A resounding ping goes out around the office as hundreds of workers simultaneously receive the company's employee newsletter in their inboxes. But will anyone read it, or is it destined for the recycling bin? The answer depends on the quality of your newsletter content.
Do you want to make the most of your internal communication software, stand out, and capture the attention of your employees? You must craft engaging content that resonates with your people. This means moving beyond stale updates to delivering value-added material that educates and entertains.
This guide has everything you need to get started: 36 employee newsletter ideas, nine best practices for designing newsletter content, and some suggested themes to add to your newsletter calendar.
An employee newsletter is a digital form of communication, usually distributed by email to every employee in an organization. Unlike external newsletters aimed at current and prospective customers or business partners, employee newsletters are strictly internal.
They keep everyone informed about important company updates while providing a fun and engaging way to learn more about all the different people that make up your organization.
Consistent internal communication with the people who work hard for your business has several key benefits for the organization. The right internal employee newsletter does the following:
Certain newsletter features are designed to help employees learn more about each other. Employee spotlights and tidbits about their hobbies and home lives create a sense of community and allow us to see what we have in common with our colleagues.
This is important because most employees want to form close bonds with their colleagues, according to Nectar's social connections study. In particular:
Workplace communication is one of the biggest challenges for organizations. Too much information can feel like overkill, while too little causes knowledge silos and makes employees feel detached from what's going on in the company. An employee newsletter is a vital part of your internal communication strategy, providing an efficient way to share the details that matter to everyone who needs to hear them.
Low employee engagement and morale can cause problems with productivity and team relationships, ultimately sending people toward the exit. A newsletter is no magic bullet, but it is an easy way to boost the mood among your workers by establishing camaraderie and a positive vibe that they won't want to leave.
Are you ready to keep your team in the loop with useful newsletter segments? The following list of internal newsletter ideas are all about your employees:
During onboarding, integrate new employees into company life as quickly as possible by publishing a short bio and interesting facts about them. You might mention the team they've joined, their previous experience, and ask them a series of quickfire questions about their hobbies and interests. Spylix's co-founder Irene Graham shares:
“When employees are new, some are shy to speak up. Giving them a shoutout in the newsletter is an ideal way to recognize them and make them feel loved at our work space.”
Consider marking the departure of certain team members who are leaving the company on good terms. For example, if someone is retiring or taking a sabbatical, the newsletter is an opportunity to wish them well.
Persuade existing employees to progress their careers internally by providing descriptions of your current job openings. Include plenty of detail, such as the associated salary range, skills, competencies required, and application deadlines.
It's fun for employees to learn more about their colleagues or understand what people in adjacent departments or branches do. Employee spotlights zoom in on a specific employee in every newsletter to share their stories and achievements. You might even include a "Day in the Life" feature to provide hour-by-hour details of their role.
Operations Assistant Leanka Sayer explains the value of including spotlight features in Flying Cat Marketing's regular newsletter and their method of creating them.
"As a fully remote team, we don't get to hang out at lunch or around a watercooler, so this helps the team get to know each other more. The best is that the team has started to comment on the spotlight 10 minutes after we send it. In those Slack comments, they say how much they enjoyed reading the spotlight, follow up with questions, or just share appreciation for each other. This is something we didn't anticipate, but has created a sense of connection among the team. It's like a window into each other's lives.
We get the team's spotlight input by openly asking for their submission on Slack, and we also created a form that anyone can fill out at any time. It includes a field for them to leave as much or as little text as they want and add media if they want to."
Team challenges are a fun way to motivate employees to work toward a common goal. These may have a professional theme, such as challenging your team to refresh their health and safety training by the end of the month. Alternatively, you might prefer a wellness theme, such as encouraging your team members to complete a steps challenge.
Public recognition can greatly motivate individual employees, boosting retention rates. Nectar's recent research found that 71% of employees would be less likely to leave their organization if they were recognized more frequently.
Including a person’s name and achievements in a company newsletter is an easy way to promote their efforts. For example, you might highlight employees who:
Perhaps your sales team has achieved a record number of sales this quarter, or your product development team has rolled out a bug-free MVP. For those triumphs that are a true collaborative effort, celebrate team wins in your newsletter too.
Tying into the idea of employee recognition, if your company runs a regular employee awards program, your newsletter offers a space to announce award nominees and winners.
For example, May's newsletter can be used to congratulate May's Employee of the Month winner and list June's nominees. You could also provide details on the employee nomination process, such as a link to a nomination form.
Personal milestones such as birthdays and anniversaries are a lovely way to show your employees you value them as individuals. Including this section in your newsletter regularly encourages other team members to reach out and wish their colleagues well.
Nectar Tip: Make milestone celebrations truly inclusive. Accidentally forgetting someone's special occasion could be disastrous for morale and may demonstrate bias or favoritism toward those employees you do remember.
There are many ways that companies can boost employee productivity. One way is to suggest some simple tips or shortcuts that win valuable time back for your workforce. Laia Quintana, Head of Marketing and Sales, suggests a simple time management tip that was a recent hit in TeamUp’s newsletter:
"Did you know that tackling your most challenging task first thing in the morning can boost your productivity for the rest of the day? Try it out and see the difference!"
Here are some other ideas:
Keeping your workers mentally and physically fit benefits the individual and the collective organization. To improve overall employee wellness, employers can offer tips and resources such as:
Employees of any rank, role, or compensation band may be struggling to make ends meet in their personal lives. With the rising cost of living, employers can support their workers by including timely resources in their news content. For example, you might promote your financial wellness program, offer budgeting tips, link to financial counselors, or give reminders about how your 401(k) works.
Each newsletter you send should have a few fun segments to entertain and inspire your team. The following ideas extend your employee-centric features with some fun ways to boost employee morale in your organization:
Adding thoughtful pick-me-ups to your newsletter can boost your employees' moods. The quotes don't always have to be professional or career-driven; they might relate to teamwork, mental health, or life in general. Some examples:
Companies that offer hybrid or remote working can shape communication and collaboration practices among their distributed teams with regular newsletter tips. For example, employers might suggest:
For colleagues who've never met before or haven't worked face-to-face for a while, sharing photos or videos of remote office setups allows them to get to know each other as if they were sitting in the next cubicle. You might include:
Promote interest groups or clubs run by employees, such as book clubs or fitness groups. You might provide a calendar of club events and contact details for the person in charge. Highlight any extra info, such as the level of experience required or what book to grab a copy of this month.
Travel broadens horizons and encourages diversity by introducing your workers to global locations and cultures. Use your newsletter to publish travel photos, diaries, or reviews of interesting vacations or longer trips they've taken. Their peers may be inspired to take a similar journey or strike up a conversation about their shared passion for adventure.
Recommendations are a super engaging feature of your employee newsletter content. You might include a form link enabling people to upload their suggestions, whether related to work or not. Recommendations could include:
On this last point, Cache Merrill, Founder of software development company Zibtek, recalls:
"A memorable edition that still buzzes through our hallways featured a virtual "Global Potluck" segment, inviting employees to share recipes from their cultures. It was a flavorful journey across the globe, right from our inboxes, fostering a sense of global unity and cultural appreciation."
Your employees are each fascinating individuals with their own hobbies and interests separate from work. Use your newsletter as a space to share some of their passions and achievements outside of work. Some examples include:
Your employees' furry friends are a huge part of their personal lives. With many now appearing on video calls, sharing pictures of employees’ dogs, cats, or other beloved pets is a fun way to embrace them in your extended company family.
For example, we recently put together a collection of the Dogs of Nectar — some are wrapped in towels or waiting for treats, others going on walks or sleeping.
From upcycling furniture to repurposing a closet, there are plenty of unique do-it-yourself projects your employees might enjoy tackling on the weekend. Whether inspired by coworkers' creations or relying on Pinterest for some ideas, post the best attempts in your newsletter to receive the appreciation they deserve.
Who doesn't love a giveaway? Incorporate friendly competition into your email newsletters, perhaps offering company swag, cash prizes, or gift cards to employees who send their best jokes and impressive photography in, or who score the highest in your company quiz.
Lastly, your newsletter should have some general announcements that all team members need to see. The ideas below satisfy your internal business communications strategy by providing the key messages you need your employees to hear:
Does your team wish they could ask your CEO a question? Does your organization have questions for the marketing leader on a new go-to-market strategy? Consider grouping all those questions together and getting specific employees to answer a Q&A.
Operations Director Jessica Bane explains how this works at GoPromotional:
“Currently, we are implementing "Ask the Director," where I address a couple of questions from staff. It’s been great for transparency and connection because employees appreciate insights into the company's direction, decisions, and future plans. Plus, it adds a sense of inclusion.”
Companies that offer financial incentives for employee referrals can use their newsletter to promote their programs. They might remind employees that they pay $X for each new hire referred to them or thank existing employees who have already participated in the program.
Keep your employees informed about what's coming up in the company calendar. With ample notice, they can plan their schedules accordingly and feel included in important events that shape the organization's direction. List critical dates related to:
Your newsletter is a chance to educate the entire company on what is happening in a specific department. You might provide details on:
Measuring employee sentiment is a critical business practice that improves engagement strategies. Regular pulse surveys ask quick questions designed to gauge the temperature of what’s going well and what needs your attention.
While you can include links to your current employee survey in your newsletter, publishing survey results to show employees their voices are heard can be an easy win. You might also highlight areas where you plan to make positive changes based on your employees' wants and needs.
Encourage your employees to grow their skills and knowledge by highlighting professional growth opportunities in your newsletter. You can:
Low participation in employee benefits programs often results from a lack of knowledge. Either employees don't understand what perks and benefits are available or think the programs are too complicated to join.
Your internal comms newsletter is the perfect vehicle for promoting your benefits clearly and concisely and stirring up interest in staff who might have otherwise dismissed them. You might include details such as:
Similar to Q&As, employees will likely have pressing questions about their contracts or anything else to do with company life. Consider including a section dedicated to answering common queries from staff. You might include topics such as:
Example question: "How do I start an employee resource group for working parents?"
Example answer: "To start an ERG for working parents:
On the theme of transparency, companies must also share major company updates with their employees. For example, you might announce:
If any of this information is likely to be available in the public mainstream, the key is to get ahead of the rumor mill by first providing accurate facts to your employees.
When your company is mentioned positively in the media, perhaps featured in a well-respected publication or in a viral social media post, this is worth sharing with your employees.
Link to the coverage and encourage your workers to keep the momentum going by reacting, reposting, or sharing with their own networks.
Similarly, if your company has positively impacted your customers, use your newsletter real estate to highlight what's worked well and who has gone above and beyond to produce exceptional results. Kinga Edwards, CEO of Brainy Bees, told us:
"Instead of the standard back-patting or handing out virtual badges, our monthly newsletter took a different route. It showcased the small but awesome victories of our clients, thanks to OUR hard work. I remember getting a nice shoutout "Kinga's optimization magic brought [client] [that many] conversions last week!" Simple, yet so impactful, and honestly so, so, so motivating. That turned an ordinary newsletter into an eagerly awaited update for pretty much everyone on the team."
Successful DEIB strategies need employees across the board to buy in and participate, making internal comms a valuable tool for raising awareness on these critical initiatives. You might showcase:
On this last point, Jeremy Bogdanowicz, Founder and CEO of digital design agency JTB Studio, recommends enlisting the support of your ERG leadership team as communication champions. He shared:
"Collaborating with ERG leaders is a smart move to make your newsletter more engaging. Working with them helps you connect with employees from different backgrounds to make your newsletter more inclusive and enjoyable for everyone. It's a way to show your company values diversity and wants everyone to feel heard."
Along with DEI initiatives, your company may be working toward actively reducing its carbon footprint and implementing more environmentally responsible practices. Your newsletter might:
If your company is actively involved in charitable activities or employee volunteering, your internal comms could feature stories to gather support for these initiatives.
Jessica Bane explains how community events such as team outings or charity work are a regular inclusion in her company’s newsletter:
“An upcoming event at GoPromotional is our annual charity run. Our newsletter includes training tips, progress updates, and showcases participating employees, all of which encourages anticipation and involvement.”
Similarly, Vit Koval, Co-Founder of global hiring platform Globy, shares,
“Our newsletter also features a "Community Corner," where employees could share personal milestones, achievements, or community initiatives they’re involved in, promoting a sense of camaraderie and connection beyond the workplace.”
At this stage, you're probably bursting with ideas, but we have even more ways to maximize the value of your internal newsletter communication with these best practices:
It's one thing to ping a newsletter to your employees' inbox, but another to get them to read it. As your marketing teams already know, intriguing subject lines can be a game-changer for your email open rates. It's also essential to use BLUF tactics, meaning that you'll give your audience the bottom line upfront. Instead of burying fascinating details in the footnote of your newsletter, include a summary at the top that outlines what your readers will find if they keep scrolling. This technique builds anticipation and holds their attention.
For your message to resonate with your employee audience, it needs to be real. Mastering a genuine and personal tone is essential, or it will come across as something only your C-suite would be interested in. Operations Director Jessica Bane swears by the importance of authenticity in internal comms. She told us:
“Above all, a sense of authenticity is essential. Our newsletters are not just about corporate announcements but about fostering a sense of community within our company. The good, the compelling, and the true—all together in a monthly package!”
Busy workers check their email from their desktops in the office, their tablets while sitting on the sofa, and from their smartphones while waiting in line for their morning coffee. Your newsletter display must be automatically compatible with each of these platforms. Any clunkiness means your readers will miss out on a crucial part of your message or simply give up on reading it altogether.
Walls of text in a newsletter will likely bore your employee readership to tears. Matt Little, Director & Owner of Festoon House, believes visual appeal is key to keeping employees interested and engaged. He suggests:
"Incorporating eye-catching graphics, photos, and videos to break up the text and make the newsletter more visually appealing. It's important to strike a balance between text and visuals to ensure the content remains accessible and easy to digest. Plus, using consistent branding elements such as colors, fonts, and logos can reinforce the company's identity and make the newsletter feel cohesive and professional."
The most effective employee newsletters are a two-way street, encouraging readers to interact with the content by responding to certain sections with emojis. Cache Merrill suggests a range of other interactive elements that breathe life into Zibtek’s newsletters:
“Quick polls on workplace improvements, fun quizzes about our projects, or even friendly competitions make every edition an engaging experience. These playful interactions boost participation and foster a sense of community and belonging.”
However, one particularly interesting feature is the use of QR codes, as suggested by Real Estate Broker Kris Lippi:
"Whenever we send an employee spotlight newsletter, we feature employees with QR codes. These link to iconic images of movie quotes or characters that bear a resemblance to the employee. It adds a surprise element and makes the person featured in the newsletter feel good. It's a great way to keep things light-hearted, and everyone looks forward to scanning the next QR code."
One of the trickier parts of crafting newsletter content is finding the right tone. On the one hand, you want it to be informal enough to appeal to your employees on a human level. At the same time, if you're delivering company news and professional content, you'll want to ensure your tone matches the topic. Catalyst Fund's Richard Morgan suggests how to find the sweet spot:
"It's not just about dry corporate updates; it's about fostering a sense of community and shared purpose. The key is blending informative content with a personal touch that resonates with the audience. Highlighting employee achievements, stories, and behind-the-scenes glimpses makes the newsletter more relatable, entertaining, and helps employees feel connected to the company culture."
If a single person creates your newsletters every time, this may check the consistency box, but it falls short of being truly collaborative. To design internal communications that showcase a range of employee voices, consider using guest editors and contributors. This approach adds variety to your communications mix and encourages employees to actively shape the company's messaging.
Once your newsletter schedule is in full swing, measure its success by collecting feedback from your people. HR professional and SMB Guide contributor, Conor Hughes, suggests tracking "engagement levels, open rates, and click-through rates to see what resonates most."
Similarly, Cache Merrill recommends using proactive employee feedback mechanisms:
"Weaving in feedback loops, where team members can suggest employee newsletter topics or give their thoughts on the result, empowers our employees to co-create the content. This collaborative approach ensures our newsletter resonates deeply and remains a reflective mirror of our vibrant company culture."
Decide how regularly to send your newsletter, for example, weekly or monthly. You might send a shorter version with regular features and save additional sections for a longer bumper edition as a compromise. Whatever your strategy, Richard Morgan, Founder of Catalyst Fund, believes it's important to commit to it. He shared with us:
“Regular newsletters build anticipation and engagement habits. But the content needs to stay fresh and aligned with evolving employee interests. Balancing consistency with novelty keeps the newsletter something employees genuinely look forward to, deepening their connection to the company.”
Nectar Tip: Keep your newsletter schedule and content organized by creating a content calendar with key dates and themes. For example, you might include categories such as:
Effective internal communications bind your workforce together, ensuring everyone is connected to their colleagues, leaders, and the company's mission and values.
Newsletters are just one way to share news, celebrate achievements, and build a unified company culture. Platforms like Nectar extend your comms by offering a social feed to give regular praise and shoutouts to anyone in the organization.
Ready to take your internal communications to the next level? Take a Nectar demo to learn more.
