Our tone of voice is the way we write and speak, what we say and how we say it. It’s who we are.
At Teesside University, we say what we mean and mean what we say. We’re straightforward. We’re proud of who we are, and confident in what we have to say. We communicate openly, honestly, sincerely and respectfully.
All our communications (both written and spoken) should be clear, concise, consistent, and correct – no unnecessary jargon or filler. If there’s a more straightforward way to say something, do it.
Although different contexts can require different approaches, our warmth and willingness to offer support and go the extra mile should shine through everything we say and write.
We use the active voice (where a sentence’s subject performs the action) instead of the passive voice (where the subject of a sentence receives the action of the verb).
As a University, it’s important for us to communicate professionally, using standard spellings and grammar consistently. There are also certain conventions that we follow to ensure a consistent overall approach to our communications.
However, it’s also important to celebrate personality and diversity and so our style guide is intentionally not too prescriptive or restrictive – there is no ‘right’ way to communicate.