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  • Getting Started
  • STEP 1: PREPARE FOR ACTION
    • Executive Driven Survey Overview
    • Timelines and Deliverables
    • Schedule a Meeting with your Consultant or Project Manager
    • Stategic Assessment Session
    • Prepare for Action FAQ
      • Who will be responsible for different aspects of the project?
      • What kind of support can we expect during each phase of the survey process?
      • What are the recommended timelines for various project phases?
      • When should we schedule the questionnaire design call?
      • What kind of access will we have to the online reporting tool?
  • STEP 2: DEVELOP QUESTIONNAIRE
    • Questionnaire Design
      • TalentMap Employee Engagement Questionnaire
      • 5-Point Rating Scale
      • Response Scale From Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree
      • Length of an Employee Engagement Questionnaire
      • Determining Areas of Importance
      • Employee Net Promoter Score
    • Questionnaire FAQ
      • Can we customize the standard questionnaire?
      • How can we incorporate our specific themes or categories into the survey?
      • Can we add questions about our organization's mission, vision or strategic plans?
      • Which benchmark should we choose?
      • How do I sign off on a survey?
      • What is the difference between engagement and satisfaction?
      • Where should we place demographic questions?
      • Will the survey questions change in the future?
      • When you use the term “we” in the questionnaire, who does this refer to?
      • Can we change the scale so that Strongly Disagree is the last option?
  • STEP 3: PRE-SURVEY COMMUNICATION & SETUP
    • Participant Information File
      • Change Date of Birth and Length of Service to Ranges
    • Email Whitelisting
      • Compass Email Whitelisting (DIY)
    • Survey Communications
      • Comprehensive Guide To Survey Communications
      • Pre-Survey Email Communication Package
      • Promotional Posters
      • Employee Info Sheets
      • Engagement Survey Invitation Email
      • Exit Survey Invitation Email
      • Entry Survey Invitation Email
      • PIN Survey Invitation Email
    • Response Rate Strategies
    • Pre-Survey FAQ
      • Is the survey confidential?
      • How can we effectively communicate the survey to our employees?
      • How long should the survey be open?
      • Can I make changes to my PIF?
      • What methods are available for survey distribution?
      • Should we include new employees in our survey?
      • Should we survey contract or term employees?
      • What languages are available for communications material?
      • How long does it take to program my survey?
      • Are there standard invitations for Pulse surveys?
      • Why am I getting invalid entries in my import log?
  • STEP 4: DEPLOY EMPLOYEE SURVEY
    • Monitor Response Rates
    • Survey Live FAQ
      • How often are survey response rates updated?
      • Can I save my responses and complete the survey later?
      • Can responses be changed once submitted?
      • Can I extend my survey?
      • My survey link is not working what do I do?
      • We had bouncebacks, can you send the survey to them immediately?
      • What reports will our organization have access to?
  • STEP 5: ANALYZE, INTERPRET & REPORT
    • Compass Reports
      • General
        • Filter Data
        • Bulk Export
      • Snapshot
        • Webpage
          • Snapshot Report Overview
          • Sort Data
          • Compare to Overall
          • Compare to Other
          • Hide Benchmark and / or Previous Period
        • Export to PowerPoint
          • Export Response Rate
          • Export Lookup / Lookdown
          • Export Heatmap
          • Export Key Driver Analysis
          • Export AI Comment Summaries
        • Export to Excel
      • Heatmap
        • Heatmap Overview
        • Heatmap Previous Period
      • Comments
        • Comments Overview
        • AI Comment Analysis
          • Ask Comment Questions
          • Comment Summary & Suggestions
          • Search Comments by Meaning
        • Comment Settings
          • Hide Words & Phrases
            • Import Hidden Words or Phrases
          • Comment Dimension Score
          • Sentiment Analysis
          • Minimum Words & Random Sample
          • Auto-Translate
        • Word Cloud
          • Word Cloud Overview
          • Word Cloud Settings
          • Import Stop Words
        • Export to Excel
        • How to Handle and Distribute Verbatim Comments
        • FAQ
          • How should disclosure of employee comments be handled?
          • Who has access to comments in Compass?
          • How is AI data handled?
      • Insights
      • Correlations
      • Prepare Reports for Senior Leadership
      • Reporting FAQ
        • How should I analyze the survey results?
        • What is key driver analysis?
        • What is Pearson correlation?
        • What size group is required to do driver analysis?
        • Why do some scores total over 100%?
        • What is the purpose of the neutral option?
        • What is the minimum participation percentage to achieve statistically valid results?
        • Should we focus on dimensions with low scores?
        • How does report filter confidentiality work?
        • Can I turn off the confidentiality similarity warning message?
        • Can I filter by questions in the survey?
    • Compass Admin
      • Results
        • General
          • Enable Results for Reporting
          • Edit Demographic Report Labels
          • Update a Survey Title
        • Participants
          • Edit Participant Information
          • Remove Participant(s) From an Email Campaign
        • Survey Items
          • Customize Survey Items
          • Convert a Survey Item into a Demographic Filter
        • Benchmarks
        • Previous Period
        • Snapshot Customization
        • Dashboard Editor
        • Assign Access
      • Users
        • Permissions
        • Add a User
        • Log In with Microsoft Account
        • Assign Restricted User to a Report
  • STEP 6: DISCUSS, CLARIFY & PLAN
    • TalentMap Reports
      • Scouting Report
      • HR Preview
      • Executive Presentation
      • Additional Presentations
      • TalentMap Report FAQ
        • What’s the difference between a preview and a final executive presentation?
        • High satisfaction vs low engagement (or vis versa)?
    • Post-Survey Consulting Services
    • Focus Groups
      • Conduct a Focus Group
      • Focus Group Invitation Email - Template
    • Management Resources
      • Improve Diversity & Inclusion in the Workplace
      • 360 Leadership
      • Employee Onboarding
      • Stay Interviews
      • Exit Interviews
      • One-on-One Meetings
  • STEP 7: COMMUNICATE & TAKE ACTION
    • Communicating Results
      • Constructive Strategies for Leaders with Low Scores
    • Action Planning
      • Organization vs. Leadership Action Plans
        • Pitfalls to Avoid When Action Planning for Senior Leaders and Managers
      • Develop an Action Plan
      • Create Action Teams, Documentation and Implementation
    • Action Planning Resources
      • Before You Start
        • Action Planning Quick Wins
        • 6 Steps to Successful Action Planning
        • Plan for Action Planning Difficulties
        • Proven Action Planning Tips
      • Tactical
        • How to Start Action Planning
        • Action Plan Framework Guide
        • Action Planning - How To Guide
        • Action Planning Checklist
        • Action Plan Template
        • 3 Post-Survey Action Planning Tactics
    • Action Plan Library
      • Compensation
        • Bonus Pay Or Incentives
        • Determining Fair Compensation
        • Total Rewards Packages
      • Customer Focus
        • Build Loyalty, Not Delight
        • Making Customer Feedback Work for You
        • Translating Competition into Improvement
      • Diversity & Inclusion
        • Employee Resource Groups
        • Mentoring Program
        • Multicultural Potluck
        • Sensitivity Training
      • Growth & Development
        • Develop Cross-Training Programs
        • Implementing Job Shadowing Programs
        • Increase / Improve Training
        • Instituting Regular Career Pathing Conversations
        • Professional Development Plans
      • Immediate Management
        • Avoid Switch-Tracking When Given Feedback
        • Developing Emotional Intelligence
        • Fika: Creating Genuine Connections Over Coffee
        • The Pomodoro Technique
      • Information & Communication
        • BLUF Your Way to Better Communication
        • Stand Up for One Another
        • Want Better Groupwork? Talk Less
      • Innovation
        • Establishing Innovative Onboarding
        • HR Analytics
        • Mental Health Coaching
      • Mental Health
        • Lunch-n-learns
        • Stress Audit
        • The Canine-Colleague Culture Connection
        • Volunteer Program
      • My Role
        • Autonomy Advances the Workplace
      • Performance Feedback
        • Improved / Better Communications
        • Set Clear Goals
        • Utilize the Right Technology
      • Safety
        • Fitness Challenge
        • Health and Safety Committee
        • Health Fair
        • Kick the Sit Out of Work
      • Senior Leadership
        • Develop Empathy Superpowers
        • Embracing Change in Long-Term Thinking
        • Evangelizing Your Vision
        • Hosting a World Cafe Session
        • Increasing Visibility
        • Integrating Vision to Boost Engagement
        • Setting Ambitious and Realistic SMART Goals
        • Understanding Communication Styles
        • Use Storytelling to Share Your Vision
      • Systems & Resources
        • Investing in Technology
      • Teamwork
        • Clarifying Roles
        • Project Management Tools
        • Reward Excellent Teamwork
      • Work Environment
        • Adapting to Open Office Environments
      • Work/Life Balance
        • Enforced Digital Downtime
        • Flextime
        • Focus on Productivity Not Hours
  • DIY SURVEY DESIGN & DEPLOYMENT
    • Compass Questionnaire Design (DIY)
      • Getting Started (DIY)
        • Build a Survey
        • Style a Survey
        • Test a Survey
        • Pulse Survey Overview
        • Getting Started With Logic (Branching)
      • Compass Survey Design (DIY)
        • Build
          • Question Types
          • Add a Question
          • Require a Question
          • Add Text / Instruction
          • Page Title and Description
          • Copy & Paste
          • Reorder Questions
          • Reorder Pages
          • Copy a Survey
          • Skip Logic
          • Question Logic
          • Restore "Undo" a Question or Page
          • Textbox / Long Answer Character Limit
          • Post a Survey Link
          • Disable a Question
        • Style
          • Add Logo
          • Text Options
          • Preview Survey by Device or Language
          • Choose Respondent Interaction
          • Hide Progress Bar
          • Hide Page Titles, Descriptions, and Question Numbers
        • Test
          • Survey Diagnostics
          • Invite Others to Test
          • View Comments Made by Survey Testers
        • Tools
          • Rename a Survey Title
          • Text & Translations
            • Change Required Text, Messages, and More
            • Add Translation
            • Test Translation
            • Share A Translated Survey
            • Reuse Translations for Standard Messaging
        • Design FAQ
          • Why is there a red asterisk on my question?
          • How do I add or remove page breaks?
          • How can I design surveys to be more accessible?
          • Why is my question title and/or answer option blank?
          • Why Is the font for some of my survey questions different?
          • Why are the option buttons not displaying in my survey?
          • What is a thank you page?
    • Compass Survey Deployment (DIY)
      • Create an Email Campaign
      • Hide Unsubscribe Link
      • Upload Participants
      • Add Reminder or Thank You Emails
      • Add Image to Email
      • Change Email Font
      • Test Email Campaign
      • Convert UTC Time
      • Resend a Survey Link
      • Source Tracking
      • Rename an Email Campaign
      • Close a Survey
  • GENERAL
    • FAQ
      • How do I escalate an issue?
      • When will I receive an invoice?
    • Product Updates
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      • March 20th, 2025
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    • ISO 27001
      • Data Access Requests
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  1. STEP 7: COMMUNICATE & TAKE ACTION
  2. Action Plan Library
  3. Information & Communication

BLUF Your Way to Better Communication

Bad communication holds up everyone in an organization, creating traffic jams of wasted time and effort. Fortunately – whether email, meetings or one-on-one encounters – you can BLUF your way out of the mess. No, not “bluff” – in fact it’s the opposite. By teaching you to put critical information first, the BLUF method helps you colleagues cut through chaos, cull clutter and make communications crystal clear.

Goal

Improve communication in email and meetings/presentations – the two biggest workplace time-wasters – by getting to the point right away.

What is BLUF Your Way to Better Communication?

BLUF – short for Bottom Line Up Front – is a military acronym, describing a method of streamlining and clarifying communication in which important info comes first and background info comes later, to be read only if necessary. In the military, clear communication and exchange of information can have life-or-death consequences. In other organizations the stakes may be different, but communication can still mean the difference between a smooth-flowing team delivering a successful project ahead of schedule and endless delays, bad relationships and a toxic workplace born from unnecessary frustration. By integrating the principles of BLUF into your organization, you can teach managers can guide better, teams to work better and everyone to spend less time confused and more time connected.

How does BLUF Your Way to Better Communication improve employee engagement and culture?

In 2017, Carleton University researchers showed workers spent one-third of their office-based work time on email, while half of any work they did from home was email-related. Worse still, 30% of that email was rated unimportant but still got answered! The wasted time and effort led to discouraged workers, drained productivity and increased sick leave. In other words, email alone constitutes a major workplace problem. Meanwhile, a 2012 survey showed nearly half (47%) of respondents called unnecessary meetings their top time-waster. By tackling these communication-related catastrophes directly, BLUF reduces ambiguity and wasted time. Clearer communication saves everyone trouble, making work happier and freeing employees to focus on working better and smarter.

What are the benefits?

BLUF cuts through aimless verbiage by ensuring that everything has a goal – and that this goal gets presented right away. Only those who want more information need to read or listen beyond the first line.

How do you conduct BLUF Your Way to Better Communication in the workplace?

By employing the BLUF method yourself in outgoing email and other communication, you show how efficient it can be: by doing so, you save other people’s time and make their lives easier – a great way to motivate them to mimic your own BLUF behaviour. However, in larger organizations or those with siloed departments, you may want to institute training opportunities to make BLUF a company-wide initiative. That will take some time, but teaching others the BLUF method will help your organization get better at everything it does.

Action

When Crafting A Workplace Message, Remember: Bottom Line Up Front

Kabir Sehgal, a US Navy veteran writing for Harvard Business Review – not to mention author, investment banker and Grammy-winning music producer, so you know he knows about getting things done – suggests these tips for better workplace communication, based on practices learned in military life.

For email, start your subject line with a keyword, indicating the general category of response required. “REQUEST – vacation” is going to jump out in someone’s inbox, making it clear what is needed before it’s even opened. Providing information to someone but don’t need a reply? “INFO – status update” will do the trick. Other categories will depend on your role and your workplace, but examples include “ACTION,” “SIGN,” “DECISION,” “COORD” (for coordination required). The capital letters, Sehgal says, may seem shouty, so use your best judgment, but they make clear that the word is a category, and that helps your reader. Again, if you’re interacting with clients, you’ll want to scale this part back, but when working internally you can all agree on some standard labels for common situations, helping everyone navigate their inbox more quickly.

Next comes the heart of the BLUF: after greeting the recipient, state your most important thing right away by putting your Bottom-Line Up Front. You can even structure the message with a label. Sehgal uses this example:

“Subject: INFO – Working from home

Shannon,

Bottom Line: We will reduce the number of days that employees can work from home from three to one day per week effective December 1st.

Background:

-This is an effort…”

From here Sehgal lists a series of explanatory bullet points. By leading with the “bottom line,” however, this “background” is just that – it is there for those who need it but easy to ignore for those who don’t. Meanwhile, both groups will be clear on the central point of the message. Contrast this with most emails, where people spend much of the message “proving their point” before making it, and you see how this technique can save time for those composing and those receiving, keeping the focus on what needs to happen next.

The same method also works for presentations. Start with the biggest take-away on your first slide, and everyone will know why you’re talking about this topic and whether they should stay for the presentation or get back to their desk. And after the BLUF, the rest of your email or presentation can be as long or as short as you want – but you’ll probably find you don’t need to get into the details to the same extent having already shared your dramatic conclusion.

Lastly, while you want to put the Bottom Line Up Front, give some thought to how to close your message too. One study shows email ending with “Thanks” or variations get the highest response rates; something like “best wishes” scored lower. Apparently ending with a note of gratitude puts recipients in a good mood to reply – one more way good communication takes the stress out of everyone’s workday!

Reference Material

PreviousInformation & CommunicationNextStand Up for One Another

Last updated 12 months ago

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