Unlocking Clarity and Success: The Power of Plain English in Business Communication

Writing for all

Did you know that 15% of the global population of 1 billion people or 15% have some form of disability and that 80% live in low- and middle-income countries?

Numbers rise dramatically each year, and a little-known fact is almost everyone will experience a form of disability albeit temporary or permanent within their lifetime. (Source World Health Organisation).

So, what can businesses, in particular, do to help those that do suffer from disabilities? Well for a start they can focus on all their customer touchpoints like their website, social media channels, and any communications digital or in print. These are quick-fix solutions that can be implemented swiftly.

Websites have some of the most complex information content designers work on. Many pages are misunderstood, criticised for having too much information on them, irrelevant or boring. Sentences are too lengthy, words are too complex, and use management speak, legal jargon, and acronyms. Some people find it impossible to follow, and it’s not useful to users. Add in a disability like dyslexia and they become almost impossible to navigate.

Businesses should recognise that many people may have issues with understanding and comprehension for several reasons. By acknowledging and addressing these challenges, businesses can create a more inclusive and accessible environment for their customers and employees. Here are a few reasons why businesses should consider this:

1. Businesses serve a diverse customer base that includes people with different backgrounds, education levels, language proficiencies, and cognitive abilities. Recognising comprehension issues helps ensure that information and communication are accessible to as many individuals as possible.
2. Effective communication is essential for businesses to convey their message, products, and services. If people have difficulty understanding the information, it can lead to misunderstandings, decreased customer satisfaction, and missed business opportunities.
3. Many countries have legal requirements and accessibility standards in place to ensure equal access to information and services. By considering comprehension issues, businesses can align with these standards and avoid potential legal issues.

To help people with comprehension challenges, businesses can take the following steps:

1. Use plain language: Avoid jargon, technical terms, and complex language. Instead, use clear and simple language that is easily understood by a wide range of individuals. Consider using visuals, diagrams, and examples to enhance comprehension.
2. Provide multiple formats: Offer information and materials in multiple formats such as written text, audio, and visual content. This allows individuals to choose the format that best suits their needs and preferences.
3. Improve user experience: Optimise the design and structure of websites, applications, and other interfaces to be user-friendly and intuitive. Consider usability testing and gathering feedback from users with different levels of comprehension to identify and address any challenges.
4. Provide support and assistance: Offer customer support channels where individuals can seek clarification or ask questions. Train employees to provide assistance in a patient and understanding manner.
5. Accessibility considerations: Incorporate accessibility features into digital platforms, such as screen readers for visually impaired individuals or captions for video content. Ensure that physical spaces are designed to accommodate individuals with different needs, such as clear signage and wheelchair accessibility.
6. Collaboration with experts: Seek guidance from experts in accessibility, cognitive psychology, or user experience to understand the specific challenges and best practices for addressing comprehension issues.

By implementing these strategies, businesses can create a more inclusive environment, enhance customer satisfaction, and expand their reach to a wider audience.

Insights

Insights show that within the UK, 1 in 6 adults has difficulties reading and 10% of the UK population has dyslexia. So, businesses must write content with these users in mind to meet user needs and most companies do write in a more inclusive way these days. But writing content is very different from a few years ago and content designers should be mindful of their audience and choose the best words to explain what customers need to know. All websites should be accessible and written in plain English. The use of plain English doesn’t lose the original message but opens information to everyone.

In a 2012 study by Christopher Trudeau, 80% of the people who responded preferred sentences written in plain English. Also, the more complicated the issue, the more they preferred to read simpler language.

The way we use words can carry great significance making sure everyone understands the information. Using plain English creates content that’s accurate and accessible. Applying intelligent content design writing in plain English is a good thing for everyone. So, even these small fixes can have a big impact on everyone.

All our Ligtas courses are written with this in mind to be as accessible to as many people as possible. We take complex jargon Health and Safety Law and Legislation and write it in an easy to understand way. It’s about opening information to all without dulling down its content.

That’s one of the reasons we hold NEBOSH Gold Learning partner status.

NEBOSH Gold Learning Partner Status

Ligtas is a NEBOSH Gold Learning Partner. NEBOSH is the world’s leading accreditation body for the health and safety industry. This means that Ligtas has excelled in the six learning excellence principles:

• Ensure all learners understand what is expected of them and what they can expect from their Learning Provider
• Create a learning environment that is engaging and encourages interaction that is appropriate for the course and type of delivery
• Provide accurate course materials and continually update and improve them
• Ensure tutors are qualified, knowledgeable, competent, and engaging
• Give learners feedback on their progress and provide appropriate support
• Review course delivery and learner feedback and action as necessary

If you would like to talk to one of our trusted health and safety professionals then please contact us at 02922 800 000 or?[email protected]

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