How to Write a Memo to Your Boss or Employees

What Is a Memo?

‘Memo’ is an abbreviation of the word ‘memorandum’. It is a commonly used form of communication within a business setting.

In simple terms, a memo is a document for communicating with others within a company. It will usually be brief and is designed to provide information quickly and without excessive decoding by the reader.

Some of the most common reasons people choose to send a memo include:

• Updating individuals about changes in company policy
• Confirming agreements
• Requesting input from individuals within a team or wider department

Memos are typically sent via email. It’s the quickest and easiest way to get information to a large number of people across different departments in the shortest possible time.

Types of Memo

Although a memo can be sent for a variety of reasons, they usually fall into one of three different categories:

• Request
• Confirmation
• Suggestion

Request

These types of memos are designed to request something from the recipient. They should be carefully worded to maximize the potential for a positive response.

Typically, a request memo should contain information regarding the request you are making, alongside reasons why this request is beneficial for the company.

Confirmation

A confirmation memo is exactly what it sounds like. It is a memo used to confirm an agreement between individuals or groups.

Typically, a confirmation memo will be sent after a verbal agreement is made and can be used to list the details of an agreement for future reference.

When someone sends a confirmation memo, they will usually list the information which has been agreed upon and request feedback in case anything has been misunderstood.

Suggestion

When someone sends this type of memo, they are usually making suggestions or putting forward ideas regarding work issues. This could be in a problem-solving sense or about an ongoing project.

Suggestion memos can also build on thought processes that have been established during brainstorming events.

Businesses grow and thrive when staff members are encouraged to think outside of the box and offer ideas and solutions to one another. Sending memos that fall into the suggestion category is a great way of enabling this growth without the need for excessive or endless meetings.

Steps for Writing a Memo

Although each memo will be slightly different depending on its purpose and author, they tend to have similar features and formats.

Include a Header

Your header is the first thing that the recipient will see. It should include information regarding the subject, sender and date.

Including this information will help the recipient to identify the memos which are in most urgent need of response.

Make the First Sentence Clear

Your introductory sentence should include the most important information. If your recipient is short on time, they will be able to read the first sentence and gain an understanding of the overall memo.

Write One or Two Paragraphs to Expand on Your Key Points

Although you should always keep your memo as short as possible, it will usually be necessary to add more information than can be contained in an introductory sentence.

Make sure that your memo includes only the most important information. This will ensure the recipient can fully understand the message they are being sent.

Consider Bullet Points

If you can’t condense your memo into one or two short paragraphs, consider using bullet points. These help to break up long paragraphs into easy-to-digest pieces.

Include a Call to Action if Required

If your memo is designed to ask someone to do something, make sure that this is clear. If you need a response from your recipient, consider adding something like ‘response required’ to the subject line.

It can also be helpful to ask for responses to be sent by a specified date at the end of your memo. This can help to nudge recipients into responding more quickly.

Don’t Forget Your Contact Details

This is especially important if you are sending a memo to people with whom you don’t interact regularly. Including your contact information helps them to respond to you easily if they need to and means that they have your contact information if they need it in the future.

Most people will choose to include an email address and a phone number at the bottom of their memos.

Remember to Include Attachments if Required

We’ve all been there. You ask the recipient to review the attachment, but forget to add it. Taking a few seconds to check your memo before pressing ‘send’ will help to avoid this error.

Check Your Language or Jargon Usage

Your memo should always be tailored to the intended audience. It’s important to check the language and jargon you are using.

If you are speaking to individuals within your department, there may be specialized terms that are generally understood. These terms won’t necessarily be used and understood elsewhere within the company.

If you’re sending the memo outside your department, you may need to change the words that you have used.

Proofread

Your memo may be time-sensitive, and you may feel there isn’t enough time to proofread it, but you should always make time to go over your work before you send it.

Taking the time to check your memo can make a significant difference to how your message is received. Proofreading will help to ensure that you avoid making simple spelling and grammatical errors.

An error-free memo will help it to come across as more professional. It is also a good way of making sure that your memo makes sense and contains all the relevant information.

How to Write a Memo to Your Boss

There are many situations when you might consider writing a memo to your boss. For example, you may wish to ask for permission to attend a conference or provide an update on the progress of a project.

If you are sending a memo to your boss, it’s important to make sure that you do it properly.

Things to Remember

• Use formal language – After all, they’re your boss, not your friend.
• Keep it short – It’s important to keep memos as short as possible without missing out important information.
• Make sure that it’s relevant – If the situation can be dealt with by someone else, speak to them before bothering your boss.
• Outline how your memo can benefit the company as a whole – Managers will be focused on the bigger picture, and they will want to know that their decisions are going to be good for the company. If you send a memo that asks for additional training or suggests an idea for the company, include how this would be a good thing for the company in general.

How to Write a Memo to Your Employees

Sending a memo to your employees is, in many ways, simpler than sending a memo to your boss.

Things to Remember

• Provide a relevant subject – State the reason for the memo in the subject line.
• Keep it concise – Be clear about what you need or want.
• Keep a copy for your records – You will have evidence if your employee claims that they didn’t see, or misunderstood, the memo.
• Use formal language where necessary – You can often be a little more casual in the way that you speak, but it’s important to know when to use formal language.
• Think about the right recipient(s) – Consider whether the memo needs to be sent to an individual or the company as a whole. This will influence the type of language you use and the way that you form your memo.
• Keep the language appropriate – Think about whether your recipient will understand the jargon and abbreviations in your memo. If they are unlikely to understand, simplify your wording.

Example Memos

For Your Boss

To: Joe Jones
From: Barry White
Subject: Marketing seminar – 20 June
Date: 4/3/22

I recently received information regarding a marketing seminar at the end of June this year, and I would like to attend.

As head of marketing, I feel that it is vital to stay up-to-date with the latest news, information and trends within my sector. Doing so enables me to continually grow within my role, in turn giving the best possible outcomes for my department.

I would appreciate it if you could authorize this seminar as a work-related event by the end of this month so that I have enough time to book my space.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Barry White
Head of Marketing
email@email

For Your Employees

To: The Sales Team
From: Grace Malloy
Subject: Performance this quarter
Date: 06/31/22

As requested, I have an update regarding the performance of the sales team during the last quarter.

I am pleased to say that the team has increased productivity by 10% compared to the previous quarter. This exceeds the target which had been set and means that you are on track to hit your target for the next quarter already. Keep up the good work!

I look forward to updating you again.

Grace Malloy
Head of Sales

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

Memos can be a really useful way of communicating quickly with people throughout a business.

Understanding how and when to use them is vital to ensure you are sending memos appropriately. It is also important to write in the right tone for your audience.

This will ensure that your memo is well received and appropriate for the situation.