You are a director of human resources and have been asked to send out a memo regarding a new break schedule policy that is replacing an old
policy.
In the old break schedule policy, employees could take breaks (two 15-minute breaks per day and one 30-minute lunch break) whenever they wanted
as long as they did not exceed the total time allotted for breaks.
In the new break schedule policy, which starts May 1, employees do not get to choose when their breaks are. Supervisors will decide on the break
schedule and provide it to the employees. Employees will be scheduled for one 15-minute break in the morning, one 30-minute break for lunch, and
one 15-minute break in the afternoon. The new policy is less flexible for employees than the old policy.
If employees do not follow the new rules, their pay will be docked since the supervisor will not be able to tell whether they were on a break or not and
will assume that the employees have walked away from the job. Repeatedly breaking the rules will result in termination.
Write a memo that announces the new break schedule policy and provides the readers with information they need. Consider carefully how to help
teaders see the new break schedule policy as a positive one. (Please use your name in the "From” line of the memo.)
Tip: Before you write a first draft of the memo, write down a list of the questions you would have as an employee who received news about a new
break schedule policy. (You can also ask others what questions they would have if they received notice of a new policy.) Then, after you have written a
draft, see if you have answered all of your questions. Finally, ask yourself one final question: Do my readers know what they need to do next and have
all of the information needed to act?
Sample Solution