The structure of a memo

1.       Heading

The heading section contains information concerning to whom the memo is written, from whom it is sent, the date of sending and the subject (see below).

       

       MEMO

       To:                        All staff

       From:                   Margaret Porter, CEO

       Date:                    16/09/22

       Subject:               Office relocation

 

 2.       Declaration

This section announces the topic of the memo. This may be an announcement, reminder, request, or suggestion, among others.

 3.       Discussion

In the discussion section, short background information may be given to explain the announcement, request, etc., as well as further details relevant to the issue.

 4.       Conclusion

Finally, depending on the subject of the memo, the conclusion may, for instance, outline any expected results of changes, ask employees to take action, or send their comments to management, etc. At the very end, the memo is sometimes initialed, rather than signed, by the sender.


Memos may be used in a range of workplace situations, therefore the function of the memo may vary. The most common type of memo is the ‘announcement’ memo in which management inform staff of a new policy, regulation, or change. However, other types include ‘request’ memos, which ask for staff input or action; ‘reminder’ memos to remind staff of an upcoming event or change; and ‘confirmation’ memos to confirm information circulating amongst staff or previously announced.

Read the different types of memo below which are all connected: the first memo informs staff of a management decision, while the second one requests action from the staff. Finally, the third memo asks the staff to follow a set of instructions. Note that each memo conforms to the structure outlined above.

 

 

MEMO

To:                        All staff

From:                   Margaret Porter, CEO

Date:                    14/06/22

Subject:               Relocation of headquarters


A decision has been made to relocate the company’s headquarters to Oxford and therefore close the London office.

As you may be aware, Oxford is the site of the company’s main processing plant and the Board feels that it makes sense to relocate the majority of the company’s operations to this site. The move will take place in the early part of next year – details on the exact date will follow.

We hope all staff currently working in the London office will consider moving with us. The HR department will be contacting each staff member to discuss employment opportunities in Oxford.

We anticipate that it will be a positive move for the company, and we hope you see it as such, too. In the meantime, the HR department will be happy to answer any queries you may have.

MP

 


MEMO

To:                         All staff

From:                    Simon Graves, HR Director

Date:                     30/09/22

Subject:                Voluntary redundancy package


As a result of the decision to relocate the company headquarters to Oxford, I can now confirm that the London office will close permanently on Friday 11 February 2023.

All those staff not moving to Oxford with the company have been sent details of the voluntary redundancy package offered by the company. You are kindly asked to complete the paperwork and return it to the HR department by Friday 29 October 2022.

All questions and comments should be directed to Sara Matthews, HR manager for the London office.

SG

MEMO

To:                        All staff

From:                   Sandra Lang, London Office Manager

Date:                    17/01/23

Subject:               Moving office


Relocation of the company’s London headquarters to Oxford will take place the week of 7-11 February 2023. In order to ensure a smooth, hassle-free move, staff are requested to do the following in the run-up to moving week:

1)      Back-up all your computer files – the IT department will be in touch to organise this.

2)      Empty all bookcases, cupboards, filing cabinets and desk drawers – boxes and labels will               be provided shortly.

3)      Leave company cars in the car park and return the keys to the Operations Department                 by Monday 07 February.

4)      Hand any company mobiles or tablets back to IT by Wednesday 9 February at the latest.

Department managers will supervise preparation for the move therefore any queries or comments should be directed to them.

We thank you for your cooperation during this transition period.

SL

 

To write a memo, then, it is important to consider the reason for writing and how the information can be conveyed in a concise and factual manner. A clear structure is vital, too, so that the audience can read the memo and understand its contents quickly, taking action if necessary.

  

·   speculation – guessing about a        situation, rumours;

·   concisely – in a few words;

·   initialed – marked with the first        letters of your name and                  surname;

·   conforms to – obeys, follows;

·   hassle-free – without problems.