As companies grow, mass communication becomes more important, but also more challenging. Employee newsletters are great ways to reach all members of a company. And email newsletters make employee engagement easy to evaluate, thanks to data like open and link click rates.
An employee newsletter’s main purpose is to inform, but when done correctly, it can also boost productivity and increase employee morale. Included in most newsletters are upcoming events, employee birthdays, and summaries of some of the positive changes happening within the company.
But if you’re looking to go beyond the basics and create an employee newsletter that engages and sparks company goodwill, then these 22 HR newsletter ideas are a useful place to start.
- Welcome! Sections
As companies move more into the remote workplace, “welcome” sections are becoming more and more important, especially for those workers you may not be able to meet in person. Include new employees’ names and position titles at a minimum. But if possible, add a little about their background and interests as well. This will not only make the new hires feel valued, but it’ll make other employees more comfortable in reaching out now that they’ve been formally introduced.
- Free Resources
If your team doesn’t already have a cloud-based information hub for employee use, it’s a good idea to look into one. If you do, be sure to remind your team about those resources in your newsletter. This is also a great section to include any links to online courses you offer, such as computer courses or leadership trainings.
- Budgeting Help
Everyone appreciates learning how to save money. Sharing budgeting resources and tips is a nice way to help your employees improve their lives outside of the office.
- Job Postings
A section about advancement opportunities is a great way to show your employees that HR is committed to employee growth and hiring from within. Job postings can also benefit the recruitment team as well, because it can encourage employees to share the career opportunities with their friends and professional circles.
- Volunteer Opportunities
Is corporate social responsibility part of your core values? Then make it easy for employees to get involved in their communities by sharing volunteer opportunities.
- Company Outings
If you’re part of a company that likes to play together as well as work together, adding company outings to your newsletter is a good way to get people in the habit of looking at the newsletter more regularly. You want them to open your your newsletter and think, “What kind of fun stuff can we do this month?”
- “Days Off” Ticker
A countdown to the next company holiday is a fun addition and an easy way to motivate employees to hang in there through busy work periods.
- Furry Family Members
Most everyone loves a cute animal picture. Include photos of your employees’ pets on a monthly “Meet Fido” section of your newsletter and you’re likely to see your email engagement rates soar.
- Company History
Many people love traditions and enjoy knowing how the company they are working for grew to be what it is. “On this day” posts are fun and engaging, but even just anecdotes about past success are great motivators, too.
- Jokes
HR gets a bad rep for being serious. Change that perception by adding a witty (but appropriate) “Joke of the Week.” Humor always makes for a fun read, especially when you need to share some not-so-funny information further down in the newsletter.
- Contests
Keeping with the fun, contests are an effective way to spur engagement, especially when the prize is something like an extended lunch break (or lunch itself!). Trivia questions are also popular, such as “name that movie” screenshots or company-specific trivia.
- Ask for Feedback
Your company likely has a way for customers and clients to provide feedback on their experiences. A newsletter is a way to provide the same opportunity for team members.
- Fond Farewells
There will undoubtedly be some departures from your company that don’t warrant a friendly goodbye, but the majority probably do, especially if someone is retiring. Wishing those moving on a cheerful farewell is good for company morale. It’s a nice thing to do!
- “Show and Tell”
Having a section where one team member shares something about their lives outside of work can encourage inclusiveness and diversity.
- A Day in the Life…
Similar to show and tell, asking a team member to share a typical day at work or at home is helpful because it provides unique content while also promoting diversity and inclusion.
- Training Opportunities
Adding training opportunities to your newsletter encourages personal development, and if the training budget allows, offering to upskill your team in areas that can help them outside of the office (business acumen, technology courses, etc.) shows a commitment to them as individuals, not just employees.
- Pictures!
There’s a reason social media is so popular—everyone loves looking at pictures. As for what images work best, community or company subject are always fan favorites. Another fun idea for remote workers is to have them send in photos of their home offices.
- Milestones
Celebrating employee milestones is more important than you may think. Even if it’s just someone’s 10-year anniversary with the company, that’s encouraging information to new employees. You can also include info, like sales records or community engagement triumphs.
- Department News
By sharing updates from across the organization, team members will feel more connected to the company’s mission on the whole, and it can also spark cross-department ideas.
- Industry News
Not every employee can take the time to educate themselves on trends in your industry. A newsletter is a great place to add important and relevant changes in your industry (laws, trends, etc.).
- Local Favorites
Lists are great, aren’t they!? Adding them to a newsletter makes for a quick and easy read and lets your team know that newsletters aren’t only for the company’s benefit. Things like “best coffee shops in the area,” “best places for lunch,” or even “the city’s best happy hour” are easy to include and add a lot of value to your newsletter.
- Social Media Screenshots
Posting screenshots from your company social media is a clever way to spur employee involvement on your company social channels. Post positive reviews from Yelp or entertaining company Facebook posts or comments, and encourage employees to like your pages and share your posts with their friends and family.
Why Newsletters are Important
Disengaged employees are underperforming employees. Nowadays, particularly in the remote workplace, it can be even easier for employees to become disconnected. A company newsletter won’t eliminate employee disengagement entirely, but it’s one tool in the toolbox of easy actions HR can take to help. A newsletter can also provide a concrete example of your team’s commitment to its employees, which can help to reduce turnover rates.
For more information on how to improve employee engagement, visit our HR Resources page for free ebooks, guides and more.
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