Merits and Demerits of written communication

Communication through words may be in written or oral. Written communication entails transmission of messages in full reality. It is the way to transmit messages in writing for the proper implementation of organizational functions. It may be texture mainly in pictures, drafts, graphs, reports, policies, rules, orders, instructions, or agreements etc. 

Written communication guarantees that same message is being forwarded to everyone concerned, or all concerned should have same information. It provides a long-standing communication record for future. Written instructions are essential to the Important and complex actions. Written communication should be active, can be understandable, concise and comprehensive to be true. The main merits and demerits of written communication are as follows:-

Merits of written communication-

1. It is accurate and correct: Written communication is usually carried out with utmost understanding and care. Individual consciousness is required with the act of writing. He reveals his thoughts seriously and tries to organize them. Because, written communication is an open message to verification, and its authenticity can be easily challenged, the message carrier is required to be accurate and factual. Therefore, greater accuracy and precision in written communication is emphasized. 
2. It can be repeatedly referenced: The recipient of written communication can be time on other message again. According his needs he can read the message again and again, until he thinks the message he understood well. Also, if we compare it with verbal communication, the risk of losing any part of the message is little in written communication. Even not understanding the message properly, the receiver does not request for its recurrence. This is because; the reader fears that the sender can assume that the recipient does not have an ability to understand his points. It is also possible that some significant part of the message can be mixed through the end. 
3. This is a permanent record: Written communication of the organization becomes a permanent record and can be useful for future reference. Old orders and decisions to the latest decision could serve as examples. Create new policies based on last year's report, and is considered beneficial to the set current goal. 
4. This is an acceptable legal document: Written communication is acceptable as a legal document. Therefore, in traditional management systems written communication has been discouraged. But officials in modern management systems that even though some messages may have transmitted orally, but they certainly should be confirmed in writing later. 
5. It facilitates placement of responsibilities: If communications are being preserved in writing it makes easier the allocation of responsibility through organisation. If any mistake as a result of verbal communication succeeds, it's hard to find that who is the actual faulty; the sender or the recipient. It is also possible that the fault may be instead of the sender or recipients have occurred in transmission or receipt. Manager sometime think that the employee pays more attention or trust on written message or orders rather than oral transmission of message. 
6. Its reach is extremely broad: In communication media the written communication is developing in a comprehensive and entertaining way. If the geographical location of communicators is too far away from each other, the written communication can be called a useful, inexpensive and efficient method to communicate along with the authenticity of the information. 

Demerits of Written communication- 

1. Written communication stands a mountain of paper returns in the premises of organization. In large offices, it is a common sight. Since the documents as written communication is essential be kept for long, in which adoption of many complex processes are involves. Despite all, many valuable documents are lost very often. The managers have to take care of a big part of many highly sensitive documents, which wastes a lot of time, labour and cost. 
2. The written communication can be texture as a drafts, graphs, reports, policies, rules, orders, instructions, agreements, etc. which may be ineffective in the case of weak expression, even though the communicator is highly efficient in his work . Therefore, the employee must be qualified in expression as well as efficiency, which are admitted by the modern organization. 
3. Written communication is unable due to lack of immediate response. Both encoding and transmission of messages take time, which may be too long. So it is a time consuming process. 
4. Written communication is an expensive process. The expenditure on stationery and the cost affects by the number of people involved in typing it and sending reports or letters, etc.