Written Communication in the Workplace

Overview

On this page, we will discuss:

Academic Writing vs Business Writing

As students, you are all familiar with academic writing, but when it comes to business writing, there are some key differences that are important to be aware of when crafting communication pieces in the workplace.

  • Academic writing focuses primarily on facts, especially in the case of research-based writing and textbooks. Often, opinions are expressed with the goal of proving a hypothesis.
  • Business writing is typically based on factual information, but also frequently focuses on expressing opinions in the form of recommendations.

Let's explore some of the key differences between academic and business writing in more detail. Here, we present a comparison developed by Morris and Zwart (2018) in their Business Writing Style Guide Links to an external site.:

Table: Characteristics of Academic vs Business Writing

Characteristic

Academic Writing

Business Writing

Purpose

Learning and demonstration of mastery.

Writing actionable items, reporting, information sharing, calls to action, and getting things done.

Appearance

As identified by an instructor; typically, 1 inch page margins, a title, page numbers, paragraph idents, double-spaced, and 12-point Time New Roman font. Visually, it is unform and boxy.

Typically, not specified, dictated by subject matter and the company's traditions. Single spacing is common with frequent use of white space and page numbers. Uses titles, headings, and subheadings along with bulleted and numbered lists, graphs, charts, logos, and pictures. Fonts vary but are generally friendly but not cartoonish. The effect is visually attractive and pleasing yet the document can be quickly scanned or read more slowly for details. Consider accessibility when choosing the appearance of your writing.

Audience

Usually, a teacher, instructor, or for academia (i.e., academic journals).

Driven by circumstances; depends on the interests and needs of the specific stakeholders.

Document Life

Since an essay or exam is the typical product of a student's academic writing, its useful life is usually very short-lived. Typically, kept for reference until the end of the term or an institutionally mandated period.

The document is generally just a starting point and can transition into other forms of communication (written documents become oral presentations or formal presentations become informal meetings). Parts of documents may take a life of their own, being reused multiple times in different contexts by the same and different authors. Some documents may be stored in a company's information repository for reuse or for regulatory or legal reasons.

Citations

Direct quotes and paraphrasing from outside sources must be cited in predetermined academic conventions like MLA, APA, or Chicago.

Once created, content of reports become the company's property and paraphrased, quoted, and cliched text is not cited. If outside sources are used, citation varies according to the needs of the audience or client.

Tone

Authoritative yet inquisitive to show the author has the knowledge about their topic and thesis but is open to new learning.

Driven by circumstances; depends on the interests and needs of the specific stakeholders. May be friendly, authoritative, persuasive, or even argumentative.

Voice

Usually passive, especially in science writing. Passive voice prioritizes the experience of an action over the performance of that action.

Always uses an active voice, one in which the subject performs the action stated by the verb. For example, "The CEO (subject) ordered (verb) her team to get in line or get out". Active voice tends to use fewer words, be more direct, and easier to understand.

Emails: Improving Your Email Practices

Most of us know the general etiquette that is expected in workplaces when constructing an email:

  • Always ensure you include an opening salutation.
  • Ensure your message is easy to follow and includes any relevant information you are trying to convey.
  • Include a message closing.
  • Always double-check for spelling errors and that any attachments have been added to the email.

 Icon: people speaking Industry Insight

"Keep your emails short and succinct. Make it very clear what you are asking of me. [....] Put the bottom-line up front or, in other words, start with the ask. For example, I am writing to get your feedback on the next steps for project X. There are three possible approaches; I am recommending approach B for reasons 1, 2, and 3."

Jeff Burrow, Special Projects Officer
Bachelor of Business Administration, Wilfrid Laurier University
Master of Education, Queen's University
PhD, Higher Education, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto

Activity: Lolinda's Email

Lolinda waving hello

Lolinda has started her work term at Literacy Foundation and a large part of her work involves sending emails to various internal colleagues and external clients. Part of the promotional work that Lolinda has been involved with was helping to plan a student engagement gala.

Take a moment to review the email Lolinda sent to one of her colleagues, and discover how she has implemented some of the above-mentioned tips for writing emails.

Instructions:

Click on each blue plus sign hotspot in the image below.

OPTIONAL Video: 8 Email Etiquette Tips - How to Write Better Emails at Work

In the video from Harvard Business Review Links to an external site., Jeff Su presents 8 Email Etiquette Tips - How to Write Better Emails at Work Links to an external site.. Refer to the timecodes listed below to revisit a specific section.

⏰ Video Timestamps:

00:00 - Why bother with email etiquette?
01:19 - Include CTA in subject line
02:13 - One email thread per topic
02:48 - Manage recipients
03:27 - Start with the main point
04:30 - Summarize in your reply
05:10 - Hyperlink whenever possible
05:38 - Change default setting to "Reply" (not "Reply all")
06:06 - Change undo send options

This external video has accurate captions. For closed captioning, click on "CC" or the subtitles button at the bottom-right of the video interface (beside the gear icon), or download the transcript (PDF Download PDF | DOC Download DOC). Links to an external site.

 Icon: people speaking Industry Insight

"Be warm but professional in your outreach emails and be respectful of your recipient's time. Professors, for example, don't have time to decipher walls of text - and they won't. Be succinct, tactful, clear about what you are asking for (i.e., don't embed your request in the middle of seven paragraphs), and understand that your recipient may get loads of emails and may need a week or more to get to yours depending on the time of the year. Don't be afraid to follow up if you don't hear back after a while - but only if you've already followed the foregoing instructions."


Higher Education Professional 
Honours Bachelor of Arts, History and Philosophy of Science (Major) and Biology (Minor)
Master of Arts, Medical Anthropology
Doctor of Philosophy, Medical Anthropology

Memorandums ("Memos")

A memo is typically used to inform an audience about a specific topic or issue.

Memos very rarely require follow-up communication and are often sent to larger groups of people. You can consider a memo like a one-way communication tool where the sender has information they would like to share with many receivers. Memos are usually circulated internally within a company.

Some key considerations when thinking about memos include:

  • Memos are often straight to the point and focus on one specific subject or call to action.
  • Memos often cover decisions, announcements, policies, procedures, and small reports within an organization.
  • Language used in a memo is formal, and not conversational in nature.
  • Memos are usually emailed out but can also be posted in a physical place like a bulletin board.
  • There is usually specific formatting that accompanies a memo. More details are provided below.

Activity: Memo Example

Take a moment to review an example of a memo that would be sent out within an organization.

Instructions:

Click on each question mark in the image below.

Reports

Reports are common within many workplaces and can take a variety of forms and sizes. Typically, a report will document specific information for specific functions, goals, and/or audiences. Reports may differ based on their purpose (i.e., sales report, laboratory report, progress report, incident report, etc.).

Reports often have an analytical component but can also just report the facts.

Examples of the function of a report can include summarizing past events, presenting relevant data, or identifying potential future trends at an organization. Reports usually lay out pertinent data and do not have a persuasive tone associated with them.

Informational Reports and Analytical Reports

There are two common types of reports we'll now go over: informational and analytical.

  • Informational Reports: An informational report's main goal is to inform, instruct, or present details of activities, events, individuals, initiatives, or conditions without an analytical component. This is often a report that presents just the facts. Examples of informational reports include incident reports, progress reports, statements of policies and procedures, police reports, etc.
  • Analytical Reports: An analytical report presents information with a comprehensive analysis to solve problems, demonstrate relationships, or make recommendations. These types of reports will include data, facts, feedback, interpretations, and recommendations for next steps. Examples of analytical reports include research reports, lab reports, needs assessment reports, cost-benefit analysis reports, etc.

 

Two circles. A smaller circle represents the space of facts in an Informational Report which can stand alone, or sit within a larger circle which represents an Analytical Report (facts + analysis).

Report Considerations

Some organizations may have an annual, bi-annual, or monthly reporting process, to which all employees may be expected to contribute (some may have no reporting process!). It is a good idea to become familiar with the reporting requirements of your workplace so that you can be more strategic in how you track your work and how your work contributes to the overall outcomes of your workplace.

Not only does keeping track of this information help with providing accurate information for reports, but this can also allow you to have a record of quantitative and qualitative feedback that can showcase the success of your work (which can be added to your resume later down the line!).

Proposals

Clipboard with the words "business proposal".

Proposals combine elements of reports and memos in the sense that they provide information and data with the goal of persuasively making a case regarding an idea or initiative within the workplace, usually in written form.

Proposals may be informal or formal, depending on the scope and size of the project; the larger and more resource intensive a project, the more likely it is to require a formal proposal and sign-off.

Proposals provide suggestions and actionable steps to meet the goals set out within the proposal.

Your SI Challenge Formal Proposal

At the end of this module, you will be expected to write a formal proposal presenting your solution to the Sustainability Innovation Challenge, pulling from your past assignments throughout PD3 and PD4.

Proposals vs Project Charters

In the Workplace Project Management module series, we discussed project charters, which can be like proposals, and you may notice similarities between the sections involved in each.

The key difference between the two is that a project charter covers an initiative that has already been approved and is being put into action. A charter requires formal sign-off in relation to the details of the project.

In contrast, proposals offer an idea to be considered and, hopefully, approved. Proposals are persuasive in nature whereas project charters are matter of fact and outline a project in its entirety, including specific objectives and how those objectives will be carried out. A lot of the information included in the proposal will end up in the project charter.

Writing a Formal Proposal

When writing a proposal, it can be useful to think about the following:

  • Who are your stakeholders? How does your idea meet their needs?
  • What is the purpose of your proposal? What makes your idea unique or different? Why is it necessary?
  • What are the realistic parameters that will bring your proposal to life?
  • Who will need to be involved to execute your plan?
  • What materials and individuals are necessary for this proposal?
  • How will you complete each step of your proposal successfully?

The required format for a proposal will vary widely depending on the audience. For example, a proposal to secure a research grant will have very specific submissions requirements that will differ even between granting agencies. However, understanding the basic components of a proposal will help you if you are ever faced with submitting a proposal where specific guidelines aren't provided.

Activity: Sections of a Formal Proposal

The general layout of a formal proposal contains the sections below. You can refer to this list when you prepare your Formal SI Challenge Proposal assignment.

Instructions:

Click on each item below to learn more about it.

Informal Proposals

An informal proposal may take the form of an email, memo, or brief written document. Informal proposals will be more conversational in nature and do not follow the structured approach of a formal proposal noted above.

An informal proposal may be used if the idea you would like to present is preliminary or does not require extensive resources (e.g., a small-scale project).

Along with the considerations you make for a formal proposal, you should also consider:

  • Who are your stakeholders? How does your idea meet their needs?
  • What is the idea you would like to propose?
  • Why is this proposal necessary? What is it addressing?
  • Who will need to be involved in order to execute your idea?
  • What materials, resources, or tools will be required?
  • When would you like to execute your idea and how long will it take?
  • How will you successfully implement this idea? Is it realistic and necessary?

Icon: yellow lightbulb Reflection

Think about a time when you had to write (or you received) an email, memo, report, or proposal. What worked well? What did not work well?

References

Harvard Business Review. (2021, July 7). 8 email etiquette tips - How to write better emails at work [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XctnF7C74s