Good Grammar in the Workplace
To hire, or not to hire; that is the question. And often that very question is easier to answer than one would think. When a person is interviewed for employment with a company, it is important, to the employer, to hire someone who will make the company look good. Why is good grammar so important in the workplace? There are many things to consider when an employer is choosing who to hire for the company. Good grammar not only shows an education level, but also shows the employer that a person is the right person for the job. When a client, customer, etc., chooses a particular business, they are looking for a place they feel the employees know what they are talking about. They want to be wowed. If a person enters a place of business, and approaches an employee with poor grammar, it may make the person not go back to that business. If an employer says they will not hire a person if they do not have good grammar, know that it is in the best interest of the company. And, for a number of good reasons.
Susan Adams, a Forbes business writer, has written many articles relating to businesses. In one of her articles, Adams discusses the importance of good grammar at the workplace. She mentions several reasons why a person should have good grammar not only in speaking, but also in their writing. When a person displays good grammar, it shows that they are an organized person in their daily tasks. By being able to gather your sentences properly, you are showing that you are a person who can master your tasks at work. Another reason good grammar is important in the workplace, is that it shows respect. It shows that an employee is a respectful person, who can be trusted to complete tasks. (Susan Adams)
In an article written by iFixit’s CEO, Kyle Weins, he discusses his reasons for why he will not hire an employee to work in his company who displays poor grammar skills. The way a person presents themselves, tells so much about the person. Employees who use good grammar at work, appear more educated; this will result in customers being less judgmental of not only the employee, but also the company as a whole. The customer tends to be more trusting of an employee who shows good grammar skills versus poor grammar skills. To a manager, when a person has good grammar, it shows a lack of sloppiness of the person. They are more inclined to hire someone they feel will benefit the company, instead of causing the company to look bad by hiring a sloppy employee with poor grammar. An employee who shows good grammar skill, also tends to make fewer mistakes in the work they do, whether they are a writer, or a salesperson. (Kyle Weins)
The use of good grammar in the workplace is of importance to most businesses. The employer looking for someone to fill a position as a secretary or administrative assistant, is looking for effective communication skills. To qualify for an administrative assistant position, one needs to be able to communicate effectively and courteously when interacting with other individuals. This person, in many cases, is the first person one talks to, on behalf of the company. This individual answers phone calls, relays messages from clients to employer, or between executives. In a school office, the secretary or administrative assistant is the go-between person for teachers and parents, teachers and other staff members, or others. To qualify for this position, one needs to be able to read and understand what he or she is reading efficiently. It is important to have experience or some kind of training in word processing, spreadsheet, and database software. The type of writing one needs to know how to do, would include writing emails, memos, documents, records, etc. Writing skills are of great importance. Good grammar is a job requirement for these positions, because they are the front and center person that one first meets at a company or business. Editing skills needed are knowing how to edit and revise documents for the employer, editing reports, emails, memos, newsletters, etc. There is constant communication, in some way, between the administrative assistant and the employer, or between the assistant and someone else, regarding the business at hand. For these reasons, having good grammar, communication and listening skills, and writing skills are all of great importance for a person to be considered for a position as a secretary or administrative assistant.
To become a good Administrative Assistant, there are things that I need to improve. I have read through the Occupational Outlook Handbook, and see a few improvements that I need to make. I get very nervous when I have to speak in front of people. To overcome this weakness, I am going to take a speech class through Thomas Nelson Community College. I am hoping that by doing that, that I can be more comfortable when speaking to people as a group. Another area of weakness are my editing skills and proofreading skills. For this, I am thankful to be in English 111 this semester. I have learned so much, and now have resources at my disposal to be able to use, as needed. Since I am sure researching will be one of my job requirements, I need to learn proper ways to research. I have been taught, and continue to be taught, about “digging deep” in English 111; finding what it is I am looking for, and going beyond that. I look forward to learning a great deal more about researching techniques, speaking in front of others, and proper editing and proofreading methods as I continue working my way through college. (Occupational Outlook Handbook).
Throughout this assignment, we have read through the Occupational Outlook Handbook, and the two articles written by Adam and Wein on the importance of good grammar in the workplace. We have researched the career we are working towards, and have read about what communication skills will be required of us. Having this insight will help us to achieve success not only in college, but also as we enter the workplace.
Works Cited
Adams, Susan. "Why Grammar Counts at Work." Forbes. 20 July 2012.
<http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2012/07/20/why-grammar-counts-at- work/>.
“Administrative Assistant.” Occupational Outlook Handbook. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2015. Web. 19 April 2016.
Weins, Kyle. "I Won't Hire People Who Use Poor Grammar. Here's Why." Harvard Business Review: HRB Blog Network. 20 July 2012. <http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/07/i_wont_hire_people_who_use_poo.html>.