MEMORANDUM (MEMO)

WHY?

WHAT?
HOW?
 Management Tool: Direction/Guidance to Staff
• Purpose:
 To Share Information (Change of Office Location)
 To Make a Request ( To contribute to a charitable cause)
 To Communicate an Organisational Directive/ Change in Policy or Procedure
 To Communicate a Decision (Change in Office Timings/Weekly Off/Uniform

• Nature
 A Short Document
 Form of Mass Communication; NOT a One-on-One
 From one person or department to another

• Form
 Uses easy-to-understand language.
 Plain and Direct manner.
 Printed memo forms also used.
 Takes less time than letter.
 When Should You Use a Memo?
When you want to:
• Inform
• Request/Persuade
• Issue a Directive
• Communicate semi-formally
In other words…
Whenever you need to communicate with
internal audiences like employees, coworkers,
and supervisors but NOT external audiences such
as customers or suppliers.
 Memo Writing Tips
• Professional in Language, Layout & Tone.
• Matter of fact; getting straight to the point.
• Simple words and short sentences.

• Complementary opening (Dear sir/ma’am)

• Complementary close (sincerely/faithfully)
are omitted in Memos.

• No need for mailing or receiving address.

 MEMO - TYPES
• Internal memo/Office Memo – between
members/groups within, a single department.
• Inter-office Memo – between 2/more deptt.
• Policy Memo – Directive by an HOD to
employees in that deptt. regarding change in
company policy.
• Employee Disciplinary Memo.
• Employee Promotion Memo.
• Performance Review Memo.
 MEMO: HOW?
• Type “MEMORANDUM” at the top of the page (center-
aligned or left-aligned) using a Big Font.
• Create lines for:
 To
 From
 Date
 Subject

Followed by the MAIN BODY

Closing Line
Signing off
 Body of the Memo
• INTRODUCTION
The first Para highlights the purpose and context. The
reader gets to know the situation or event being
spoken about and why it is important.
• DETAILED INFORMATION/EVIDENCE
The second Para usually provides the
circumstances/rationale for the memo. This section
may include statistics, examples, or reasons so that
readers understand how the decision was reached.
• CONCLUSION
The final paragraph contains the request being
made/direction being given. It may include an
instruction, call to action, possibility of future action,
etc. Close with a positive summary.
 Closing on a POSITIVE  note!
• While the final paragraph restates the next steps
proposed to be taken, it MUST conclude with a
warm note that reiterates the solidarity of the
organisation. It must NEVER sound like a DICTAT!
e.g. "I’ll be glad to discuss the recommendations with
you later on and clarify points, if needed.“
or
“We’re excited about the expansion of this product
line and are confident that it will make this
company a more sustainable venture.”
• This should generally be 1 or 2 sentences in length.
 Before Hitting ‘Send’!
• Proofread - make sure it is clear, persuasive, error-free.
• Review for spelling, grammar and content errors.
• Recheck names, dates, numbers.

• Edit to cut out any extraneous material.

• Check your terminology – Does it contain words,
abbreviations or acronyms difficult to understand?

• Length – Are the paragraphs short? Can bullets be used?

• Logic – Do thoughts/content flow logically? Or is the info
all over the place?
• Is it discreet? – Does it divulge sensitive information? e.g.
if you are firing someone, DON’T use a memo!!
 Sample Memo to Coworkers
MEMORANDUM
To: All Staff and Interns
From: Ana Smith, Executive Assistant to the President
Date: 15th July, 2012
Subject: Dishes in the Sink

It has come to our notice that a pile of unwashed dishes accumulate in the sink
by the end of each week. It has got so bad that washing one’s hands in the
kitchen sink becomes acutely uncomfortable. Therefore, we are introducing a
new policy which mandates that employees wash their dishes immediately after
use so that the sink stays clear at all times.
If you do not have the time to wash your lunch container or coffee mug, leave it
by your desk until you are ready to wash it. Even two or three dirty plates end
up encouraging others to do the same. On the other hand, studies have shown
that when a sink is empty, people are more likely to wash their dishes
immediately.
Thank you for your cooperation!
Best,
Ana Smith
 SAMPLE 2
Interoffice Memo

To : The Vice Principal

From: Ram Prakash, Principal
Date : 15 August, 2014
Subject: Punctuality of Staff

This is to inform you with great anxiety that the authority has
noticed some teachers are not punctual and indifferent to their
duties. In these circumstances, you all are requested to be more
punctual and to take all necessary steps to maintain smooth
environment of education in the institution.

Looking forward to your co-operation.

Best,
Ms XYZ
 SAMPLE 3
Interoffice Memo

Date : 15 August, 2014

To :All Employees
From: Ravikant, Manager
Reference: 302/NC
Subject: Request To Attend Farewell Ceremony

This is to inform you all that the farewell ceremony in

honour of Prakash Nath, Assistant Manager, is going to be
held at 11 a.m. on 25th. August 2014. All employees are
requested to attend the ceremony.
Best Wishes
Ravikant
 SAMPLE 4
To: Employees of ABC Company
From: Mr. XYZ, Assistant Director
Date: 1st.Jan, 2015
Subject: New location

Dear ABC Team,

I am delighted to share with you this wonderful news that we’ve found a
beautiful new location and have signed a lease!
Our new building is located at --------------- in posh South Delhi which is very
well-connected to many metro stations. There is also good parking space
available for those who use private vehicles.

ABC, our director of HR, will be emailing everyone with more information
about how to get your ID badges and parking passes. Our first day of work
will be July 1, and there will be an all-staff meeting at 9 am sharp. I’m excited
to see everyone there!

Best,
PA to XYZ
 Sample 5
MEMORANDUM
To: All Staff
From: The Manager
Date: 27th, May 2010
Subject: Inappropriate use of time on Google Doodle games

It has come to my attention that many employees have been spending time on the
Google games during office hours. This memo is a reminder to use your work hours for
work.
According to a recent article, the estimated daily cost of people collectively playing
these games instead of working is over $120 million—which is calculated based on the
daily average increased time spent on the Google home page (36 seconds). If these
estimates are applied to our 600 office employees, this results in a nearly $700 weekly
loss.

Of course, we don't believe in drudgery and draconian rules. I encourage a fun and
competitive environment, where people are happy to come every morning. However, it
is equally important that we stay sincere to our jobs and do not indulge in non-
productive activity during office hours.
I look forward to your co-operation.

Manager