Beyond being a potent information tool, an internal newsletter can truly help unite employees and promote employee engagement. Being featured in an article in the internal newsletter is not only exciting for the highlighted individual, but it also boosts the morale of every employee who sees not only the accomplishments but also the appreciation of their fellow worker.
It’s Called an Internal Newsletter for a Reason
The internal newsletter is an unsurpassed communications vehicle to keep employees informed about what is happening with the company. Profiles of employees (both top and lower level), highlights of new products and/or services and articles about different departments and their functions should all be included on a regular basis. Internal newsletters are particularly useful for companies that have multiple locations – use the internal newsletter to educate employees about what’s going on at each of the locations. For example, an internal newsletter could have a page or two devoted to spotlighting each location in every issue.
Employee Focus
People love to read about themselves and their fellow workers, so be sure to consistently feature stories about employee achievements or activities. Articles that include or focus on aspects of the employee’s life away from work can be particularly interesting and can highlight the diversity of a company’s workforce. Include employee achievements both large and small, whether it’s finally getting that degree, how they saved a customer, or their efforts to give back to the community. Stories about the accomplishment(s) of an employee’s family member can sometimes be appropriate for inclusion in an internal newsletter.
Company News
Company news focuses on achievements, successes, or changes that impact the entire company. This can include the successful completion of a major project, the hiring of a new president, the acquisition of another company, the opening of a new office, the landing of important new client or the launch of a new product or service.
Practical Information
The internal newsletter should include information that all employees can use. These can be general articles such as health and safety tips, ridesharing, financial tips, etc. They can also be specific to the company, such as changes in medical benefits, retirement plan contributions or dates for upcoming health fairs.
Information about Products or Services
Internal newsletters are a great place to educate employees about the company’s products or services. The key is to avoid information overload – be sure to provide easy-to-digest snippets whenever possible. And to make these piece come alive, humanize the information by featuring employees who are directly involved with the product/service and what their jobs entail.
