Letter writing may in fact be archaic, but with the influx of new technologies it seems that the skills necessary to write a well-written communication have been lost all together.  Ironically, just as we are losing the skills necessary to communicate efficiently in writing,, which I see as a byproduct of learning to write letters, these skills are becoming increasingly important.  

A 2006 survey of 528 Canadian workers indicated that 58 percent of them were spending an average of 2-4 hours a day reading e-mails, memos, reports, or internet materials. When asked to identify the costs of poorly written communications 85 percent cited wasted time, 70 percent cited lost productivity, and 65 percent cited errors made as a result of poorly written instructions.

In 2004 the College Board's National Commission on Writing  put a number to some of the costs associated with poorly written communications.  It was calculated that $3.1 billion annually were spent on training in attempts to bring employees' skills up to speed and improve communication.  $3.1 billion!  The study went on to say that writing , for many of the companies involved in the study, is a "threshold skill" for employee selection (getting hired), and promotion.  Susan R. Meisinger, president and CEO of the Society for Human Resources Management, said, "The importance of learning to communicate in writing and orally is paramount. Communication is a critical skill in the workplace and one that many new entrants lack."  

It's obvious that good writing skills, despite archaic origins, continue to be vitally important. In many situations written communications, especially e-mails, have replaced verbal communications. With their increasing prevalence, good writing skills are more important today than ever before.