Six Steps to Announcing a New Company Policy with a Memo

Miranda Brookins reports:

"It's important to communicate company policies, including new ones, to employees. Announce new company policies to employees in a written format, such as a memo...Start your memo with the following headers: 'TO:,' 'FROM:,' 'DATE:' and 'SUBJECT:'. Separate each header with a double space and add a colon after each header, followed by one space...Include the name of the employee you're sending the memo to, after the header 'TO.' Or you can make the 'TO:' line more general and type 'All Employees of ...' and include the name of your company. 'FROM:' should include either the employer's name or the name of the human resources manager or director, along with the individual's title. Your 'SUBJECT:' should indicate that you're going to announce a new company policy and give indication as to what it is with four to six words...Open your new company policy memo with a paragraph that outlines the reason you're writing and sending the memo to your employees. Plainly state the new company policy; you can explain it further in the paragraphs that follow. Add a single-line space and begin your second paragraph...Provide your employees with background information that indicates how and why the new company policy was created. If a specific event in the office encouraged you to create it, state that, without providing details that may single out one employee or group. Add a single-line space, then begin your third paragraph...Use your third paragraph to fully explain what the new policy is, who it applies to, employee responsibility for acknowledging and following the policy, details on how it will be enforced and consequences for not following the policy...Close the memo by letting employees know when the new company policy goes into effect and by directing them to contact the company owner or the human resources department, if they have any further questions or concerns. If you plan to add the company policy to your existing handbook or you plan to post it in the office, let employees know where [t]hey can access the information."