The Importance of Writing Skills in Business Communications - How and Why to Improve Employees' Writing

THE IMPORTANCE OF WRITING SKILLS IN BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS:

HOW AND WHY TO IMPROVE EMPLOYEES' WRITING

Abstract

This essay describes how poorly written communication can lead to misunderstanding and a possible loss of business. Through this paper the author wants to persuade the employer to sponsor a workshop for all employees to improve their writing skills, to increase business communications and to avoid arguments through poor communication. This paper demonstrates the effectiveness of writing skills and why business communication is important in any kind of business. What can your business achieve with good writing skills and what it the impact of good writing skills on business.

THE IMPORTANCE OF WRITING SKILLS IN BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS:

HOW AND WHY TO IMPROVE EMPLOYEES' WRITING

These last few weeks have been hard for some people in the office. Many arguments erupted and people started to blame each other for the fact that this particular business deal might be lost. All this arguing amongst the employees does not improve the work environment, and it is apparent to clients that the atmosphere in the office is not professional.

The reason for the dispute is clearly due to misunderstanding through poor written communication. This had a negative effect on some people's feelings, which in turn lead to low morale and higher risk of losing business which can be directly attributed to poor writing skills. It is important for our company to look at a way to improve employees' writing skills to avoid similar incidents in the future.

One probably has received advertisement mail from various companies and, after reading the first paragraph, the paper ends in the waste paper basket because you did not like what you read in the first sentence. The way the writer started to communicate did not make you read the rest of the document. The same happened in this last business deal; that message was not understood because it was poorly written. Clearly this is something that should not happen in business writing, especially when writing a letter or a memo, either internal or external. When your employee is not a good business writer, it can affect your business in such a way that you will loose customers. Even inside the office amongst the employees, poor communication can arouse conflict due to misunderstanding. Poor business writing can cost the company a lot of money. If our employees are not able to understand or make them understood, the business is paying the price in lost time, lost customers and lost business deals.

Success in any business depends on one thing: the ability and knowledge to communicate. The knowledge of good business writing is a very important factor and part of our day-to-day business. We have to understand and take some time in writing business letters. It will require a little planning and some thought, but for the company, it can make the difference between successful and failed business deals. We must not forget that our aim is to build a lasting relationship with our internal and external clients.

Some people say that writing is the most important way to conduct business. Business writing can illuminate, clarify, and specify; it should also communicate and convince people to do business with a company. A good business letter should be friendly and approachable with simple words, in short sentences and brief paragraphs. If we start to write business letters like this, there will be a higher possibility that the letters and memos are actually read.

We have to teach our employees that it is important in business writing that correspondence should not be too overstated, but to the point, and we should not keep repeating ourselves. We should not write about how lucky the client will be if he/she would continue to work with the company. The writing should convey and communicate the positive influence on the client and make the point about what the company can do for the client. We have seen in the past that bad writing communication affects people negatively in the office, and clients outside the office often do not like the tone of writing from the employee.

Good business writing can make one's employees feel more comfortable in writing letters and memos. It can also improve understanding about what is said in the writing. Indeed, Julian L. Mims (1995) writes in an article that "writing is the major avenue of records management communication while your telephone calls, conversations, conferences, and public presentations unquestionably are important, more significant are your memoranda, letters, brochures, forms, reports, retention schedules, procedure manuals, and other written instruments." (p27). Mims also pointed out that, while writing, you have to focus on the reader, and put yourself in the shoes of the reader; what would be the effect of your words on the reader. Will the reader, the internal or external clients, understand what you have written down; it is clear and to the point? All this is important for business communications, and we have seen in the past that not all employees have the ability to write like this and need some extra training.

Charles S. Lauer (2002) states that "Too often I find proposals, articles, and memos drowning in verbiage. Some people feel a memo should be filled with adjectives to order to earn others' attention and respect. In reality, the opposite is true. Memos or proposals written with brevity are more easily understood. Simplicity is the key word. Do you have time to read proposals and memos that go on and