Memorandum Assignment, Coursework Example

What is your overall reaction to the memo? Would you be inclined to change your actions? Explain your answer.

Overall, this memorandum is highly offensive and very accusatory at every single person in the company.  It would appear that part of the problem is that the author of the memo is writing a company-wide memo as opposed to handling these issues separately as they happen.  Some items, such as the cigarette butts, are difficult to know who is behind the littering; however, other tasks such as employees arriving late to work or time sheets being submitted past the deadline are items that should be handled on an individual level.  The entire tone of the memo is very negative and informal.  This would not entice me to want to change my actions at all; and even worse, if I were not the person who is doing these actions that are mentioned in the memo, I would want to do something to get back at the manager who wrote the memo in the first place.  I do not take kindly to someone accusing me of doing something that I am not or ridiculing me publicly, even if it is to the entire group.

STATE you reactions to phrases in the introduction such as: “your mamas didn’t teach you” and “checkered past”

These kinds of statements are definitely uncalled for and as an employee it would infuriate me.  “Your mamas didn’t teach you” is a comment that is intentionally trying to insinuate that people were not brought up correctly or that they are acting

List other objectionable phrases. Why are the objectionable? How can concerns about the use of such language be addressed?

“Hansel and Gretel don’t work here” – This is objectionable because the employer is accusing all employees of being slobs and dirty, just like Hansel and Gretel who were children.

“What a shock! How could I expect anybody to figure that one out without written directions” – This is objectionable because it insinuates that the employees are stupid or illiterate.  Accusatory statements like these are very offensive and make it hard to respect management.

“Apparently it was only a pipe dream that you would all learn to walk straight enough…” – This is also objectionable because the manager is now making an emotionally-charge statement and is purposely degrading the employees.  The manager places himself above the employees in level of intelligence and stature.

Concerns about such language should be delivered straight to human resources to file a grievance or official complaint.  Often these types of issues are handled with anonymity and confidentiality.

Revise the memorandum as assigned:

Rewrite the introduction.

The following list of items are issues that management has noted around the workplace that will help improve the business work environment.  We have received a few complaints from workers around the company who have identified physical areas of the company that are unclean.  Furthermore, management has also found that a few of our key procedures and policies are also not being followed by everyone.  This is a reminder of our current company policies as well as friendly suggestions on ways that we can all work together to help clean up the company work environment.

Rewrite any one section.

In a further attempt to help ensure all work areas are clean, the company has cleaned out the old storage facility and begun renovations to enhance it into a healthy eating room.  We encourage all employees to eat their lunches in this new lunch room and dispose of all trash in the marked containers throughout the building.  This should not only help clean up the hallways of the building, but also allow for employees to eat in a central location as opposed to being forced to eating at their desks.

Rewrite the closing

It is important that we are all considerate of each other’s work spaces and work together to continue to make our company a healthy working environment.  We hope that these quick steps will allow for everyone to pitch in to help one another and improve our company and the work environment as a whole.  If each of us does our fair share, it will definitely make our company a better place.