How to Create Memos that Employees Read: And Why it’s Important to Your Bottom Line
You probably don’t need this blog to tell you that a memo is short for memorandum and is a note telling a group of people how to do something, informing them of a new policy, or asking a general question.
They are the unsung heroes of internal business communication. Without them, employees wouldn’t remember to change their passwords every two months, put their dishes in the sink, or prepare for the team meeting on Friday. That’s why it’s important to know how to create memos.
There’s a problem, though: most memos are boring, and employee inboxes are flooded with them. This results in the right people not paying enough attention to the notes your HR department has worked so hard to create.
In fact, this is just one part of a bigger issue: the lack of attention to effective communication within businesses. Think it doesn’t matter?
Here are the effects of great internal communication practices:
- 47% higher returns to shareholders
- 19% higher market premium
- 20% more likely to have lower employee turnover
You probably won’t find it anywhere on a company budget, but great communication matters to your bottom line. Period. The cost of employee misunderstandings was placed at $37 billion dollars per year (guess they didn’t get the memo!).
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How to Create Memos in Soda PDF
Awesome memos make for fast, effective communication, and fast, effective communication leads to all the benefits we just mentioned.
But how do you quickly create memos that employees actually read? Do you have to spend all day figuring out what to say and hire a graphic designer?
Not with Soda PDF.
Here are some tips for learning how to create memos and how Soda PDF increases HR productivity and engagement from your employees.
#1) Get Straight to the Point
Before you even begin learning how to create memos, you should already have in mind the actions you want others to take. Think of this as your value proposition. Your elevator pitch, if you will.
Make sure it’s incredibly easy to understand. The more information your employees get hit with on a daily basis, the more important simplicity becomes.
Also, keep in mind that people will be reading from tablets and smartphones regularly, so don’t make them scroll for ages to get to the meat and potatoes.
- Keep the header short and to the point
- State a clear reason in the beginning for the memo (for example, a reminder to attend a new employee training session)
- Avoid large words and personal commentary as much as possible
Soda PDF Tip:
Creating stunning HR documents is quick and easy, and so is formatting them.
- First, download a picture of a gradient from a free service online and click on Insert -> Images.
- Then choose and upload it to the document. It’s a great way to separate the document into easy-to-see sections.
- Put one right at the top of to sum everything up quickly while compelling those interested to read on. It will help already busy people filter information quicker.
#2) Make it Eye-Catching
Who said memos need to be boring? There’s a reason why images, infographics, and videos get more clicks than text articles.
Don’t hesitate to add
- Images
- Memes
- Logos
- Cool promotional adverts (awesome for company parties!)
With Soda PDF, you can easily add in your company logo and other beautiful images by clicking Insert -> Image.
You can also edit different sections, add text boxes, and adjust colour depending on need, all without hiring a graphic designer. You’ll have the coolest internal communication in no time.
#3) Add Links to Relevant Information
The intro should quickly announce the topic and why it matters, but there’s something that almost all businesses forget: adding links to relevant information.
Links not only increase engagement by having an employee perform an action, but they also back up what you’re saying.
Use them to link to calendars, define key terms, showcase studies, or back up your claims (for example, linking to a study as to why changing passwords is important in a memo where you tell everyone that they yet again must change their PW to something without sequential numbers).
Hint: Adding a link with Soda PDF is easy.
- Click Insert -> Links and hold down the left mouse button over the text you wish to highlight.
- From there, paste the link in the box that appears, and voila!
Tutorial: How to Insert a Web Link Using Soda PDF
In a business climate where communication barriers can cost companies $26,000 per year per employee, knowing how to create memos using Soda PDF and conveying clear and effective communication will eventually result in cost savings.
With Soda PDF, your HR department can easily learn how to create memos that employees open and engage with; it will allow you to take your communication to the next level by producing some of the coolest memos in the business world.
Related articles:
Learn how to edit PDF files like a pro with Soda PDF
Best PDF editing tools: How to modify and review your documents
Download Soda PDF to start creating your own memos!
