Types of Audience Decisions 71(see comment 7), “How will the affected staff be assisted?” (see comment 12), and “What guar-
antee is there that more staff will not be affected or even laid off?” (see comment 13). Because the
notice does not address those questions, the employee is left demoralized and resentful of those
responsible.
DOWNSIZING NOTICE WITH AN EMPLOYEE’S COMMENTS
MM e m o [1. (Shouting) If I don’t know anything else I know this is a memo.]
T o :Alliance Health Plus Staff
RE Staff[2. Is it safe to assume all us “staff” know who we are? Do the secretaries
belong to the “staff”?]
F r o m :Bob Ruston[3. He should initial or sign a memo of this type.]
D a t e :11/03/14
R e :Organization ChangesThe purpose of this memo is to announce an organization change. [4. Redundant I
already know this.]A decision has been made [5. Who made it? Why? What was the
impetus? Conversely, as a recipient who has/had no input, do I care?]to consolidate the
medical management activities provided by Reliance Enterprises with the medical
management provided by Medi-Serve. Both groups have been working with
physicians in our networks to improve clinical performance and the outcomes for our
members. [6. The truth is, these groups don’t really know what the other does.]By
consolidating the expertise and resources of two teams, we believe that we can serve
our providers more effectively. [7. What was ineffective? Redundant service?
Overlapping duties? Internal lost productivity? Again, why are we doing this?]The combined unit will be under the leadership of Joyce O’Brien, Director of Medi-
Serve. [8. Why Joyce? Will this new team therefore be part of M-S?] The new team will
be in place by December 1stwith most transition activities complete by the end of the
year. The team will include staff [9. If you mention staff along with activities in
paragraph one you don’t need this sentence.]from both RE and M-S and provide
medical management services to the entire network. Once the team is in place, a
communication [10. This is a very formal and stilted way of saying this. “Memo” would
have sufficed. What will this communication tell us? Once the team is in place it’s a little
late to tell people that they are on the team. A meeting to explain new duties would be
more appropriate than a memo. The only useful purpose this could be is a general
informational announcement to the rest of Alliance and to outside providers to inform
them of a procedure change.]will be issued. If you have any questions, please call
Joyce at 699-3769.The consolidation will result in the displacement [11. Ah, now the real reason for the
whole memo: job elimination. Displacement and elimination mean two different things.
When will these people find out who they are, in the aforementioned “communication”?]of
several staff from RE and M-S. ALLIANCE HEALTH PLUS’s practice is to work