Engaging, fun, and social content can help increase the readership of an internal newsletter, but don’t lose sight of your communication goals. There is more to a newsletter than “Brides, Babies and Birthdays”.
So what are the typical goals of an internal newsletter?
In general, the objectives of an internal newsletter are similar to those of any internal communication channel; reach, readership/cutoff of important messages, reader engagement, and influence on attitudes and behaviors.
breaking down silos. Employee newsletters can also be a great way to break down silos within an organization by allowing you to share activities and news from one division throughout the organization.
Reduce email overload. Internal newsletters provide the means to aggregate email blasts and reduce email overload for employees. The newsletter may contain notices such as; planned IT outages, marketing updates, HR announcements, etc., that would otherwise fill inboxes as separate emails arriving at different times.
Strengthen other communications. Appropriate newsletter articles can serve to reinforce and promote information and messages on other communication channels such as the intranet.
Successful Employee Newsletter Element
Successful employee newsletters often have engaging, fun, and social content balanced with relevant business news and insights.
Think of the busy reader. Articles should be presented to the reader as concise summaries or trailers that, if applicable, allow employees to navigate to more detailed content (within the newsletter, on the intranet, or elsewhere).
search functionality allowing employees to find articles from current or past issues.
Attractive ideas for internal newsletters
An informal tone is often appropriate for a staff newsletter. More regular features and interactivity in the form of reader comments, quizzes and polls, and if possible user-generated content, can encourage reading.
Internal Newsletter Ideas: Business-Related Content
- Organizational changes and other important news
- Product updates and developments
- Innovation in the industry
- Competition Updates
- Updates on current initiatives within the business.
- “Did you know?” of experts in the field
- “Clean” updates like; use of meeting rooms, car parks, etc.
- Information about benefit plans and wellness programs
- Latest survey results
- Key Internal Staff Vacancy Summary
- Updates and news. For example, what’s new on the intranet, performance updates, IT and systems updates, etc.
The newsletter can also feature a regular message from the CEO and/or the leadership team.
This means employees don’t have to visit your intranet page or blog separately (but can click on it from a link in the newsletter article).
Even bad news can be appropriate for a staff newsletter. There is little point in hiding or sugarcoating bad news, as it damages an organization’s credibility and can create fear and insecurity in employees. Bad news, when told honestly and openly in a newsletter article, can sometimes compel staff to endorse and support an organization.
Internal Newsletter Ideas: Fun/Non-Commercial Content
To increase readership and engagement, an employee newsletter should contain fun and engaging content as well as business content. Here are some ideas for engaging internal newsletter content:
- Contests / announcement of contest winners
- Special offers for staff, such as discounts on gym memberships, restaurant deals, etc.
- Promote fun events like loud t-shirt day, etc.
- “Overheard/On the Vine” Articles
- Health spine – how to tips
- Promotion and reviews of staff social events
- Themed items to coincide with events in the wider community such as; earth hour / no smoking day / charity events, etc.
- Humor – Funny Signs, Typos, Memories, License Plates – Run Contests
Fun content can also support business goals, for example stories about how staff demonstrate new brand values or work with new systems.
Internal Newsletter Ideas: Ways to Engage and Engage Employees
When employees actively engage with your newsletter, they are more likely to read what they and their peers have contributed. Open the newsletter as much as possible to employee participation.
Here are some ways you can engage employees in the internal newsletter:
- Host a Newsletter Naming Contest
- Reader comments on articles/letters to the editor
- Survey Staff Results Covered in Newsletter
- “Day in the life” of / “interview with” featured employee(s)
- Welcome new employees to the business and fire those who are leaving
- Traveling reporter/man on the street, eg “if you could be a superhero, who would you be?”
- Quizzes with small prizes like movie tickets and restaurant vouchers
- Achievement, employee recognition, congratulations, congratulations – this is even better if sent by employees, for example, a “thank you a colleague” section.
If possible, implement a way for employees to submit newsletter articles themselves.
Some internal newsletter formats allow employees to submit articles directly under defined category headings (with or without editorial approval). These formats can drastically reduce the effort required to produce an internal newsletter. Internal communicators are busy people who often have to drop everything at a moment’s notice. With user-generated internal newsletter content, the newsletter effectively ‘writes itself’ with little management resources or effort.
Internal Newsletter Ideas – Creative Delivery
After all your hard work, an internal newsletter can still end up buried and unread in an employee’s inbox. Get creative about how you deliver. Here are some ideas:
- A screensaver promoting the latest edition that allows employees to click on the screensaver to read the actual newsletter (yes, it can be done)
- Last issue notifications or scrollable headlines on employee desktop
Monitor the number of readers and evolve your internal newsletter
Article readership is a great way to establish which types of content are working (and which aren’t) for your internal newsletter. Monitor readership, conduct reader surveys, and continually improve your newsletter until you have a great internal communication and engagement tool.
