That's one way to boost job numbers.Blacklock's Reporter says the federal Department of Employment is bringing in outside consultants to teach bureaucrats how to write clearer emails and reports, even as internal surveys show many public servants are already drowning in digital correspondence.In a contracting notice, the department said it plans to retain trainers to deliver virtual courses on “business writing excellence” as Ottawa pushes what it calls a transformation toward more “user-centric, client focused and digital” services.According to the notice, communications has been flagged as a “learning priority,” with workshops aimed at helping employees present plans, draft proposals and write reports while fostering “respectful, constructive and cooperative” working relationships.Consultants will be tasked with teaching staff to write clear and concise sentences, adopt proper tone and vocabulary, and follow grammar rules. Training will also cover the use of active and passive voice, readability and plain language, along with crafting effective introductions and conclusions.No budget has been disclosed for the initiative, though up to 60 workshops are scheduled and topics may vary..The department said the sessions are designed to improve the quality of written documents while reducing the time it takes employees to produce them. The approach, it added, will go beyond grammar and style to address quality assurance, productivity and writer confidence.The move comes despite longstanding concerns about the sheer volume of internal emails circulating within government. A 2018 survey by Shared Services Canada found federal employees commonly send and receive as many as 100 emails a day.In that report, most respondents agreed they were too reliant on email and received too many messages. Email was described as the “default communications tool” across departments.Sixty percent of employees surveyed said they received between 25 and 100 emails on an average workday — the equivalent of as many as one every five minutes, including breaks. Another 13% reported handling more than 100 emails daily.The findings were based on responses from 2,842 employees and eight focus groups involving staff from departments and agencies in Ottawa. Participants said email was often seen as more effective than telephone calls, particularly as many employees spend much of the day in meetings. Those responsible for managing shared public-facing inboxes reported particular difficulty keeping up with the daily flood of messages.
