to the new telephone system.
As sales have increased, so have our telephone bills. But, over the past few months, those bills have been growing faster than sales. It seems that a few people have been using the long-distance lines to make personal calls. Such misuse of the WATS lines reduces our profits (and thus the amount available for profit sharing by all employees), and it ties up lines that are needed for business calls.
Please do your part to keep our company profitable and healthy. If you absolutely must make a personal long-distance call during business hours, please charge it to your home phone. Your colleagues will appreciate your consideration.
______
Lincoln Financial
Date: June 3, 2008
To: All employees
From: James Pearce, Human Resources
Subject: Form for in-house letters (memos)
This is an illustration of our memorandum stationary. It should be used for written communications within the organization.
Notice that the memorandum uses no form of salutation. Neither does it have any form of complimentary close. The writer does not need to sign the message. He or she needs to only initial after the typed name in the heading.
Notice also that the message is single-spaced with double spacing between paragraphs.
Sample of Persuasive Memo (Using AIDA Model)
In spite of our recent switch to purchasing plastic
products in bulk, our costs for these containers that we use
at company meetings are still high. In my January 5 memo, I
included all the figures showing our excessive costs.
In January, I suggested we purchase plastic containers during
winter months when petroleum prices tend to be lower.
Because you approved that suggestion, we should realize a
10 percent savings this year. A recycling program offered by
the city could easily lead to additional savings.
In addition to the cost in dollars is the cost in image. Many of
our employees have complained about our lack of a recycling
program for plastic containers.
I have attached a detailed report of the costs involved. Our net
savings in the first year should run about $500. The recycling
plan will help build our public image while improving our
bottom line. If you agree, let’s meet next week. Please call me
at ext. 2356 if you have any questions.
Date: Mon, 22 September 2008
From: Susannah Beech, Human Resources Administrator
To: Metro Power Employees
Subject: Coping tactics for technical failures
This is a reminder that computer problems should be reported to Bart Stone immediately, and the violent tempers in the workplace cannot be tolerated.
Recently, three Metro employees were fired because of violent outbursts after an equipment failure. One woman was kicking her printer and screaming obscenities. A man threw his keyboard across the room when he couldn’t get on the Intranet, and a third employee put a fist through his computer screen after the system failed. We try to avoid firing people, but these employees frightened co-workers, so we had no choice.
We will do the same to anyone who screams at their computers or kicks their printers in the future. You can laugh, but it’s not funny. This is akin to workplace terrorism.
Computers should be turned off at night, cleaned with cleaning cloths, and food and drink products avoided. There are many ways to combat rising tempers. Walks around the building are a good tactic for calming down.
Technology glitches are not some unholy terror. They are commonplace. Let’s behave like adults in the future, shall we?
Susannah Beech
Human Resources Administrator
Date: Mon, 22 September 2008
From: Susannah Beech
To: Metro Power Employees
Subject: Coping Tactics for Technical Failures
We all know the stress of racing toward a deadline and suddenly having your equipment fail. Here are a few suggestions to help you stave off—and cope with—technical equipment and systems failures when they do occur:
- Stay cool. Tech failures are commonplace in business; your bosses and co-workers will understand.
- Practice preventive maintenance. Use cleaning cloths and sprays regularly, keep liquids and foods away from sensitive keyboards and printers, and make sure systems are shut down when you leave at night.
- For faster repair assistance, promptly report computer failures to Bart Stone, assistant director of information services, ext. 2238.
- If you suspect an equipment problem may be developing, don’t wait until the crucial moment to call for assistance.
- Take a walk to calm down if a last-minute technical failure threatens your composure.
The last suggestion is perhaps the most important to keep your career on track. Lost tempers, violent outbursts, and rude language are threatening to co-workers, and could result in reprimands or other disciplinary action. So stay calm and make good use of technical support hotlines and assistance. Help is always available.
Ask your supervisor for a list of support numbers to keep handy. The next time you experience a technology glitch, you’ll be able to handle it as just another aspect of your business routine.
Susannah Beech
Human Resources Administrator
Negative Memo (Versions A and B)
Date: 28 May 2009
From: Walt Cummings, Director of Travel and Meeting Services
To: AZ Venture Traveling Executives
Subject: Travel Budget Cuts Effective Immediately
We need to start making some budget cuts in our travel expenditures. These include staying in cheaper hotels, arranging flights for cheaper times, and renting more reasonable cars.
The company needs to cut travel expenses by 25 percent. This means you’ll no longer stay in fancy hotels and make last minute, costly changes to your travel plans.
Never return a rental car with an empty tank! That causes the rental agency to charge us a premium price for the gas they sell when they fill it up upon your return.
You’ll be expected to make these changes in your travel habits immediately. Travel allowances will reflect the 25% reduction. In the future, any expenses beyond the allowance will come out of your own pockets.
______
From: Walt Cummings, Director of Travel and Meeting Services
To: AZ Venture Traveling Executives
Subject: Cutting Travel Expenses
Date: February 25, 2009
I have received positive feedback from all of you regarding your attendance at conventions and trade shows. As we all know and understand, they are a vital part to this company’s growth and success. However, after analyzing our travel expenses, it has come to my attention that we can and have to curb our expenditures.
Listed below are a few ways that this goal can be easily achieved:
- Travel and airfare are huge expenses. Please book flights no less than three weeks prior to the event. You may also consider taking advantage of Southwest’s “ding” or other discounted tickets.
- When renting a car, remember that carpooling and renting fuel-friendly economy cars will save lots of money. As you all know, the price of gas is a major factor in travel expenses, so cutting down on gas usage is vital. Also take the time to refuel the vehicle before returning it so that we can avoid the company surcharge on gas.
- Please book hotel rooms in advance to qualify for lower rates. If at all possible, consider sharing a room with one of your coworkers.
If you apply these money saving tactics to your travel plans, travel expenses can be cut by 25%. In the future, any money spent above the allowed amount will be your personal responsibility. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Date: 2-10-2009
To: All employees
From: Julia Wake
Subject: Protecting Webcor in the blogosphere
Our companys reputation is vital to our success. Our public image plays a key roll in our relationships with current and potential customers, suppliers, lenders, government agencies, and community groups. In addition, our strategic plans, financial plans, and other confidential information need to be protected for not only legal but competitive reasons as well. These two factors along with the need to ensure that company networks are not used to transmit inappropriate materials lead to the company’s decision to begin monitoring employee e-mail messages in 2002 and instant messages in 2004.
Trying to protect the company’s important resources, monitoring of employee blogs will also begin on April 1. As with e-mail and IM, the intent here is not to “spy” on anyone or discourage their conversations in the online community but rather to ensure that Webcor maintains a positive culture internally and a positive reputation externally.
We also do not want to squelch legitimate and constructive criticism within the company. If you do have a question or concern; I encourage you to speak with your immediate supervisor. If that conversation does not yield satisfactory answers, please take advantage of our “open-door” tradition to speak with any member of senior management.
If you have any questions about the blog monitoring effort, please fell free to e-mail me or call me at extension 254.
To: Steve McArthur, Jay Rosen
Date: July 24, 2009
From: Jim Barnard JB
Subject: Proofreading Letter Announcing Partnership
Here is my draft for a letter announcing a
re new partnership to clients. Please indicate changes on this memo and return it to my mailbox. Thanks.
Dear <first name>,
After 30 years at Madison & Cowden I have decided to join with two other advisors and create a Partnership. Our combined experience gives you the benefit of over half a century of knowledge and three sets of eyes watching your investments.
My new partners, Steve McArthur and Jay Rosen both have 25 years of experience as Advisors and are focused in the same areas as I have focused on with you for many years. Steve’s experience includes working as a Branch Manager in Orange County and Jay was a Complex Manager running much of of Orange County as well as all of Riverside County at UBS Financial Services. They both hold degrees in economics from the University of Southern California. We all believe in the same time tested principals of building solid stocks and bonds in quality enterprises.
We look forward to continuing to serve you here at Madison & Cowden in the years’ ahead. Steve and Jay will be making contact to introduce them selves to you over the coming weeks.
<my signature>