HOW TO WRITE A MEMO

Hi!

Have a look at this video and do the activity below.

https://youtu.be/n5Zyn9y_MDs

BACKGROUND

You are the senior manager of Sirius, a company selling network solutions B2B. You employ 115 staff: 40 sales consultants, 50 technical staff (programmers, software designers) and 25 administritave staff (accountants, lawyers, etc) Because of a recent downturn in your business, together with the rising cost of office rent, you now have to move to a smaller office. this means that each member of staff will have less space. However, the sales staff are out of the office for much of the time. Should you introduce hot-desking or give each worker an individual work space? There are good reasons for introducing hot-desking, but it seems that many of the staff are against the idea.

Hot-desking

Workers do not have their own desks. They choose a different space to work in each day. They each have laptop computers and mobile phones, and there are cupboards where they can store their files, books and personal items. Workers can choose to work in team rooms or quiet rooms. Only the seniors managers have individual offices.

Individual work spaces

The office space is divided into small units: each person has their own space with a desk and PC, surrounded by a screen. Managers and senior staff have bigger offices with walls, windows and a door. There are meeting rooms where teams can get together.

Write it up

WRITE a memo to the staff telling them what decision you have taken and why.

Here, you have different staff members' opinions

Human Resources Manager: "It will create a more dynamic environment. staff can communicate more easily. people will work next to different colleagues, so everyone will know everyone else".

Young sales consultant: "I'm out of the office most of the time. I often work at home, or in my car. I only come to the office for team meetings so I don't need my own space".

Accountant: "I like family photos on my desk and my personal things around me".

Prof. Lorenzo, Mariela