Getting Nostalgic about Employee Newsletters

August 2, 2019

Back in the day, say 32 years ago, I wrote my first employee newsletter for a young health insurance company with more than 2,000 employees. They never had a bona fide employee newsletter before, and I was put in complete charge of content—a writer’s dream.

I collaborated with the women in the art department who designed the quarterly newsletter and we had it printed by a local company. You don’t see paper newsletters much anymore, but I believe many people still enjoy reading something tangible, rather than digitally. Plus, paper has shelf life.

People loved the newsletter, looked forward to each issue and talked about it. Recalling what it was that made it so popular, one thing stands out: employee features. Whether in long form, Q & A format, or “Day in the Life Of” style, this newsletter delivered on making employees from all levels of the company come to life on paper. My feature on the head of our advertising department—the genius behind our award-winning TV, radio and print ad campaigns—was especially well received. Larry was a man of mystery to all but a handful of employees in the company who had the pleasure of working, side by side, with him, as I did. The feature story humanized Larry, enlightening readers to his priceless sense of humor, his passion for creative, his legacy in Philadelphia advertising, and his devotion to his family.

Of course, this newsletter was also a vehicle for company announcements, upcoming events, policy changes, and all that usual stuff, but I also put in company theme-driven puzzles, contests and trivia, employee-submitted recipes, and fun/hokey stuff like that. Lots of people photo montages, too, with captions.

I think there are two simple rules to follow to make an internal newsletter successful: keep it simple and make people the focus as much as possible. A story about new accounting software, for example, should be told through employees who thought of the idea and made it happen. A story on a new hire should incorporate comments from that person, as well as comments from personnel who will interact with the newbie. You get the idea.

So, if I were hired today to write an employee newsletter for a company, I wouldn’t do anything differently. And I would call it FaceTime®, if it wasn’t already trademarked.

Author: Beth Ann Bachmann

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Eight Work-From-Home Etiquette Tips

Eight Work-From-Home Etiquette Tips

Whether telecommuting is old hat or something you’ve been forced into as part of the COVID-19 shutdown, here are a few tips to make the experience run smoothly for both employers and employees.

Managing expectations

Successful work-from-home strategies always begin with clearly communicated expectations. Make sure your employees have any necessary equipment, tools and resources. Will they need to track their time? Participate in regularly scheduled meetings? Be available at certain times of day? For employees, know what you’re accountable for and clearly communicate any challenges you’re having.

Constant communication

Keep the lines of communication open and be accessible. Check in with employees regularly through apps like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts and Skype, or even an old-fashioned email or phone call. Be genuinely interested in how they’re doing but don’t overdo it. Foster a feeling of trust by not micromanaging.

Nine to five…ish

While having a daily schedule is ideal, it may not always be practical right now. Make sure your people know when you need them to be available and try to offer flexibility at other times. They may be juggling school schedules as well as work schedules and working at “off-shift” times may be necessary. Be mindful of employees in different time zones as well.

For employees, try to work when you’re at your best, and not when you’re exhausted by kindergarten playtime and fourth grade math. Make sure people know if you will be unavailable at certain times.

Taking a break

Getting up and moving clears the head and helps with creativity and problem-solving. Whether it’s a walk around the block or a break for lunch, make time to get away from your desk throughout the day.

Signing off

Working from home does not mean being available 24/7. Set an actual end to the workday if possible. Don’t send and respond to messages at all hours. Sign out of messaging apps and close work programs. Understand and respect these boundaries.

Location, location, location

When setting up a home office, think about where you will have the fewest distractions – for yourself and for those who may be seeing you and your background on a video conferencing platform. Try to avoid busy spots that may include semi-clad people walking behind you, barking dogs and kids vying for your attention.

Conferencing and calls

Be clear about whether you expect people to turn on their cameras during meetings. If so, be clear about how they should be dressed. During calls, mute your phone when you’re not talking to avoid background noise. Headphones can also help with call quality. When speaking, pause frequently so others can participate in the conversation.

Social engagement

It’s ok for managers and employees to have some down time together, which may help ward off feelings of isolation. Keep up your normal level of interaction, perhaps with a virtual coffee break or happy hour. Managers should set the tone for how casual to be. Let employees choose what they would like to share, and never pry into areas that were off-limits before.

Author: Erin Alderfer