Poor communication in the workplace can cause tension, but this friction can be easily calmed with training on effective writing skills. Miscommunication can result in lowered morale, hurt feelings, and a loss of business from profitable customers. Writing workshops can be an interesting and easy way to combat the stresses of poor communication.
             Writing is one of the most expensive tasks performed by businesses. "What do you mean we invented it twice? A world-class oil company spent hundreds of dollars developing a new pesticide. The red-faced officials discovered that the formula had been worked out 5 years before--by one of the company's own technicians!" (Egan, 1995) The report was written so poorly that no one read it. Tons of money would be saved by writing the right way the first time rather than rewriting something several times. Every time something is rewritten for a business, money is wasted. Writing takes up valuable manufacturing time. In a 1991 survey of managers of Fortune 1000 companies, it was shown that the managers felt that 34% of their contemporary's writing was "unclear, poorly written or confusing." Only 3% were considered to be good writers. (Egan, 1995) The firm that conducted the survey, Motivational Systems, says, "Improving the quality and readability of written communications will save America's businesses billions of dollars every year."
             Believe it or not, a business and its owner are judged by the writing of its employees, including the appearance as well as content. "It's far better for the recipient to
             think, 'Now here is someone with a clear mind whom I can do business with' than to hawk it around the office saying, 'look at the spelling on this!'" (Bosworth, 2004) Punctuation also plays a role in good business writing. For example, here is a wartime headline where the punctuation may have caused c...