Benefits of plain English for the public sector

Lynda Harris

 

Clear, plain English communication helps you serve the public and achieve your objectives

Whatever the objectives of your organisation, you can’t achieve them without clear communication.

Plain English — clear structure, language, and layout — makes it easy for the people you serve to understand you, and for you to do your job.

 

Plain English is fair and democratic

People need to know what is required of them. Using clear, concise writing to explain people’s rights and responsibilities allows them to exercise their rights and fulfil their responsibilities. Bureaucratic language and legalese limit understanding, and shut many citizens and residents out of the democratic process.

 

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Plain English is efficient and effective

Plain English is language, structure, and layout that allows a person to read a document once, understand what is needed, and take action. That’s effective communication.

 

Bureaucratic language and legalese are grossly inefficient. The reader wastes time trying to understand, and the writer (or the writer’s organisation) wastes time answering questions and correcting errors.

 

Plain English builds good relationships

Plain English helps you build understanding and respect with your public, your staff, your legislators, your suppliers, and other stakeholders.

 

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Plain English case studies and comments

• Read a New Zealand case study
• Read about our plain English work
• Read case studies from other countries that show documented savings in time and money from using plain English
• Ask to speak to other New Zealand organisations that are running a successful plain English project

 

Plain English specialists to transform your communications

Write has a professional team of plain English specialists ready to transform your business communications. We can provide:

• a team of writing and editing consultants to support you and your team at any stage of your document project

• specialist trainers to teach you the skills to transform your documents
• integrated support to create a work environment where plain English is the way you write.

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