Want your newsletter to capture employees’ attention? Use these 5 techniques

In today’s fast-paced world—with instant access, 24/7 breaking news and social media’s close connections—employee newsletters remain surprisingly relevant.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines newsletter as “a bulletin issued periodically to the members of a society, business or organization.” Although newsletters are hardly the most advanced way of communicating—the first was published in 1538—this classic internal channel can:

Still, many newsletters need a makeover—from old news to fresh, meaningful content.

Here are five ideas for revitalizing your employee newsletter:

1. Choose the right format.

Although most organizations today produce an electronic newsletter, in some cases a print publication works better.

For example, here are four workforce demographics that require print:

Print offers equal access (no worries about wired versus non-wired), provides great at-a-glance context, and is portable and user-friendly.

2. De-emphasize news.

Employees have already heard your “news” (from the grapevine, Google, external media, internal announcements) by the time you publish.