Plain Language in the Workday

Communication is not about what you say or write, but about what the other person understands. Focus on your reader and communicate clearly and assertively.

Get straight to the point. Start with the most important information. What is the main message? Be assertive. Communicate only what is necessary.

Treat details as optional. Make additional information available through a link or attachment, for example.

Build empathy. Consider your audience’s profile. Avoid acronyms, foreign words, and technical terms (jargon). Avoid words such as “considering,” “hereafter,” “challenged,” “permitted”... Use language that brings the reader closer to the information.

Review. Eliminate unnecessary information. Use short sentences and a direct structure. Replace abstract nouns with action verbs.

Ready to start? Apply these tips in your daily work—when writing emails, technical notes, or messages.

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” — Albert Einstein