I’m working on a business writing question and need guidance to help me understand better.
FINALS WEEK WRITING ASSIGNMENT
Please write a 700-word memo to Brooks and Tyler.
Recall the Sweat Equity Case. It’s been a few years, and Erbe has taken off. Brooks and Tyler still co-lead the company. Uncle Charlie proudly tells everyone about Erbe’s sales numbers. Erbe hasn’t quite hit exponential growth, but it’s making good returns. As of January 2020, the company had about 100 employees working out of the headquarters building (opened in 2019, outside of Sacramento) across functions: from branding and marketing to distilling, bottling and distribution.
Then the pandemic hit, and everything was put on pause. Brooks and Tyler were able to continue to keep everyone on payroll (thanks to the Payroll Protection Program). After a few months, the physical plant enacted safety measures to allow the production and distribution team to return. Sales and marketing teams continued to promote the brand while working from home. The company has managed to maintain its market share, and has reason to be optimistic about the future.
Brooks and Tyler want to celebrate surviving the year, and then they want to get back to work on driving this company toward exponential growth. It’s time to consider how to bring the team back together.
Charlie is your dad. You have just graduated with your MBA, and you have done some consulting work with your cousins’ company: Erbe.
Brooks and Tyler are crafting a policy for Erbe. They have asked you to brief them on issues at large surrounding returning to work post COVID, and how these may apply to Erbe specifically. They haven’t decided what Erbe’s policy will be. What specific topics and employee perspectives should they consider when crafting the policy? What should they consider when drafting the announcement? How do biases, fallacies, and other flawed thinking come into play?
Erbe employs a diverse group of workers. They have views spanning the political spectrum. Many are vaccinated; some are not, due to health concerns or personal choice.
Return to work has been all over the media in recent weeks, addressing the issue in terms of safety, fairness, productivity, and more.
Write a paper addressing your cousins’ request. It should be narrative—avoid bulleted lists. The grading will also consider how well you apply the techniques learned in the Writing Staircase.
Considerations:
- • You are not drafting the announcement to employees. Rather, you are advising Brooks and Tyler on the issues before they draft it.
- • Note that Erbe’s offices/facilities are in California. Current California policies/restrictions apply.
- • Be sure to cite any sources, and attribute quotations where necessary. Use one of the many citation styles in common use; just be consistent within that style. You should have at least 5 academic references.
- • You may include a separate paragraph (not part of the essay or word count) explaining your strategy, and what you aim to achieve. This is not required, but may be useful to add context to your paper. If you do so, simply add it at the top of the same document.
