Guide on Creating Company Newsletters

Employees are an organization's most valuable asset. They ensure that operations run smoothly and that the company continues to grow. However, managers may find it difficult to communicate with personnel regularly, resulting in a significant communication gap leading to performance issues. According to Gallup, nearly three-quarters of employees (74%) believe they are missing out on company information and news.

You can keep employees informed through internal newsletters. A company newsletter aimed at employees allows managers to share personal thoughts with the team, closing the communication gap. Here are some suggestions on how to start and what to include in a corporate newsletter.

Why Create an Employee Newsletter?

Employees can be motivated, inspired, and connected through internal communication, which keeps them informed about what's going on in the company. The newsletter can be weekly, monthly, semi-annual, or annual. The most important thing is to keep open communication.

Employees who feel more involved in their company’s activity are more likely to stay loyal. And while an internal newsletter is only one piece of the puzzle for employee retention and happiness, it's a good one to start with.

Internal newsletters typically include the following types of information:

• Special events and surveys;
• New job opportunities;
• Training opportunities;
• The CEO's messages;
• Contests and competitions;
• Accolades.

Any good newsletter begins with a goal. This could be as simple as informing employees, introducing them to one another, or bringing a topic to their attention.

What Should You Include in a Corporate Newsletter?

Companies must encourage employees in the same way they nurture customers, moving them from potential new hires to passionate and engaged brand advocates. While the scope of company newsletters varies, some common elements help them succeed:

• Customized Messages from Company Leaders

You can add messages from C-suite executives in your internal newsletter, but don't limit it to one-way communication from management to employees. Include one leadership message per newsletter, and ensure it contains helpful information for employees rather than just motivating slogans.

• Employee-Generated Content

Ask employees to write a few lines about something interesting that has happened to them. It could be a work-related event, a client interaction, or a new process they’ve learned. You'll better understand your employees' experiences and help them connect with each other by asking them to contribute to the internal newsletter.

• Business's Achievements

You’ll want to share your successes in your internal company newsletter, alert people to new content, and get everyone on board with your company's main messages so that they can communicate and expand your reach.

Tips for Creating an Internal Newsletter

Corporate newsletters promote workplace communication, which is especially important now that many people are still working remotely and reluctant to return to the office. Here are some suggestions for effective communication:

• Make It Short

No employee wants to read a wall of text, so your newsletter should be short, fun, and easy to read.

• Avoid Flashing Numbers

Employees want to see some metrics, but that isn't the most important thing. Make the internal newsletter less like a sales report and more like a conversation.

• Accept Newer Formats

Include new formats in your newsletters, such as podcasts. Audio has a more personal tone than email, it's easy to produce, and employees can listen to it while away from their computers.

• Tell Stories

Without stories, the newsletter would be just a list of plain facts. People love to listen to and discuss stories about other people; that's the reason why we have Hollywood. Just make sure you do it respectfully. An internal newsletter can serve as a forum for employees to learn about new initiatives and share stories about what's going on at work.

• Bring in Customer Feedback

Highlight client case studies and suggest new ones. You could also include any customer feedback you think your employees should know about.

• Complement Existing Company Assets

Your email employee newsletter can outline the company's priorities weekly, monthly, or quarterly. Use it to welcome new employees, announce new product versions, highlight assets and solicit feedback on rebranding.

• Reinforce Transparency

A company newsletter allows for non-email communication. We know that providing a topic and a platform is the best way to start a conversation. You can use this newsletter to discuss company values and employee culture.

Company Newsletters Examples

• Welcome Emails by GetResponse

An example of an onboarding employee email newsletter sent to new GetResponse team members. It's best to have a few "golden topics" but change them up every now and then to ensure that your emails are opened and read.

• GetResponse Christmas Party

These days, company retreats, parties, and getaways are very popular.

Organizing your team is simple if you have a small group. However, once your company reaches a few hundred employees, planning everything starts taking time and effort.

Keep your employees informed by sending regular updates with details about upcoming events and how they can join you. If you're going to use email for this type of communication, keep it going even after the event is over.

Prepare a summary, send photos and videos, and solicit feedback so that your next company retreat can be even more successful.

• Surveys

Feedback is an important part of team interactions and development plans daily. An email or online survey is helpful because it is quick, structured, and allows you to learn about your employees' opinions.

Inquire about company benefits, training opportunities, workplace satisfaction, or a recent company retreat. Alternatively, "idea box" is a more general term. You can make them anonymous to ensure people are comfortable sharing and aren't judged based on the results.

• New Team Members

You can create profiles for newly hired employees to help them become acquainted with the rest of the team. Seeing employee newsletter ideas encourages employees to communicate with newcomers and helps them understand that their personal lives are just as important as their work.

• Pandemic and Health Restrictions Update

Use your internal announcement employee newsletter to share public information with your team. This example is about returning to work in a pandemic. Still, it's easy to see how it could be applied to announcing the opening of a new office or letting them know that construction will be taking place nearby and which roads they should avoid.

Internal newsletters are also an excellent way to familiarize your team with a new procedure or process. The example above is social distancing in the aftermath of the pandemic, but you can use this template for any major policy changes you're considering.

• Training Opportunities

A list of training opportunities is excellent content for your employee emails if you want to help them grow. This is a no-brainer if you already host workshops and training courses that people can attend.

Perhaps there are people on staff who enjoy giving talks about their skills, whether they are specific, such as coding, or more general "business skills," such as creating killer powerpoints and presentations. Your colleague recently attended a boot camp or an international event and is eager to share what they learned with others.

Invite your employees to speak about their areas of expertise: you'd be surprised at how many people enjoy passing on their knowledge.

It also gives your team members the chance to learn about new topics. Some companies believe it should take the form of an AMA (Ask Me Anything), in which one employee gives a (short) presentation, and all attendees can participate in a discussion.

Wrapping Up

Get the tone right when writing effective internal email newsletters. Find a good mix of topics and share content relevant to your goals. It helps to maintain a consistent format and keep an engaging and empowering tone. Internal newsletters differ from marketing emails in many ways. Newsletter writing isn't serious journalism or creative writing, but when seeking to engage the entire company, you should try new things now and then.