Persuasive Business Memos: Employee Benefits and Recommendations

Task:

Before you begin speaking, a classmate will tell the class to whom you are making the recommendation and what your role is as the presenter.

Prepare a 30-second script that describes the audience you are addressing. The script will begin with wording similar to this: “Class, you are now playing the role of product specialists in the Acme Factory Company. (continue with details about the audience.)” The script will be read to the class so that we will know who to impersonate. Two-thirds of this script should be key details about the company or group you are presenting to. You may end with one sentence that tells us about the role you are playing for the speech.

Prepare a slide that presents a descriptive image of the company, the name of the company, and the barest amount of necessary words. Place this slide at the beginning of your visual aid file.

Note: this message is NOT the same as the persuasive speech. It has a new audience, new channel, and new purpose. You need a new strategy worksheet and outline. Thoroughly analyze the audience and your message, and then complete the strategy worksheet and outline. Use business format for the memo.

1. Get the support of your department for a paid internship program. (Pick a locally owned company in metro Atlanta that does not have an internship program.) You must decide how big the program should be and how it will work. Ask for the department’s approval of your recommendation so that you can send a memo to the owner of the company asking for his/her permission to start the internship program.

2. You work for a locally owned, small- to medium-sized business. (Your choice; pick a real company that is headquartered in metro Atlanta). Your department includes employees from all over metro Atlanta. Convince the department that they should support a plan for a new employee benefit – one that would encourage the employees to use environmentally responsible transportation. Be specific about what the benefit to employees would be. You need the department’s support before you can write a memo to the head of the company asking for the new employee benefits.

3. You work for a locally owned, small- to medium-sized business. (Your choice; pick a real company that is headquartered in metro Atlanta). Your department includes employees in various life stages – from childless adults, to parents, to empty-nesters, to grandparents. Convince the department that they should support a new employee benefit -- child-care. You must make a specific recommendation of the child-care benefits the company should offer (Vouchers? On-site services? Stipends? Discounts? What?) You need the department’s support

before you can write a memo to the head of the company asking for the new employee benefit.

4. You work for a locally owned, small- to medium-sized business. (Your choice; pick a real company that is headquartered in metro Atlanta). Your department includes employees of various ages, from young adult to seniors. Convince the department that they should support a new employee benefit – some form of help to employees who provide care for elderly family members. You must make a specific recommendation of the elder care benefits your company should offer. You need the department’s support before you can write a memo to the head of the company asking for the new employee benefit.

5. You work for a locally owned, small- to medium-sized business. (Your choice; pick a real company that is headquartered in metro Atlanta). Your department includes employees of various ages, body types, and interests. Convince the department that they should support a new employee benefit that promotes physical fitness. You must make a specific recommendation such as offering discounted fitness center memberships, vouchers for fitness classes, or some other plan to promote fitness. You need the department’s support before you can write a memo to the head of the company asking for the new employee benefit.

6. You work for a locally owned, small- to medium-sized business. (Your choice; pick a real company that is headquartered in metro Atlanta that does not offer tuition reimbursement). Get the support of your department for a tuition reimbursement program. You must decide on the scope of the reimbursement and how employees would qualify. You need the department’s support before you can write a memo to the head of the company asking that the company offer a tuition reimbursement program.

7. You work for a locally owned, small- to medium-sized business. (Your choice; pick a real company that is headquartered in metro Atlanta). Get the support of your department for a once- a-week telecommuting option. Figure out a way to implement the plan that is appropriate for the company. You need the department’s support before you can write a memo to the CEO asking that the company offer a telecommuting option.

8. The company for which you work (your choice; pick a real company) is moving to a new building. The facilities manager plans to build the space for your department (your choice; pick the department) with low-rise cubicles, just as you have now. Convince your department that an open floor plan would be a much better solution for your department. Ask for their support and approval so that you can send a memo to the facility manager that the company adopt an open floor plan for your department.

9. The company for which you work (your choice; pick a real company) is moving to a new building. The facilities manager plans to build the space for your department (your choice; pick the department) with low-rise cubicles, just as you have now. Convince your department that individual offices with floor-to-ceiling walls would be a much better solution for your department. Ask for their support and approval so that you can send a memo to the facility manager that the company give each member of the department an office with floor-to-ceiling walls.

10. GSU has decided to launch a student-run business that would provide part-time jobs and learning opportunities to students. The upper-level leadership team (the provost, director of communications, director of external affairs, chairs of each college, and director of alumni affairs will decide which business to launch, based on presentations by students. You must convince this team that your idea will work and will benefit the university and students. Once you win the leadership team’s support, you will write a memo to GSU President Becker recommending that he approve your idea for a student-run business.

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11. You work at the front desk of a local hotel (your choice; pick a real company). You have noticed several ways in which customer satisfaction could be improved. Convince the management team that your plan to improve customer satisfaction is worthwhile. Once you get their support, you can send your recommendation to the hotel general manager.

12. You work as a server in a local restaurant (your choice; pick a real company). You have noticed several ways in which customer satisfaction could be improved. Convince the other servers at your job that your plan to improve customer satisfaction is worthwhile. Once you get their support, you can send your recommendation to the restaurant’s general manager.

13. You have worked several years at a large, locally owned company. (Your choice; pick a real company with headquarters in metro Atlanta). You feel that the company needs a fresh approach to its annual employee-appreciation event. Convince your department to move to a specific new venue. (Carefully research venues and sell your recommendation based on standards that are most relevant to your company.) Once you have your department’s support, you will write a recommendation to the head of human resources, persuading him/her to use the recommended venue.

14. You work for the sales and customer service department of a large, locally owned company. (Your choice; pick a real company with headquarters in metro Atlanta that does not have a dress code policy for the department). Convince your team that they should adopt a dress code policy. Your recommendation must describe what the dress code will be, why it is necessary, and how it will benefit the company and the team. Once you win the team’s support, you will write to the CEO and recommend that the policy be implemented.

15. You work at a locally owned company (your choice; pick a real company with headquarters in metro Atlanta) where much of the work is computer-based. Recommend to your department that it adopt a computer monitoring system to ensure that employees are using their time ethically. You must convince the company that it needs to monitor employees, and you must propose a specific system that the company should use and justify that recommendation. Once you convince your department of the value of your idea, you will recommend it to the CEO.

16. You work at a locally owned company (your choice; pick a real company with headquarters in metro Atlanta) that is still using landlines at the office. Convince your department that the firm should switch to a voice-over internet protocol (VoIP), an internet-based system. Recommend a particular VoIP and justify that choice. Once you win your department’s support, you will make the recommendation to the owner of the company.

17. You work in the IT department of a locally owned company (your choice; pick a real company with headquarters in metro Atlanta). The company backs up all data on its own servers. Recommend to your department that it store and back up its data on a cloud-based system (recommend a specific one and justify that choice). Once you get your department’s support, you will write a recommendation to the CEO.

18. You work at a locally owned business that has fewer than 50 employees. (Your choice; pick a real company that does not offer health insurance). Recommend to your colleagues that they support a new benefit – employer-provided health insurance. You must recommend the scope of the insurance, and the cost employees will share. Once you get your colleagues’ support, you will make the recommendation to the CEO.

19. You work at a locally owned business that has fewer than 50 employees. (Your choice; pick a real company). Recommend to your colleagues that they support a new benefit – a 401K plan. You must decide how much (if any) the employer will match, and describe the investment plan that employees will be allowed to participate in. Once you get your colleagues’ support, you will make the recommendation to the CEO.

20. You work for a mid-sized health services provider. (Your choice; pick a real firm in Atlanta). Convince your team that it should do more to prevent identity theft of patients’ information. Propose a specific plan. Once you get your colleagues’ support, you will make the recommendation to the chief operating officer.

21. You work for a small marketing company (Your choice; pick a real company), and you would like the firm to add a new benefit – bring your dogs to the office. Develop a plan for making the idea

work. Convince your team that your dog policy will work and be beneficial. Once you win their support, your will make your recommendation to the CEO.

22. You work for a locally owned company (your choice; pick a real company with headquarters in metro Atlanta) and have noticed that the firm needs to upgrade its accounting software. Convince your colleagues that the software you recommend is the best for the business. Once you have their support, you will make the recommendation to the CFO.

23. You work for a locally owned company, mid-sized company (your choice; pick a real company with headquarters in metro Atlanta) and have noticed that the firm uses a variety of tools for electronic communication, such as email, conference calls, and meetings. Recommend to your colleagues that they adopt a specific collaborative knowledge share platform. Once you have their support, you will make the recommendation to the CEO.

24. You work for a medium-sized to large company that of