Writing Clear and Simple HR Messages

Alison Davis and Jane Shannon

You’re waiting in the airport when you hear the bad news over the PA system: Your departure has been delayed for two hours. So, with time to kill, you head to the newsstand and browse the magazine racks. Here’s some good news: Those magazines are not just entertainment; they’re also inspiration for how to write HR content simply and clearly. The same techniques editors use to get you to read their magazines, advertisers use to encourage you to buy their products and newspapers use to help you be informed. All work equally well in the world of HR communication.

That’s because effective writing follows universal principles. Employees do not differentiate how they react to communications ...