Good Grammar means greater success in the workplace?

Could good grammar get you better success at work?
The answer is Yes!

I was recently reading an interesting article about an informal study of LinkedIn profiles, it was specifically focused on the consumer products industry but it is quite relevant in general to jobs and the attitude perceived of people using good or bad grammar. It found that those with fewer grammatical errors had a higher level of professional achievement. It said:

 "Professionals with one to four promotions over their 10-year careers made 45 percent more grammar errors than those with six to nine promotions in the same time frame."

Could it be that a better grasp of language means a higher level of critical thinking and better attention to detail?
It would seem that as you climb the professional ladder you need to do more management than actual hands-on 'work' which requires a better level of effective and clear communication skills. It follows that those people who write and speak better will express organized thoughts better and so are more likely to have the skills needed in order to advance in their jobs. There really is nothing worse than a boss who cannot explain to you what he wants you to do or his specific vision for the direction of the company. Clear writing skills reflect clear and logical thinking and expression in general.

Of course, the importance of having perfect grammar really does vary and depends on which industry you work in or want to work in, but many younger people these days tend to forget that having even the slightest error in a covering letter or CV can potentially mean losing an opportunity to get the job they want. This is particularly relevant these days when there is more competition between people for far fewer jobs.
One reason cited for the problem of errors is the increased tendency to communicate by text, Whatsapp and other messages which by their very nature inhibit good communication skills by increasing the need for speed, abbreviations or short-cuts in grammar. Whereas in the work field, communication with customers in particular necessitates good clear communication and writing skills. Using the correct language and appropriate style of language gives the person you are communicating with more confidence in your ability to understand, explain and thereby assist them in the matter at hand. This sense of trust in one's ability also reflects well on the company you are working for. Therefore employers take grammar and spelling mistakes in job application letters very seriously as your work will resonate back on them.

However, even those with a good grasp of grammar can fall victim to mistakes in important business correspondence. There are a lot of commonly-made errors of easily confused words, or it could simply be that these are mistakes which people make out of carelessness such as 'your' and 'you're,' 'its' and 'it's'. If it's the case that you are not sure which is right then it's necessary to check the dictionary or the spell-checker and if it's a case of carelessness then people should get into the habit of checking through what they write first before they send a mail or a chat.

Then there are the mistakes which are clearly a lack of grammar knowledge. 'He would of come' instead of 'He would have come' for instance. As with mixing up the use of further and farther, as in 'If you want farther information please call....'. The correct use is 'further' meaning in this case 'more'. Farther describes physical distance, and further describes a distance metaphorically. The best way to remember this distinction is simply that "farther" has the word "far" in it.

It is always best to show yourself in the best light and when writing is the primary means of communication do not just rely on the content; effort is needed to consider the best way to express, organize and package the content.

Grammar counts and grammar can improve your chances of success at work!