If there’s one thing that employees tend to like less than meetings, it’s when the time of a meeting has changed, forcing them to alter their schedules accordingly. Still, it’s far worse for your employees to be uninformed. Keep your employees in the loop by writing a memo alerting them to the change. They may not like the message, but they will appreciate that your memo – like all the best forms of internal communication – is short and to the point.

Write the informational heading of your memo. Flush left and on four separate, single-spaced lines, write "The date," "To," "From" and "Subject." Each should be followed by a colon. After "From:" write your name and your title.

Write no more than three single-spaced paragraphs about the meeting time change, double-spacing between paragraphs. In the first paragraph, point out the former time and the rescheduled time of the meeting. Indicate whether the location of the meeting has changed or stayed the same.

Explain the reason of the time change in a positive way. Employees may question why the time of the meeting has changed, but there is potential for jeopardizing confidential organizational information. Address the issue positively by saying, “The meeting time has changed to better accommodate the needs and schedules of everyone whose presence is required at the meeting.”

Write an upbeat third paragraph. For example, “Thank you in advance for your cooperation in accommodating this schedule change. I look forward to seeing you at (time and place of the meeting).”

Write your initials after your name for a stroke of added presence and credibility. You do not have to sign the bottom of the memo because your name is printed at the top, in the heading.

Proofread and edit your memo before you disseminate it. Never let an employee catch an error in any of your communication materials.

Disseminate the memo properly and for best exposure. Remember that you don’t want absent employees to fall back on the legendary office line, “I guess I didn’t get the memo.” Company-wide memos are often posted in lunchrooms and break rooms. For added “insurance,” make a copy of the memo for each employee and place it in his mailbox or on his desk.