The Ultimate Employee Newsletter Guide (including examples)

Intro

Much like the fanny packs millennials wear nowadays, newsletters have crawled their way back into actual trends. And we couldn't be happier! The thing is that a lot of companies give up after seeing the lack of audience engagement among their employees. 

Newsletters are great, yes, but they need to be done correctly if you want them to perform! Creating a newsletter is easy; the real challenge lies in getting people to open it, read it, and even interact with it. 

Over 300 billion emails are sent every day worldwide. That's maybe 20 emails for your employees. So, if you want your employee newsletter to stand out, you need to do it the right way. Stop with the generic subject lines, the boring copy, and the linear approach. It's time to create a newsletter your employees will be eager to read.

We've put together a guide and some examples for you to get started with your internal newsletter. 

Why do you need an internal newsletter?

Help to improve employee engagement and motivation

You know how sometimes at work it feels like you're out of the loop or like your efforts go unnoticed? Well, that's where employee newsletters come in handy, and they're actually pretty awesome for keeping everyone on the same page and pumped up. 

Think of them as a way to shout out company wins and individual achievements so people feel appreciated and part of something bigger. They also highlight different teams and personal stories, making everyone feel more connected and turning coworkers into a sort of extended family. Plus, they’re perfect for sharing growth opportunities and letting you know about training or new projects so you feel like the company cares about your development. They encourage open communication by providing a space to give feedback and share ideas, which makes you feel heard and valued. In a nutshell, newsletters are like this magic thread that keeps everyone informed, connected, and super motivated.

Read more: Why Communications Professionals Should Put Internal Communications First

Bridging the gap: remote vs. in-office news

You're working from home in your PJs while some of your coworkers are at the office having coffee breaks together. It’s easy to feel out of the loop, right? 

Newsletters help bridge that gap between remote and in-office employees by making sure everyone gets the same information at the same time. Whether it's updates on projects, company news, or even just fun stuff like office events or achievements, a newsletter makes sure no one misses out.

If you're working remotely, you won’t feel like you’re missing out on important info that your in-office colleagues might get through casual conversations. And for those in the office, they get to see what's happening with their remote teammates too. It helps create a level playing field for everyone, keeping the whole team unified and in the know.

Celebrating company culture through stories

Every company has its own vibe and values that make it unique. Celebrating that company culture is super important to make everyone feel connected and proud to be a part of it. 

Business newsletters are a great carrier of these values. Maybe it’s a piece about someone who went above and beyond on a project or a story about a team that nailed a big deadline. These stories aren’t just feel-good tales—they’re snapshots of the company’s values in action. They remind everyone of what the company stands for and why they’re proud to be part of it.

Plus, these newsletters can cover fun stuff, too, like charity events, team-building activities, or personal achievements and hobbies. It gives everyone a sense of the people behind the roles, making the workplace feel more personal and less transactional. When you read these stories, it’s like a little reminder of why you love working there and why you vibe with the company culture.

Highlighting department updates and news

At Foleon, we have over 10 different departments. It's pretty common for companies to have more than one department, often even in several countries. It can already be hard to keep up with the news of your own team, so imagine if you had to do it for all other departments. Not very sustainable. And what if you could get a short summary of what every team has been up to lately?

Internal newsletters are a great way to highlight updates and news from different departments. It's like getting a sneak peek into what everyone else is doing, which is super cool because it gives you a broader perspective on how all the pieces of the company puzzle fit together.

For instance, you might read about how the marketing team just launched a killer campaign or how the product team rolled out a new feature that’s getting great feedback. When you hear these updates, it makes you feel more connected to the overall vision and goals of the company. Plus, it’s motivating to see how your work contributes to the bigger picture.

It also helps break down silos because you get to understand and appreciate the challenges and achievements of other departments. This can foster more content collaboration and better communication across the board. It’s like everyone's keeping each other in the loop, which really strengthens that team spirit.

Are you convinced yet that you should start creating your own employee newsletter? Let's see how you can start.

A guide to creating the best employee newsletter

1. The key elements of a captivating employee newsletter

If you want to create an employee newsletter that people actually look forward to reading, there are a few key elements you’ve gotta nail down. 

Eye-catching design — First impressions matter! Use a clean, visually appealing layout with images and graphics to break up the text and keep it engaging.

Interesting content — Mix it up with a variety of content. This could include company news, team highlights, project updates, employee spotlights, fun facts, and even humor.

Personal stories — Include stories from employees about their experiences, achievements, or even hobbies. This makes the newsletter feel more personal and relatable.

Clear and concise updates — No one has time for long-winded explanations. Keep updates short and to the point, but make sure they’re informative.

Interactive elements — Add polls, quizzes, or links to videos to make the newsletter interactive and fun.

Call to Action — Encourage feedback or participation in events. This helps create a two-way communication channel, making employees feel involved.

Consistent Schedule — Publish your newsletter on a regular schedule. Consistency helps build anticipation and ensures that employees know when to expect it.

By hitting these points, your employee newsletter will be something everyone’s excited to read and engage with. It’s all about making it fun, informative, and a true reflection of your company’s vibe!

2. How to choose the right content for your newsletter

Choosing the right content for your employee newsletter is like curating the perfect playlist—it needs a bit of everything to keep everyone engaged. 

Company updates:

First things first, keep everyone in the loop about what’s happening across the company. This could be new projects, big sales wins, or even policy changes. It makes everyone feel like they're in the know and part of the bigger picture. Think of it as the heartbeat of your newsletter—it sets the tone and makes people feel connected.

Promote company events:

Got an upcoming team-building event or a company-wide town hall? Shout it out in the newsletter! It’s a great way to boost participation and excitement. Plus, promoting these events helps people plan ahead and get involved. You can even include little teasers or sneak peeks to build the hype.

Incorporating User-Generated Content:

This one’s a game-changer. Invite employees to share their own stories, achievements, or even photos. It could be anything from a shoutout for a job well done to sharing tips and tricks they’ve found helpful. User-generated content makes the newsletter more relatable and interactive. It’s like having a community notice board right in your inbox.

Have a look at this cool video we created based on our marketing team's ideas of an elevator pitch. Videos like this would be perfect for your newsletter because it's short, engaging, and funny!

Upcoming deadlines and milestones:

Keep everyone aligned on important project deadlines or company milestones. It’s a subtle way to remind people what’s on the horizon.

Tips and best practices:

Share productivity tips, best practices, or even industry news that can help employees in their roles. It’s both educational and valuable.

Health and wellness tips:

Promote a healthy lifestyle with tips on physical and mental well-being. This shows that the company cares about its employees' overall health.

Learning and development opportunities:

Promote upcoming training sessions, webinars, or learning resources. Employees appreciate knowing about opportunities to grow their skills.

Surveys and feedback forms:

Include short surveys or feedback forms to get input on various topics. It shows that employee opinions matter and helps you gather useful insights.

Fun and games:

Add a bit of lighthearted content like puzzles, trivia questions, or contests. It can make the newsletter more enjoyable and give employees a break from their routine.

Spotlight on company values:

Discuss how employees are embodying the company’s core values through their work and interactions. It reinforces the company's culture and mission.

Customer spotlight:

There's no better occasion to share customer stories. Share customer success stories or testimonials. It reminds everyone who they’re working hard for and can be very motivating!

Mixing these elements together will make your newsletter a go-to read for everyone. What they'll want to read during their coffee breaks (one can only dream). 

Sharing updates keeps it informative, promoting events makes it exciting, and user-generated content adds that personal, relatable touch. It’s all about finding the perfect balance that keeps your team connected and engaged.

3. Design tips for creating visually appealing newsletters

Content is great, but design is a game-changer in the success of your internal newsletter. Here are a couple of tips to keep in mind:

Keep it clean and simple:

Don’t overcrowd the layout. Use plenty of white space to make it easy on the eyes. Think of it like arranging furniture in a room—you want it to look tidy and spacious, not cluttered.

Use high-quality images:

A picture is worth a thousand words. Use high-quality images that are relevant and engaging. They can make the content pop and keep readers interested.

Break up text with headers:

Chunk your content into sections with clear headers. It helps readers scan through the newsletter and find what interests them quickly. No one wants to wade through a wall of text.

Spice up your emails with GIFs:

As you know, email providers don't support videos. GIFs are a nice solution to add some movement and fun. They’re great for drawing attention to important points or just adding a bit of personality. Just don’t go overboard—one or two per newsletter is usually enough to keep it lively without being distracting.

Consistent layout: 

Stick to a consistent layout for each issue. It makes it easier for readers to navigate and gives the newsletter a familiar feel. Think of it like a online magazine where you know exactly where to find your favorite sections.

Interactive elements:

Include clickable buttons or links for calls to action. Make them stand out with contrasting colors. It encourages interaction and makes the newsletter more engaging.

If you want to go even further, host your newsletter outside of your email provider. Find a content creation platform that will allow you to embed quizzes, videos, and animations in your newsletter to make it more engaging. Foleon is a great solution for this (just an example like that).

Test across devices:

This is probably one of the biggest reasons for drop-off rates. You create your newsletter on your computer, and it looks great, but when opened on mobile, everything looks broken. Make sure your newsletter looks good, whether it’s opened on a computer, tablet, or smartphone. Mobile-friendly design is a must since so many people will be reading on their phones.

Check out our Best Practices in Mobile First Design Guide.

4. Personalize your content and boost engagement

If you've read this far, you've probably figured out by now that the primary goal of an internal newsletter is to connect with employees. And when you get a generic email that’s clearly been sent to a million people, it’s easy to ignore, right? But if you get an email that has your name on it and mentions something specific to you, it grabs your attention. That’s the magic of personalization, and it’s super important for employee newsletters.

When you personalize an employee newsletter, you speak directly to each person. It makes them feel seen and valued, not just like another cog in the machine. Imagine opening a newsletter that starts with your name and includes sections or stories relevant to your department or recent projects you’ve been involved in. It’s way more engaging.

Personalization can also help build stronger connections within the company. If you highlight individual accomplishments or feature stories about employees' hobbies and interests, it fosters a sense of community. Everyone feels more connected and appreciated, which boosts morale.

Plus, personalized content is just more interesting! If a newsletter only talks about things that barely relate to your day-to-day, you might skim it or not read it at all. But if it includes updates that affect you directly, tips for your specific role, or shoutouts to people you work with, you’re way more likely to pay attention and feel engaged.

Here are a couple of things you can personalize in your newsletter to make it more engaging:

Names: first off, use their names! Start with a greeting that includes their name. It’s the easiest way to grab someone’s attention and makes the message feel more personal right off the bat.

Department-specific content: Tailor sections of the newsletter to different departments. For example, share updates or news that is specifically relevant to their team. It makes the content feel more directly applicable and useful to their day-to-day work.

Milestones and anniversaries: celebrate work anniversaries and personal milestones. Have a section dedicated to congratulating people on their work anniversaries, project completions, or even personal life events like having a baby or getting married.

Location-based updates: If your company has multiple locations, personalize parts of the newsletter with updates relevant to each specific location. It’s a great way to make everyone feel included regardless of where they work.

5. Best practices for newsletter frequency and timing

Finding the right balance for how often and when to send out newsletters is super important. Here are some best practices to keep in mind:

Consistency is key:

Whether you decide to send out your newsletter weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or even quarterly, stick to that schedule. Consistency helps set expectations. It’s like your favorite TV show—you know when the new episode will drop, so you’re always looking forward to it. Same goes for newsletters (except in the next edition, you'll never find out if Rachel and Ross finally end up together). Pick a frequency that works for you and your team and stick to it.

Don’t overwhelm:

Too many emails can feel like spam. You don’t want employees to roll their eyes every time they see another email from HR. Find a balance where you share enough information to keep everyone in the loop but not so much that it’s overwhelming. Once every two weeks is usually a sweet spot.

Timing matters:

Sending your newsletter at the right time can make a big difference. Mid-week is generally a good time—like Tuesday or Wednesday—because people are usually more settled into their work week. Avoid sending it super early in the morning or late in the evening, when people might miss it. Late morning or early afternoon is typically when people are most likely to check their email.

Align with company events:

Time your newsletters around important company events or milestones. For example, if you have a big event or announcement coming up, schedule your newsletter to go out a few days before to build excitement or right after to share recaps and highlights. It makes the content feel more relevant and timely.

Regular Feedback:

Every so often, ask your employees how they feel about the newsletter frequency and timing. It shows you care about their input and helps you adjust if necessary. Maybe they feel it's too frequent, or maybe they’d like updates more often. Getting their feedback ensures you’re hitting the right notes.

By keeping these best practices in mind, you'll create a newsletter rhythm that keeps everyone informed and engaged without becoming a nuisance. It's all about finding that sweet spot where the information is fresh and timely but not overwhelming.

6. Incorporating interactive elements in newsletters

We've already touched upon this, but it's so important that we wanted to bring it up again. 

Interactivity is the key to any engaging content type. Emails can easily seem dull because they lack interactivity. But there are many solutions out there that can help you spice it up a little. 

Quizzes and surveys

Tools like Typeforms allow you to embed your form or poll directly in your email. When your employees click on the answer they choose, they'll be redirected to the platform, but the tool will have already recorded their answer.

Videos and podcasts

As we said, videos and podcasts cannot be embedded directly into an email. But there are ways to counter this and still make your email interactive and engaging. 

For videos, you can embed a gif or a screenshot of your video with a little play button on it; when your reader clicks on it, the video will open in another tab. This prevents them from dropping off the email when clicking on the gif.

Same thing goes for podcasts. Embed a little screenshot of your podcast with a play button to take your reader to the podcast.

And you can always embed videos and podcasts directly in platforms such as Foleon that allow you to create engaging and interactive content.

Event calendars:

Interactive event calendars where employees can see upcoming events and click to add them to their personal calendars. It’s a great way to keep everyone on the same page with what's happening and boost event participation.

Comment Sections or Feedback Forms:

Allow spaces where employees can leave comments or feedback directly within the newsletter. Maybe after an article or in a general feedback section at the end. It fosters open communication and lets employees share their thoughts instantly.

Interactive Infographics:

Use interactive infographics to break down complex information. Employees can click on different parts of the graphic to get more details. It makes boring stats or data way more engaging and easier to digest.

7. Employee newsletter examples and inspiration

We could let you off without a couple of ideas to check out. Many of our customers use Foleon to create their internal newsletters (we do it, too), and some are really creative. Have a look!

The Link by KBR

KBR is a global company focusing on engineering, construction, and managing huge projects. They have over 30,000 employees spread all over the world, which makes it tricky to connect with everyone effectively. Messaging a global audience with all these different cultures and languages is no small feat, so they had to come up with a smart, multi-layered approach. They definitely faced some challenges in engaging everyone because they offer such a wide range of services. One of their big goals was to get their message across in a really compelling and forward-thinking way. 

Now, with their quarterly publication called The Link, they’ve found a way to keep that connection alive with all their employees.

Inside UC Merced

UC Merced is a university based in California. With around ten thousand students, they have a pretty consequential amount of staff. To welcome their staff at the beginning of a new school year, they created this special "Welcome" edition of their "Inside UC Merced" newsletter. Videos, personal stories, guides… Everything about this newsletter makes it the perfect example. 

Foleon's internal newsletter

At Foleon, we’ve got teams spread across two continents, and we really needed a way to keep everyone connected. Luckily, our HR team puts together an awesome monthly newsletter using Foleon.

Here’s why we think it’s such a great example:

People first approach: We kick off with a people update, sharing who’s been promoted, who’s joined us, and who’s moved on. It really helps us stay connected and in the loop across all departments.

Celebrating milestones: We never let anniversaries slide by unnoticed! We always celebrate milestones with our colleagues, which is a nice way to bring everyone together.

Mental health awareness: We make it a point to focus on mental health monthly. Thanks to our partnership with OpenUp, we prioritize mental well-being, which is really important.

Fun team events: We also share details about fun team events. Making time to hang out with colleagues outside of work really strengthens our bonds as a team!

Overall, it’s all about staying connected and supporting each other, and I think our newsletter really gets that!

NS "Day out" newsletter

Okay, this is more of a community member newsletter, but we really love this example so we could not, not share it. If you've ever traveled through the Netherlands and you've seen yellow and blue trains rolling around, then you know who NS is. For those of you who have never been on Dutch soil (what are you waiting for?) NS is the main train company in the Netherlands.

They create this awesome monthly newsletter to share inspirational content and tips for their members. Have a look at this special edition they created for the opening of the 2024 Olympic Games, cute, right? 

The bottom line

As we wrap this up, we just want to say that creating an employee newsletter can truly be a game-changer for internal communication. Think of it as your golden ticket to a more connected and motivated team, kind of like that favorite playlist that always lifts your spirits. 

By keeping it engaging, personal, and fun, you can turn these newsletters into something everyone actually wants to read. Once you start putting in the effort to craft a memorable newsletter, your coworkers will thank you for it (and probably look forward to it every month). So go ahead, let your creativity flow, and watch your team thrive together!