In the workplace, the content of your written work, be it email, report, job listing, or social media post is obviously significant, but the importance of its grammar and spelling is commonly undervalued. Avoidable errors can subconsciously portray a lack of professionalism and credibility to those receiving it. In this article, we discuss why the appearance of written work is just as imperative as the content and how staying on top of common spelling and grammatical errors will improve a company’s reputation overall.

Ensure a Good First Impression

In a blog post, Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit and self-proclaimed ‘Grammar Stickler,’ has stated that he refuses to hire anyone who uses poor grammar, even if they are otherwise qualified, declaring that bad grammar shows a lack of professional credibility, attention to detail and learning ability. While his stance may seem extreme to some, it goes to show that we are constantly being judged based on our ability to communicate on paper.

Support the Brand Image

When it comes to customer-facing components in business, like marketing materials, proposals, social media posts, and emails, written communication directly reflects customer perception overall. Each employee at a company has the power to directly affect the reputation of a business, and when put that way, Wiens’ view doesn’t seem so outlandish. Ensuring that team members are keeping a keen attention to detail when it comes to their spelling and grammar in every aspect of their work, will ensure the image of the brand remains positive.

Credibility is Key

In the technological age we live in now, words are significantly more impactful. Take a look at this social media post from a plumbing company:

Call us today! Our team of expert plumbers is here to help you with all of your plumbing needs! From leaky taps to clogged drains and even broken pipes. We fix them all! Dont wait till it’s to late, call now and we will take care of it!

We works 24/7, no job are too big or small. We will be happy to assist you!

Would you be inclined to choose this plumber over one with a more professional-looking ad? Not likely- and they could be perfectly qualified! If a company won’t take the extra time and attention to detail to ensure their ad is written correctly, customers may be inclined to think that’s how their home will be treated by them too.

Streamline the Workplace

Proper spelling and grammar are not only advantageous in customer-facing situations but can also allow for a more streamlined workplace. In communicating with team members, vendors, or superiors, a simple grammatical error could mean the difference between missed appointments or dollars lost. Ensuring emails and other communications are written correctly will make for effective communication and clear up any potential confusion amongst all parties.

How to Avoid These Mistakes

Utilize the spellcheck feature. There are many applications and built-in features that can be used as a backup editor in your everyday writing. There is nothing wrong with taking advantage of them.

Read, proofread, and peer review. Before sending or publishing anything, give it a once or twice-over. Get another pair of eyes to take a look. That extra few minutes spent could be all the difference in avoiding a major issue. It has even been said that waiting between proofreads will allow your brain to forget about what you’ve read and create a fresh mindset when looking at it again- potentially revealing new errors missed the first time around.

Review the rules. It is never a bad idea to review the rules around grammar and spelling or ask Google if you’re unsure. Automatic grammar and spell-checkers don’t always catch contextual errors, so it is important to have a grasp on what makes sense.

There is always an exception to the rule. Despite the previous tip, there are always exceptions in grammar and spelling. Sometimes your relationship with the recipient of your email allows for you to be more casual so an acronym or funny spelling is okay. Readability is a big factor too, if breaking a standard grammar rule allows for the reader to understand your message clearer, sometimes that’s okay.

In Conclusion

Simple spelling and grammar errors make a larger difference in business than are often given credit for. Keeping these ideas and tips in mind will only help to improve the first impression, brand image, credibility, and efficiency of the workplace.