A memo is still the quickest way to move information through a UK workplace. It has a shape everyone recognises — To, From, Date, Subject — and it arrives without the noise of a group chat. The problem is that most people write them from scratch, in a hurry, and the result reads like a shrug.
The ten templates below cover the memos that come up again and again: announcements, policy updates, requests, meeting follow-ups and the operational notices that keep a building running. Copy the skeleton, replace the bracketed parts, and keep the tone you would use with a colleague you like.
Set the subject line and the ask first
Before you adapt anything, decide two things. First, the subject line. It should say what the memo is about and, where relevant, what it wants. "Parking permits change from 1 March" beats "Parking update". "Reply needed: team away day dates" beats "Away day".
Second, the ask. Every memo should make clear whether someone must act, and by when. A memo that only informs should say so — "No action needed" is a perfectly good line and stops people replying to ask.
- Who genuinely needs this? Copying the whole company is rarely the answer.
- Does the subject line carry a date or deadline where one exists?
- Can it be read on one screen? If not, cut it or attach the detail separately.
Every template uses the same heading block: To, From, Date, Subject. Only the subject line and body are shown from here, so you can drop them into your own memo format.
Announcement memos
Lead with the news, then the reason, then what it means for the reader. Save the background for last, if you include it at all.
1. General announcement
To: All staff, [department/site]
From: [Name, job title]
Date: [Date]
Subject: [What is changing] from [date][State the news in one sentence.] From [date], [what will happen]. This is because [brief reason]. What it means for you: [one or two sentences].
Questions to [name] on [email or extension] by [date]. No action is needed unless [specific point] applies to you.
2. New colleague
Subject: New starter: [name], [role], from [date]
[Name] joins the [team] on [date] as [role], reporting to [manager]. [One line on background and what they will be working on.] They will be based [location or hybrid pattern] and reach [email].
Please [specific request — add them to the rota, book a handover slot]. A short introduction at [meeting] on [date] would help.
3. Office or site change
Subject: [Building] unavailable on [date] — what to do
[What is happening, and between which times.] [Why.] While this is under way, please [work from home / use entrance B / clear desks by 5pm on [date]].
Updates will be posted [where]. Contact [facilities name] with questions.
Policy update memos
Be plain about what changed, when it starts, and what happens if someone ignores it. Avoid legal phrasing you would have to explain afterwards.
4. Policy change
Subject: Change to [annual leave / expenses / hybrid working] policy, effective [date]
From [date], [the specific change, in one sentence]. The full policy is on [intranet location]. The main points are that [point one] and [point two].
This applies to [everyone / staff in X]. Existing arrangements will be honoured until [date]; after that, please [action required]. No action is needed if [case].
5. Policy reminder
Subject: Reminder: [expenses claims] must be submitted by [day each month]
A quick reminder that [rule]. The reason is [audit, payroll deadlines, budget reporting].
From [date], claims submitted after [deadline] will be processed the following month. If you are unsure whether something is claimable, check with [name] before you spend.
Request memos
Requests should be small, dated and easy to answer. Say what you need, why, and when — then stop.
6. Request for information or action
Subject: Action needed by [date]: [what you need]
Please can you [specific request] by [date and time]. I need this because [reason]; it feeds into [document or decision] which is due to [who] on [date].
Reply with [format — a spreadsheet, three bullet points]. If [date] is difficult, tell me by [earlier date] and we can adjust.
7. Request for approval or spend
Subject: Approval requested: [item], [amount] — decision by [date]
I would like approval for [item], at [amount] against [budget code], with [one-off or ongoing] cost implications. The reason is [case in two sentences].
Options considered: [A] and [B]. Recommendation: [what you suggest]. If approved by [date], [what happens next and when]. Happy to talk it through.
Meeting follow-up memos
Send this within a day of the meeting. Later than that, it reads as history rather than a plan.
8. Decisions and actions
Subject: [Meeting name], [date] — decisions and actions
Thanks for your time. Here is what we agreed.
Decisions: [1. … 2. …]
Actions: [Name] to [do what] by [date]. [Name] to [do what] by [date].
Next meeting: [date, time, location]. Agenda items to [name] by [date].
Everyday operational memos
These are short, practical and time-bound. Keep them boring on purpose — people need the when and the what, not a rationale.
9. Maintenance or downtime notice
Subject: [System or lift] unavailable on [date], [times]
At [time] on [date], [what is happening]. [System] will be unavailable for about [duration].
Please [save work / use the printer on floor 2 / plan around the closure]. If the work overruns, we will update you by [time] via [method]. Contact [name] on [extension].
10. Rota and cover change
Subject: Cover arrangements, week commencing [date]
[Name] is on leave from [date] to [date]. [Covering name] will pick up [tasks] and can be reached at [contact].
During that week, please send [specific items] to [covering name] rather than to [absent colleague]. Handover notes are in [location]. No action needed if [case].
Keep a house version you can trust
Once you have adapted two or three of these, save them somewhere the team can find them — a shared folder named clearly, not a personal drafts pile. Review the set twice a year, because policies, rotas and contact details go stale faster than most people expect.
Two cautions. Do not circulate personal details, such as the reason for someone's absence or health information, in a memo to a wide group; keep it to what people need to do their jobs. And memos about disciplinary matters, redundancy, restructures or anything with contractual implications should go through HR or a qualified adviser before they are sent. Templates suit routine communication; the sensitive stuff deserves a second pair of eyes.
Write the subject line first, decide whether you are informing or asking, then pick the template that fits. It takes four minutes and saves a fortnight of replies asking what you meant.
Photo: RaniRamli / Pixabay
