essay

Communication is probably the most important aspect of an individual’s life and is often the cause of most problems that occur in both professional and personal situations. All business and/or organizations recognize the value of communication and seek employees that have developed these skills. Proficiency in written communication is one of the most important transferable skills a worker can possess. Most people who work in the following areas; marketing, finance, advertising, human resources, and research & development, need excellent writing skills to properly convey ideas and concepts.

The main requirement of workplace writing is clarity. During the course of a regular business day, supervisors write emails/memos to employees regarding meetings or providing instructions for specific projects. These written messages must be clear, concise, and self-explanatory so workers can be productive and not waste time asking for further instructions. Business people are busy and well written communications help save time. Just think about the last time you read a classified ad – you scrolled down to read the job description, responsibilities, and requirements in order to determine if you possess the skills/experience/education to perform the position. The human resources director must possess excellent written communication skills so that job seekers can assess their skills to the specific demands of the job, otherwise the company would waste it’s time screening and interviewing unqualified candidates.

Employers want their employees’ written communication to be direct, grammatically correct, and easy to read, because careless errors may lead the reader/client to believe there are also

The Importance of Effective Writing

errors in the facts whereby the writer loses credibility and trustworthiness. Just recently my son applied for a home mortgage. In reading the loan officer’s email my son realized the loan officer made a mistake in terminology regarding my son’s income from his W2 statements. The loan officer’s terminology was not clear and may confuse the underwriter which could result in a higher interest rate. The loan officer apologized and said the error could be corrected, but my son felt that if the loan officer was so careless with a simple application and memo that he could not trust him to proceed with the transaction.

On the other hand, good writing adds to the credibility of the writer and reflects positively on a company’s image. Over the course of this semester you will develop written communication skills to improve your writing for the world of work in order to become a more marketable employee.

Communicating Ethically

Every employee has the responsibility to make ethical (moral) decisions in the workplace. The common ethical systems include utility –based, rule based, rights-based or a combination of all three systems.

Utility Based Ethics System John Stuart Mill – People should act in ways that produce the greatest total good.

Utilitarianism decides whether an act, or rule, is "right" depending on whether it results in the greatest good for the greatest number of people.

Utility based ethics is concerned with consequences. The utility approach deals with consequences; it tries both to increase the good done and to reduce the harm done.

Rule Based Ethics System Immanuel Kant – We judge the acts themselves, rather than the consequences of the acts (Acts are measured against rules).

Rules are primary, not their consequences. The rules must be followed even if the consequences are beneficial. For example, it is against school policy to engage in plagiarism (using someone’s ideas/work and presenting it as your own), even if you many benefit from the act (receiving a good grade). You can use the ideas of another person in your own writing as long as you do so in an ethical manner – give the original writer credit in the body of your work!

People should adhere to their obligations and duties - a person will follow his or her obligations to another individual or society because upholding one's duty is what is considered ethically correct. In the business world a rule based ethics system requires behavior/actions that are consistent with the principles, norms, and standards of business practice that have been agreed upon by society. For example, medical care is very expensive, yet doctors cannot prescribe medication to a patient without an examination even if it will save the patient money.

Rights Based Ethics The rights set forth by a society are protected and given the highest priority (rights cannot be taken away). For example, President Obama introduced health care reform legislation because he believes that everyone in the country has the right to health care, not just people who can afford to pay for insurance.