Memorandums; reports.

15.1

Memorandums

Memorandums are written internal communications which advise or inform employees of policies and procedures that their company has decided to adopt.

The memo may be put on a notice board for everyone to see, or circulated in internal mail to the departments it concerns. In the latter case, the employee usually signs the memorandum to acknowledge that he/she has read it.

There are numerous subjects that memos deal with, from informing staff of a retirement, to announcing important administrative or structural changes in the company.

15.1.1

Layout

Companies often use a special letter-heading for memorandums which gives less information about the company but indicates which department has issued the memo. Compare the letter-heading on the memo at 15.2.1 with the one Westway use for letters (see 12.3.9).

Note that the memo states who it is to, who it is from, the subject, and the date.

Paragraphs in memos are often numbered, as here, particularly when the subject concerns a procedure to be followed.

15.1.2

Guide to contents

Memos may have a title, e.g.

Subject: Introduction of shift-work Subject: Annual Audit Subject: Pension Scheme

If there is no title, introduce the subject in the opening paragraph:

A Shi ft-Work system is to be introduced next month.

The annual Audit will begin on 1 March 19—.

A Contributory Pension Scheme is to be introduced as from 1 July 19—.

Explain to staff howthey will be affected:

The shift-work system will affect аЦ employees in this branch ofHalliwell & Fischer and will be introduced on a two-shift basis - 06.00 to 14.00 hours, and 14.00 to 20.00 hours. You will be told by department heads...

The Auditors will be allotted offices which will mean that some members of staff will be temporarily transferred to other offices in the building...

Members of staff will have to join the pension scheme and contribute 6% of their gross monthly salary. The contributions will go towards a retirement benefit plan which at 60 will offer a pension of 70% of gross salary, in addition to the Government scheme.

Unless already stated, the employees must be told when the policy becomes effective:

The scheme will begin from 1 February 19—.

The audit will begin on 1 March and should take about three weeks...

Contributions to the scheme will be deducted from the pay month ending 1 July 19—.

State who will be affected and where:

The audit will affect all branches of the company, and warehousemen are reminded that they will have to account for any missing items. Staff will be expected to explain the loss of any equipment, or damage to...

The pension scheme will only affect those members of staff who were employed on or before 1 January 19—. Employees who joined after that date will be included in the scheme as soon as they have completed six months' full-time employment with the firm.

Once you have mentioned how staff will be affected, when\he scheme becomes effective, where it will operate, and who will be involved, you must explain what should be done:

Will all employees please see either their supervisors or department

managers, who will let them know which shift they will be working on for the first month? Another memo will be circulated next week, explaining a bonus scheme which will be introduced as part of the new arrangement.

Everyone included in the scheme will receive a booklet giving them details of how the pension plan will work and what benefits they will receive on retirement or in the event of their deaths. A contract with a copy will also be enclosed and you should sign it, then hand it to your departmental manager before 21 June 20…..

Finally, if the memo appears to be complicated, or you think it might not be completely understood by everyone, you should advise them to contact a manager, supervisor, or departmental head, who will explain it to them and consider their comments and complaints, if they have any.

If you have any problems whatsoever with the shift you have be_en allotted, or cannot work on a shift basis, please tell your supervisor or manager when you see him.

If there are any problems you feel your manager should be made aware of before the auditors arrive, please let him know at once.

The booklet should explain the scheme clearly to you. But if there is anything you do not understand, or if you are already in a scheme that might be affected by the firm's pension plan, please inform your departmental manager as soon as possible.

MEMORANDUM

F. Lynch & Co. Ltd.

(Head Office), Nesson House, Newell Street, Birmingham B3 3EL

to: Department Managers Date: 10 November 20

From: The Chief Accountant

subject: Checfue Identification

Will all Department Managers remind their sales staff that all cheques must be accompanied by proper identification, i.e. cheque, store, or credit cards.

The store has experienced a number of bad debts over the past few months due to customers paying with bad cheques, and as the Christmas rush will soon be with us, this problem could increase unless sales staff are more careful.

Notices are placed round the store to explain the position to customers, but if staff experience any difficulty with a customer they should call over a manager or supervisor to deal with the matter.

T. Braithwaite

Chief Accountant

15.2.1

Date: 2016-01-03; view: 957