Year: 2020

Integrity is one of the core values that employers look for in potential employees. It’s also a core value to the operation of businesses. To act with integrity is to ensure that every decision made is based on thoroughly ethical and moral principles. Trust, honour, and honesty are key elements to the concept of integrity. In the workplace, employees that act with integrity will always tell the truth, are accountable and reliable, and treat coworkers, stakeholders and customers with respect. They will do the right thing, even when no one is watching.

Integrity in the workplace comes in many forms, but above all refers to having upstanding character traits and work ethics including sound judgement, honesty, dependability, and loyalty.

Having a high degree of integrity at work means that:

• You are trustworthy and reliable
• You practice and encourage open and honest communication
• You are responsible for your actions

Maintaining integrity at work is crucial for employees at all levels, but especially as you continue to move up the ladder. Having integrity helps foster an open and positive work environment and an ethical approach to decision-making.

Not only is workplace integrity beneficial to businesses, but it is also beneficial to the individual. By showing that you are an honest and dependable person, you’ll gain respect and trust from your peers and managers.

How to demonstrate integrity in the workplace?

• Respect and follow company policies: Workplace policies are created to guide you on best practices for everything from conduct to dress code. Following your company policy enables you to make informed decisions based on the business’ values and objectives.
• Be ready to work: Many of us know people who are willing to delegate but hesitant to get their hands dirty. Employees with integrity, on the other hand, are willing to go above and beyond with their own work and help others out if the situation calls for it.
• Lead by example: Your working style and attitude towards others will help set a solid foundation for what you value most in others, especially people who report to you. Working to a high standard and maintaining professional conduct encourages others to follow suit.
• Respect others’ opinions, even if you don’t agree with them: No matter how great your working environment may be, chances are there will be times when you simply don’t agree with someone else’s opinion. In these cases, it’s still important to be respectful, listen, and take on board what the other person is saying.
• Be accountable for your mistakes: Everybody makes mistakes from time to time. Owning up to and being accountable for your mistakes demonstrates that you’re honest and open to constructive feedback – both traits that are common to people with a high degree of workplace integrity.

Examples of integrity in the workplace

Here are some examples of how integrity could look in the workplace:

1. John missed a deadline for an important project due to two of his team members not delivering what was expected. Instead of blaming his team members, John took responsibility for the missed deadline, making sure to provide further training and change the process to prevent missed deadlines from occurring again.
2. Susan and her peer Steve were discussing how to allocate their marketing budget for the upcoming quarter. Steve suggested that they put a large chunk of the budget towards a major marketing campaign at the start of the quarter. Although Susan decided they wouldn’t be able to execute it so soon, she earmarked Steve’s campaign idea for the following quarter so that they would have enough time to prepare and execute it further down the track.
3. Julie met with Brian, who she managed directly, for their fortnightly catch-up. Brian relayed that he was struggling to stay on top of his workload due to having to attend several meetings a day. Julie implemented a new process within her team to keep meetings to 30 minutes or less wherever possible and follow an agenda. She also set up a group online chat functionality so that team members could communicate more quickly and easily.

The web as we know it is neither a static nor stable medium. It is evolving. And as it evolves, so too do the moral opportunities and challenges. The first generation web, the web of the dot com era or what is now called web 1.0, represented a major change in the technology of corporate communication but not in the underlying rules of the game. The most recent version of the web, however, represents the opposites. Web 2.0 (a term initially coined by Tim O’Reilly) is not a new technology but a change in the way existing technologies are used. And these new implementations, especially in the area of social media, present some unique challenges to business ethics.

1. Community (and not content) is king

For the first generation web, the name of the game was content. In fact the mantra of the dot com era Internet was “content is king.” During this period of time, the goal of a web-savvy businesses was to develop unique material that would capture eyeballs and connect consumers to its brand, whether a product, a service, or both. And the main ethical concern during this period of time involved the typical things PR departments worry about—truthful communication, public relations spin, and brand integrity.

In the web 2.0 world of social media, it is community and not content that is king. Here the main objective is not effective message transmission, as you would have, for example, in an email blast, but the formation and maintenance of communities of common interest, as we see with an application like Facebook. This shift in perspective not only alters the terrain of corporate communications but imposes a new set of responsibilities on organizations.

In fact, one of the principal ethical challenges occurs when organizations try to manage and control the social situation. In 2006, two retirees, Jim and Laura, made an RV road-trip across America, parking at Wal-Mart Store on the way and blogging about their positive experiences with Wal-Mart and its employees. Their blog, called Wal-Marting Across America, came under intense scrutiny, when BusinessWeek reported that the trip was indirectly funded and supported by Wal-mart through the activities of its PR agency, Edelman. In response to this kind of behind-the-scenes manipulation, the Federal Trade Commission has modified its guidelines on endorsements and testimonials in order to accommodate the opportunities and challenges of social media. Like everyone else, corporations need to learn how to make friends; they cannot fake it.

2. Power to the prosumer

Although social media is all about relationships, web 2.0 also complicates the roles of the participants within these relationships. During the web 1.0 era, things were clearly identifiable and fixed. There were producers, and there were consumers. The name of the game for a producer was to capture eyeballs and transform viewers of content into paying customers. The flow of information was top-down, from a few producers to a large number of potential consumers, and consumer behavior was largely limited to making a purchase or not. Despite the new technology of the Internet, the terms of the relationship and the arrangements of power in that relationship had not changed.

Social media introduces a new player—the prosumer. In the web 2.0 era, content is no longer generated by a few producers who distribute their information to a mass audience of consumers. Now content is generated from the bottom-up by prosumers who are as much consumers of web data and services as they are producers of it. Prosumers write reviews, post comments, and share content within their network of friends and followers. This activity challenges existing power structures by leveling the playing field or even overturning standard assumptions. Because the bar for participation in social media is set so low, a teenager not only can have more followers on Twitter and friends on Facebook than an established corporate brand, but her opinions can often have greater impact and influence than a carefully crafted advertising campaign.

This shift in power, introduces some new challenges and responsibilities. In February 2010, Nestlé found itself unable to control a barrage of negative publicity or what The Guardian called an anti-social media surge. Like many corporations, Nestlé maintains a Facebook page, where “fans” can post comments about the corporation and its products. The page was designed to leverage the power of prosumers by encouraging bottom-up participation in the brand. But things can also go the other direction, and this is precisely what happened with Nestlé. In response to a Greenpeace campaign concerning the use of palm oil, many “fans” of Nestlé started posting negative comments on the corporation’s Facebook page. And attempts to control this outbreak only made matters worse, when the administrator of the account for Nestlé tried to respond in kind.

3. Blurred lines

Because social media effectively level the playing field between individuals and organizations, these applications often blur the line separating what is public from what is personal. As a Deloitte Survey from 2009 characterizes it, “while the decision to post videos, pictures, thoughts, experiences, and observations to social networking sites is personal, a single act can create far-reaching ethical consequences for individuals as well as organizations.”

The principal ethical challenge for an organization is to decide whether and how to deal with this content, especially when it is critical of the download enterprise or exposes personal information about employees or candidates for employment. Can or should an organization, for instance, discipline employees who post comments that are critical of their employer or potentially embarrassing to the company? In 2011, Argos, a major retailer in the United Kingdom, fired an employee for complaining about his job on Facebook. Although the name of the employer did not appear anywhere in the post, Argos argued that the employee’s comments were a breach of the terms of employment and could damage the reputation of the company. The difficult task for organizations involved in this kind of activity is to figure out acceptable levels of monitoring their employee’s personal use of social media while simultaneously respecting their right to free expression.

Ethics is a set of moral principles that govern the behavior of a group or individual. Therefore, computer ethics is set of moral principles that regulate the use of computers. Some common issues of computer ethics include intellectual property rights (such as copyrighted electronic content), privacy concerns, and how computers affect society.

Computer ethics primarily enforces the ethical implementation and use of computing resources. It includes methods and procedures to avoid infringing copyrights, trademarks and the unauthorized distribution of digital content. Computer ethics also entails the behavior and approach of a human operator, workplace ethics and compliance with the ethical standards that surround computer use.

The core issues surrounding computer ethics are based on the scenarios arising from the use of the Internet, such as Internet privacy, the publication of copyrighted content and user interaction with websites, software and related services.

For example, while it is easy to duplicate copyrighted electronic (or digital) content, computer ethics would suggest that it is wrong to do so without the author’s approval. And while it may be possible to access someone’s personal information on a computer system, computer ethics would advise that such an action is unethical.

As technology advances, computers continue to have a greater impact on society. Therefore, computer ethics promotes the discussion of how much influence computers should have in areas such as artificial intelligence and human communication. As the world of computers evolves, computer ethics continues to create ethical standards that address new issues raised by new technologies.

Importance of computer ethics

• To protect personal & commercial information such as login & password info, credit card and account information and government and commercial databases. It also controls unwanted internet mail and ads (Spam).
• To control plagiarism, student identity fraud, and the use of copyrighted material, etc.
• To make ICT available and accessible to all peoples, including the disabled and the deprived. Accessibility needs to be kept in mind during curriculum design (in educational contexts), in order to maximize the capabilities of the technology
• To suppress dishonest business practices and to protect and encourage fair competition.
• To promote moral and social values in society.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a self-regulating business model that helps a company be socially accountable to itself, its stakeholders, and the public. By practicing corporate social responsibility, also called corporate citizenship, companies can be conscious of the kind of impact they are having on all aspects of society, including economic, social, and environmental.

To engage in CSR means that, in the ordinary course of business, a company is operating in ways that enhance society and the environment, instead of contributing negatively to them.

Corporate social responsibility is a broad concept that can take many forms depending on the company and industry. Through CSR programs, philanthropy, and volunteer efforts, businesses can benefit society while boosting their brands.

As important as CSR is for the community, it is equally valuable for a company. CSR activities can help forge a stronger bond between employees and corporations; boost morale; and help both employees and employers feel more connected with the world around them.

For a company to be socially responsible, it first needs to be accountable to itself and its shareholders. Often, companies that adopt CSR programs have grown their business to the point where they can give back to society. Thus, CSR is primarily a strategy of large corporations. Also, the more visible and successful a corporation is, the more responsibility it has to set standards of ethical behavior for its peers, competition, and industry.

Example of Corporate Social Responsibility

Long before its initial public offering (IPO) in 1992, Starbucks was known for its keen sense of corporate social responsibility, and commitment to sustainability and community welfare. According to the company, Starbucks has achieved many of its CSR milestones since it opened its doors. As per its 2018 “Global Social Impact Report,” these milestones include “reaching 99% of ethically sourced coffee, creating a global network of farmers, pioneering green building throughout its stores, contributing millions of hours of community service, and creating a groundbreaking college program for its partner/employees.”

Starbucks’ goals for 2020 and beyond include hiring 10,000 refugees across 75 countries, reducing the environmental impact of its cups, and engaging its employees in environmental leadership. Today there are many socially responsible companies whose brands are known for their CSR programs, such as Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and Everlane, a clothing retailer.

Importance of Corporate Social Responsibility

The notion that discharging corporate social responsibility involves costs and, in turn, reduces profits has proved wrong without doubt. Rather, it has been well established that discharging social responsibility strengthens the corporation’s foundation to earn profit not just in the short-run but also in the long- run. Numerous such stories abound in the corporate world.

Johnson & Johnson presents one classical example of how a company puts public welfare ahead of its own interest (profit), especially when the company itself is a victim. 28 September 1982 was a tragic day for Chicago when Johnson & Johnson made Extra Strength Tylenol caused cyanide poisoning and killed many people.

Showing its utmost concern for social welfare, Johnson & Johnson not only cooperated with the efforts to investigate into the incident, but also announced a reward of $ 1, 00,000 for giving information about the culprit.

The Tylenol crisis cost Johnson & Johnson plenty some $ 50 million besides withdrawal of 31 million bottles from the market with a retail value of over $ 100 million. Potentially, the most devastating cost resulted from lost public confidence. Only six weeks after it had withdrawn all Tylenol capsules from the market, the company reintroduced the product in tamper-proof packages, as are used in all of today’s pharmaceutical products.

Amazingly, Johnson & Johnson regained 95 per cent of the market share it had before the Tylenol crisis (Waldholz 1982). Johnson & Johnson’s this vignette clearly exemplifies how concern for social welfare strengthens an organization’s foundation, better call it “Organizational Character” and, in turn, its profit earning capacity. Character is foundation for over all prosperity.

Maruti Udyog Limited (MUL) is another such example that kept social welfare ahead of its interest. In the year 1997, of all the cars sold between January and April, this responsible company recalled about 50,000 of their most popular product, the Maruti 800 passenger cars from the market, because they suspected them to be made of inferior steel. This became a newspaper headlines, as it was the biggest ever recall of cars from the Indian market place. What an excellent example of moral altruism (Singh 2003)?

The logic behind this positive relationship appears to be that social involvement of business provides a number of benefits to it that more than offset its costs. These benefits would include a positive consumer image, a more dedicated and motivated workforce, strong public confidence, social acceptance, and even less interference from regulating agencies.

One way to understand the relevance of corporate social responsibility lies in our ancient teaching of Propkaram Paramam Dharma, i.e., helping others, what the sociologists call, altruism, is the most sacred duty. Performing duty is “Dharma” and “Dharma” is truth.

Truth prevails in its own manifestations and lasts for long. Our past is witness that in all walks of life, at last satyamev jayate, i.e., ultimately truth alone prevails and wins. Cooperate social responsibility is a company’s ‘dharma’ that enables the company to survive and thrive for long.

Just as any untruth is short lived, so is an untruth or unethical business too. There are plethora of corporate examples like Arthur Anderson, Enron, Union Carbide, Harshad Mehta Stock Business and so on confirming that no business can exist and survive without the acceptance and sanction of the society in which it carries out its activities. Without social sanction, business is sure to flounder and perish.

Following are some more justifications in favour of why corporations should discharge social responsibility. Many of these (Mintzerg 1983) tend to be couched in terms of enlightened self- interest, i.e., the corporation takes on social responsibilities insofar as doing so promotes its own self-interest.

1. Corporations perceived as being socially responsible might be rewarded with extra and/or more satisfied customers, whilst perceived irresponsibility may result in rejection or boycott by customers. Pepsi and Coca-Cola experienced such boycott from customers in India in 2007.
2. Research reports that employees are attracted to and even become more committed to corporations that show socially responsible behaviour (Greening and Turban 2000).
3. Corporations that voluntarily commit to social actions and programmes may also forestall legislation and ensure greater corporate independence from government.
4. Making positive contribution through socially responsible behaviour to society might be regarded as a long-term investment in creating an improved and stable business context to do business.

In addition to above business justifications couched in favour of corporate social responsibility, following are some important moral justifications also in favour of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR):

1. Corporations through their actions cause some social problems like pollution, dirtiness, etc. and hence they have a moral responsibility to solve these problems caused by them and also make efforts to prevent such problems in future.
2. Corporations as social actors use social resources which are often scarce. Hence, they should use these resources in responsible manner for the benefit of the society.
3. Corporate activities of one type or other like providing products and services, employment to workers, and so on and so forth, have social impacts be positive or negative or neutral. Hence, corporations are responsible to own the responsibility of these impacts.

In reality, corporations rely not only on the contributions of shareholders but also of wide constituencies, or say, stakeholders in society such as consumers, suppliers, local communities, etc. Hence, corporations have a duty to take into account the interests and goals of shareholders as well as other stakeholders.

Given the range of justifications in favour of CSR, there has not been any doubt about the need for and significance of socially responsible behaviour exhibited by the corporations.

A business letter is a letter from one company to another, or between such organizations and their customers, clients, or other external parties. The overall style of letter depends on the relationship between the parties concerned. Business letters can have many types of content, for example to request direct information or action from another party, to order supplies from a supplier, to point out a mistake by the letter’s recipient, to reply directly to a request, to apologize for a wrong, or to convey goodwill. A business letter is sometimes useful because it produces a permanent written record, and may be taken more seriously by the recipient than other forms of communication.

Writing for a business audience is usually quite different than writing in the humanities, social sciences, or other academic disciplines. Business writing strives to be crisp and succinct rather than evocative or creative; it stresses specificity and accuracy. This distinction does not make business writing superior or inferior to other styles. Rather, it reflects the unique purpose and considerations involved when writing in a business context.

When you write a business document, you must assume that your audience has limited time in which to read it and is likely to skim. Your readers have an interest in what you say insofar as it affects their working world. They want to know the “bottom line”: the point you are making about a situation or problem and how they should respond.

Business writing varies from the conversational style often found in email messages to the more formal, legalistic style found in contracts. A style between these two extremes is appropriate for the majority of memos, emails, and letters. Writing that is too formal can alienate readers, and an attempt to be overly casual may come across as insincere or unprofessional. In business writing, as in all writing, you must know your audience.

In most cases, the business letter will be the first impression that you make on someone. Though business writing has become less formal over time, you should still take great care that your letter’s content is clear and that you have proofread it carefully.

Parts of Business Letter

Regardless of their purposes, most business letters have some basic parts. The orderly arrangement of various parts of business letter is known as the structure of letter. The appearance of letter often reveals the character of the writer and his organization. So business letter should be arranged in a suitable manner that can draw reader’s attention. A well-structured business letter can also enhance the reputation and goodwill of the company.

A business letter will be more impressive if proper attention is given to each and every part of the business letter.

There are 12 Parts of Business Letter

• The Heading or Letterhead
• Date
• Reference
• The Inside Address
• Subject
• Greeting
• Body Paragraphs
• Complimentary Close
• Signature and Writer’s Identification
• Enclosures
• Copy Circulation
• PostScript

Let us discuss the parts of a business letter.

1. The Heading or Letterhead

It usually contains the name and the address of the business or an organization. It can also have an email address, contact number, fax number, trademark or logo of the business.

2. Date

We write the date on the right-hand side corner of the letter below the heading.

3. Reference

It shows the department of the organization sending the letter. The letter-number can also be used as a reference

4. The Inside Address

It includes the name, address, postal code, and job title of the recipient. It must be mentioned after the reference. One must write inside address on the left-hand side of the sheet.

5. Subject

It is a brief statement mentioning the reason for writing the letter. It should be clear, eye catchy, short, simple, and easily understandable.

6. The Greeting

It contains the words to greet the recipient. It is also known as the salutation. The type of salutation depends upon the relationship with the recipient.

It generally includes words like Dear, Respected, or just Sir/Madam. A comma (,) usually follow the salutation.

7. The Body Paragraphs

This is the main part of the letter. It contains the actual message of the sender. The main body of the mail must be clear and simple to understand. The body of the letter is basically divided into three main categories.

Opening Part: The first paragraph of the mail writing must state the introduction of the writer. It also contains the previous correspondence if any.

Main Part: This paragraph states the main idea or the reason for writing. It must be clear, concise, complete, and to the point.

Concluding Part: It is the conclusion of the business letter. It shows the suggestions or the need of the action. The closing of the letter shows the expectation of the sender from the recipient. Always end your mail by courteous words like thanking you, warm regards, look forward to hearing from your side etc.

8. The Complimentary Close

It is a humble way of ending a letter. It is written in accordance with the salutation. The most generally used complimentary close are Yours faithfully, Yours sincerely, and Thanks & Regards.

9. Signature and Writer’s Identification

It includes the signature, name, and designation of the sender. It can also include other details like contact number, address, etc. The signature is handwritten just above the name of the sender.

10. Enclosures

Enclosures show the documents attached to the letter. The documents can be anything like cheque, draft, bills, receipts, invoices, etc. It is listed one by one.

11. Copy Circulation

It is needed when the copies of the letter are sent to other persons. It is denoted as C.C.

12. PostScript

The sender can mention it when he wants to add something other than the message in the body of the letter. It is written as P.S.

Structure of a Business Letter

Business letter is one which appears well, is written well and communicated well.

It includes several parts and the parts are arranged in sequence to make it meaningful. Arranging various parts in proper sequence in letter is called structure of business letter. The structure is heading, opening, body and closing:

1. Heading

Heading is used to convey a positive image of the company.   Because it includes the company’s address, phone and often email. It is not necessary to include that information again in the body of the letter. Sometimes the writer will provide a direct phone number or personal email address if the action statement calls for direct communication.

Inside Address

Two spaces below the date are the full name and business address of the person to whom the letter is addressed.  If several people are receiving the letter, all their names and addresses should appear.  The address on the letter should be the same as the address on the envelope.  As with the date, there can be legal consequences for inaccuracies.  The address on the letter is presumed to be the one to which the letter is actually sent.  If it is incomplete or inaccurate, a recipient can make the case that the letter was mailed to the incorrect address as well.

Date

Full date must be included in the letter. The date can be any agreement being made Because the letter is a formal document, often used in contract situations, the date can be extremely important.  The letter is usually dated the same day on which it is mailed, but whatever agreements are included in the letter are considered effective as of the date of the letter.

2. The opening

Salutation

The formal greeting always starts with “Dear” followed by the person’s title and last name, and ending with a colon.  This requires finding out whether the recipient is properly addressed as Mr., Ms. Or Dr. Attempts to avoid the issue (i.e. Substituting the title with the person’s first name, using impersonal phrases like “Mr. Or Ms” or “To Whom It May Concern”, or eliminating the salutation entirely) indicate that the writer doesn’t actually know the recipient of the letter at all, making the letter a “form” letter, a much less formal document.

3. Body

Context Paragraph

The first paragraph of the letter will define the context, providing a clear statement of the letter’s topic and purpose.  Avoid starting a letter flowery language that doesn’t explain what the letter is about. In social letters or in letters written for businesspeople, it is appropriate to begin a letter with a question about the family or a comment about recent weather or world events.  U.S. businesspeople, however, generally prefer to find out right away why the letter has been written.)

Content Paragraphs

The typical letter uses one to three paragraphs to provide the information relevant to its purpose.  Each paragraph should cover a single topic or point.  In the case of a long letter that covers multiple pages, it is appropriate to break the information into sections with internal headers or bullets to provide clarity.

Action Paragraph

The final paragraph of the letter provide a clear, straightforward statement of the action that will be taken be the writer, requested of the reader, or expected by a third party.

4. Closing

Two spaces below the final paragraph of the letter, a traditional closing line, generally “sincerely” or “respectfully,” ends the letter.  If the situation calls for a warmer tone, the closing might be “cordially,” “best wishes,” or “regards.”

Signature

A four-line space allows room for a written signature immediately below the closing, then the sender’s full name is typed, with the full business title (sometimes with the department or division as well) on the next line.  The signature on a business letter signifies that the writer is taking responsibility for fulfilling any commitments being made.  Thus, even when the sender and recipient know each other well, a full signature is used.

When writing on behalf of a team or department, type the group’s proper name immediately above the written signature of the team’s representative.

When writing a business letter, the layout of your letter is important, so that it will be easy to read and looks professional. So is your use of an appropriate salutation and closing, your spelling and grammar, and the tone you employ.

Here’s information on business letters, including selecting a font, paragraph spacing, formatting, margins, what to include in each paragraph, how to close the letter, and an example of the proper layout for a business letter.

Letter Font and Spacing

• Properly space the layout of the business letters you write, with space between the heading, the greeting, each paragraph, the closing, and your signature.
• Single space your letter and leave a space between each paragraph. When sending typed letters, leave two spaces before and after your written signature.
• Left justify your letter, so that your contact information, the date, the letter, and your signature are all aligned to the left.
• Use a plain font like Arial, Times New Roman, Courier New, Calibri, or Verdana. Make sure that the font size you use is large enough that your reader won’t need to reach for their glasses – the standard font size for these fonts is 10 point or 12 point.

A business letter is a formal document often sent from one company to another or from a company to its clients, employees, and stakeholders, for example. Business letters are used for professional correspondence between individuals, as well.

Although email has taken over as the most common form of correspondence, printed-out business letters are still used for many important, serious types of correspondence, including reference letters, employment verification, job offers, and more.

What to Include in the Letter

Make the purpose of your letter clear through simple and targeted language, keeping the opening paragraph brief. You can start with, “I am writing in reference to…” and from there, communicate only what you need to say.

The subsequent paragraphs should include information that gives your reader a full understanding of your objective(s) but avoid meandering sentences and needlessly long words. Again, keep it concise to sustain their attention.

If, for example, you want the reader to sponsor a charity event, identify any overlap with their company’s philanthropic goals. Convince the reader that helping you would be mutually beneficial, and you will increase your chances of winning their support.

Sections of a Business Letter

Each section of your letter should adhere to the appropriate format, starting with your contact information and that of your recipient’s; salutation; the body of the letter; closing; and finally, your signature.

Your Contact Information

• Your Name
• Your Job Title
• Your Company
• Your Address
• City, State Zip Code
• Your Phone Number
• Your Email Address

The Date

• The date you’re penning the correspondence

Recipient’s Contact Information

• Their Name
• Their Title
• Their Company
• The Company’s Address
• City, State Zip Code

The Salutation

• Use “To Whom It May Concern,” if you’re unsure specifically whom you’re addressing.
• Use the formal salutation “Dear Mr./Ms./Dr. [Last Name],” if you do not know the recipient.
• Use “Dear [First Name],” only if you have an informal relationship with the recipient.

The Body

• Use single-spaced lines with an added space between each paragraph, after the salutation, and above the closing.
• Left justify your letter (against the left margin).

Closing Salutation

Keep your closing paragraph to two sentences. Simply reiterate your reason for writing and thank the reader for considering your request. Some good options for your closing include:

• Respectfully yours
• Yours sincerely
• Cordially
• Respectfully

If your letter is less formal, consider using:

• All the best
• Best
• Thank you
• Regards

Your Signature

Write your signature just beneath your closing and leave four single spaces between your closing and your typed full name, title, phone number, email address, and any other contact information you want to include.

Writing an effective business letter is an important skill no matter what type of job you hold. Although business communications have become much more casual with the advent of the Internet and email, there are still times when a formal letter is required. Understanding the basics of business letter writing can help you ensure that your letter is clear and concise.

Neat and Clean

Business letters should be neat and error-free. Some companies mandate a standardized format and font to ensure uniformity of company correspondence. If that’s the case at your company, find out if a business letter template is available. Use of a template will make it simple to follow the company format. If your company doesn’t use a template, follow basic business letter format. Type the recipient’s address at the top left of the page. Skip a line and type the date. Start the letter with Dear Mr., Ms. or Mrs., unless you are very well acquainted with the recipient. Skip a line between each paragraph and close the letter with “Sincerely” followed by your name and title.

Make Your Point

Use the opening paragraph to briefly explain the purpose of the letter. Your first sentence might read, “A recent review of construction purchase orders revealed several cost overruns,” or “We would like to offer you a 15 percent discount on your next printing job.” State the purpose clearly and avoid jargon or highly technical language. If a secretary or assistant reads the recipient’s mail, you’ll want to make sure that person understands the significance of your letter, even if she doesn’t have a technical background.

Details, Details, Details

Expand upon the first paragraph with more details. You might mention that cost overruns occurred during construction of the building’s elevator shafts or note that the 15 percent discount applies to printing jobs costing more than $100. Short, concise letters might be more likely to be read, but make sure you provide enough details so that the recipient fully understands the reason for the letter. Keep in mind that the tone of your letter can affect the way the reader perceives it. The Purdue Online Writing Lab suggests using positive words as much as possible and focusing on what your company can do, rather than what it can’t do.

Finish your letter with a request that asks the recipient to take some kind of action. For example, you might write, “Please provide me with the most recent cost projections by Tuesday,” or “Call me to take advantage of your discount.” Provide more than one way for the recipient to get in touch with you, such as a telephone number and an email address. Before you sign the letter and put it in the mail, be sure to review it for spelling and grammar errors.

The average office worker receives around 80 emails each day. With that volume of mail, individual messages can easily get overlooked. Follow these simple rules to get your emails noticed and acted upon.

1. Don’t over communicate by email

One of the biggest sources of stress at work is the sheer volume of emails that people receive. So, before you begin writing an email, ask yourself: “Is this really necessary?”

As part of this, you should use the phone or IM to deal with questions that are likely to need some back-and-forth discussion. Use our Communications Planning Tool to identify the channels that are best for different types of message.

Also, email is not as secure as you might want it to be, particularly as people may forward emails without thinking to delete the conversation history. So avoid sharing sensitive or personal information in an email, and don’t write about anything that you, or the subject of your email, wouldn’t like to see plastered on a billboard by your office.

Whenever possible, deliver bad news in person. This helps you to communicate with empathy, compassion, and understanding, and to make amends if your message has been taken the wrong way.

2. Make Good Use of Subject Lines

A newspaper headline has two functions: it grabs your attention, and it summarizes the article, so that you can decide whether to read it or not. The subject line of your email message should do the same thing.

A blank subject line is more likely to be overlooked or rejected as “spam,” so always use a few well-chosen words to tell the recipient what the email is about.

You may want to include the date in the subject line if your message is one of a regular series of emails, such as a weekly project report. For a message that needs a response, you might also want to include a call to action, such as “Please reply by November 7.”

A well-written subject line like the one below delivers the most important information, without the recipient even having to open the email. This serves as a prompt that reminds recipients about your meeting every time they glance at their inbox.

3. Keep Messages Clear and Brief

Emails, like traditional business letters, need to be clear and concise. Keep your sentences short and to the point. The body of the email should be direct and informative, and it should contain all pertinent information. See our article on writing skills for guidance on communicating clearly in writing.

Unlike traditional letters, however, it costs no more to send several emails than it does to send just one. So, if you need to communicate with someone about a number of different topics, consider writing a separate email for each one. This makes your message clearer, and it allows your correspondent to reply to one topic at a time.

4. Be Polite

People often think that emails can be less formal than traditional letters. But the messages you send are a reflection of your own professionalism , values, and attention to detail, so a certain level of formality is needed.

Unless you’re on good terms with someone, avoid informal language, slang, jargon , and inappropriate abbreviations. Emoticons can be useful for clarifying your intent, but it’s best to use them only with people you know well.

Close your message with “Regards,” “Yours sincerely,” or “All the best,” depending on the situation.

Recipients may decide to print emails and share them with others, so always be polite.

5. Check the Tone

When we meet people face-to-face, we use the other person’s body language , vocal tone, and facial expressions to assess how they feel. Email robs us of this information, and this means that we can’t tell when people have misunderstood our messages.

Your choice of words, sentence length, punctuation, and capitalization can easily be misinterpreted without visual and auditory cues. In the first example below, Emma might think that Harry is frustrated or angry, but, in reality, he feels fine.

6. Proofreading

Finally, before you hit “send,” take a moment to review your email for spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes. Your email messages are as much a part of your professional image as the clothes you wear, so it looks bad to send out a message that contains typos.

As you proofread, pay careful attention to the length of your email. People are more likely to read short, concise emails than long, rambling ones, so make sure that your emails are as short as possible, without excluding necessary information.

The letters are still the necessary tools in an organization. It remains as an unprecedented throne in the written communication. One of the forms of correspondence that particularly requires the practice of letter writing is human resource correspondence. The HR department of any organization helps in stabilizing the organization and finding new talents and tools for its growth.

The technological advancements have by and large change the structure of the organizations. Many organizations are now shifting towards more and more use of technology. But certain practices still remains the same. One of the examples to this is the business correspondence.

This still remains as one of the favorites for every organization. The reason for this is the dependence on correspondence for failure and success in the organization.

For every organization, recruitment is a very important asset. And that is where the hr department comes into the picture. The personnel department for every firm deal with all the matters related to staffing as well as the day to day process of recruitment.

In the beginning, this department was not given much preference and as a result, was discharged of its duties. But then it got a new name in the form of the personnel department.

Then people at the highest level in the firms realized that it is the people in an organization changes the fortune of the organization and not just the machines. So, it got renamed again to the hr department i.e. Human resource department.

In the hr correspondence, there are many different types of letter that you have to deal with every day. Either you write these letters or you analyze them. That is why it is important to understand the areas which are important in these letters.

Job Application

Whenever you are in search for a job, the first thing you do is a search for various jobs and apply in them. So, job application and resume writing become the most important form of written communication. Both of them are in written forms and thus it becomes important to be more attentive towards them.

A job application is as similar to a sales ad or a circular you find in your day to day life. Through job application, you are offering your certain expertise and skills in return for a price.

Thus, every position you apply for demands a careful drafting of the application. The difference between the job application and a resume is that resume generally covers the factual information of a person or an applicant.

There are various ways through which you can apply for a job. Many organizations inform about the vacant position through an ad or maintain their own database. Some rely on different placement agencies to find them the applicants whenever required. The other alternative is the websites where many can submit their CV and resume and wait for a call.

The other likely source without writing a letter or a job application is through campus recruitment or company’s employment office. Thus, it becomes a prospective letter to the organization when you send in your resume or job application. It is almost similar to a sales letter.

Here also you are selling but the difference is you are selling yourself. You are selling yourself in the form of skills, qualifications, and expertise. Also, you are selling your weaknesses and strengths and thereby your ability to perform in the organization.

Resume

As mentioned above, a resume is factual details of one’s profile. This profile includes personal as well as professional details. It should be enclosed with the application that you are submitting either to an agency or the company.

There are many terms that you can use beside resume like bio-data or CV (curriculum vitae). You can also take a professional help for writing these letter and application.

Ideally, a good resume should not be too long, a one-page resume is considered sufficient to apply for a job. Personal details like gender, age, sex, are optional, so it is up to you to mention it.

It is necessary that you print or write your resume in a good quality paper. The display of lines and space should also be understood and taken care of.

Here are the details that a resume usually consists of:

Education/academics Personal details any extra qualifications Experience (chronological order) Additional information related to the job or languages known References. Follow the appropriate format of a resume. These formats can be usually found on the internet or in books.