Delegate New or Additional Duties • Example Letters, Guides and Samples
Guides
This letter should both inform the employee of the new responsibilities and state the reason(s) for the change. It may describe the duties in detail, or simply outline them with the promise of additional training.
How to write this delegation letter:
- Explain why you are changing the reader's responsibilities.
- Describe how the reader's duties will change.
- Prompt feedback.
Example Letter #1
Thanks for your input during last Thursday's unit meeting. As your overtime hours have increased, we too have come to realize the unreasonable scope of your present job description. After adding six typesetting projects a month to your regular editing workload, we have decided to hire an assistant unit manager to relieve you of several administrative tasks.
While this assistant will alleviate much of your burden, we still plan to increase the number of monthly typesetting projects in your unit from 12 to 18. This increase, however, will occur only incrementally, and additional personnel will be assigned to your unit to help handle the load. Specifically, we plan to transfer two editors from Eric Doe's unit to yours. You will be responsible for training them as part-time typesetters over the next three months. If you can have them up to speed by May, we will then begin expanding to eighteen projects a month.
We will need your continued feedback during this transition phase and expect to consult with you frequently. Above all, we are eager to see your daily workload confined to a manageable number of hours. With an assistant, this should begin to happen immediately.
Example Letter #2
Now that we have established ourselves domestically, we need a person to oversee our international sales. Your ability to organize and oversee large sales efforts make you the obvious choice to take on this responsibility. You have our approval to delegate some of your present duties to John Doe while you get oriented to this new initiative.
We will hold several planning meetings during May. After June 1, you will work full-time on international sales and John will take over the rest of your local responsibilities. Our first meeting will be Monday at 9:00 a.m. I know of your interest in international sales, so this should be a rewarding assignment. If you have questions before our Monday meeting, please call.
Example Letter #3
After lengthy discussion on the matter with Mr. Doe, I have decided to add the words "circulation manager" to your job title. It seems fitting that you be formally assigned to this task, as you have been handling most of these duties anyway.
Your volume of work should remain stable, because we are bringing Jane into your department to assist you. The new duties will include coordinating delivery accounts and managing new sales activities, in addition to the circulation drill you already know well.
Please meet with me Monday at 3:00 p.m. to discuss the details of this change.
Write Your Letter Step-by-Step
1 Explain why you are changing the reader's responsibilities.
Sample Sentences for Step 1
- The company has grown to the point that we need a purchasing coordinator.
- Your idea of establishing the position of ombudsman has met with a warm reception.
- We need to make some adjustments in order to distribute our workload more evenly.
- With the explosive growth in the number of calls to our help hotline, we feel that you are becoming overloaded.
- We have been very impressed with the growth you have brought to the northern route, but realize that it has now become rather unwieldy for one person to manage.
- We are sympathetic to your request to travel less and are very sorry that your wife is experiencing such severe health problems.
Sample Phrases for Step 1
- after considerable analysis and discussion
- are sympathetic to your request
- are overloaded
- as you are already aware
- company has grown
- even out our workload
- have been very impressed with
- make some adjustments
- some adjustments seem necessary
- the restructuring has led to
- the position of
- to accommodate the growth of
- to manage the increasing workload in
- up until now
- need to establish a
- will announce the change on
- will be in everyone's best interests to
- with the installation of
- your current responsibilities include
- your idea of
- your suggestion that
2 Describe how the reader's duties will change.
Sample Sentences for Step 2
- I want you to take on this position as of January 1. You will need to keep current lists of all major equipment and all purchases involving sums greater than $500.
- Your responsibilities will include advising department heads on capital equipment purchases and making sure that equipment is not duplicated unnecessarily.
- Jane will take over your current duties.
- We think you are the ideal person to take on these responsibilities, and we suggest that you proceed according to the plan you outlined at our meeting on March 5.
- You and Jane will continue to work in Classified Ads, but will do your own billing. This additional duty should be easy for you now that we have the new computer program in place. Ashley will show you how to do the billing, and we would like you to show her the ropes in the classified section.
- From now on please concentrate on the hotline, where you have been doing extremely well. We would like you to continue to process incoming mail as well, but Jane will assume your purchasing duties.
- It seems that our best strategy will be to move you to a desk job, at least temporarily. Please contact John, who will discuss the details with you.
Sample Phrases for Step 2
- are the ideal person to
- is important that you
- major responsibilities will include
- new responsibilities will entail
- our best strategy seems to be
- please concentrate your efforts on
- proceed as we discussed
- responsibilities will include
- suggest that you
- take on this position as of
- this additional duty should be
- will take over your current
- will need to
- will now be responsible for
- will also be responsible for
- will effect an equitable division of
- will discuss the details
- will continue to work in
- would like you to continue to
- your primary responsibility will be
3 Prompt feedback.
Sample Sentences for Step 3
- Please meet with me in my office on Monday at 11 a.m. We will work out the details and discuss any concerns you may have.
- This is a new adventure for the company, and doubtless there will be some problems along the way. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need help.
- I would appreciate a call from you within two weeks to let me know how things are working out.
- I think you will all enjoy the new arrangement, but if any unforeseen problems arise, please let me know.
- This poses an immediate challenge for you, but the rewards should be great. If you have any concerns, please see me.
Sample Phrases for Step 3
- discuss any concerns
- do not hesitate to
- during this adjustment period
- glad to work with you
- how things are working out
- if any problems arise
- if I can help
- if you need any help
- if you have questions
- iron out any problems
- let me know
- long term benefits
- please meet with me
- poses an immediate challenge
- reevaluate the situation
- thank you for your cooperation
- think you will enjoy
- when circumstances change
- will discuss this again after
- work out the details
