In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing work environment, keeping employees informed and engaged is crucial for driving productivity, increasing morale, and ensuring overall success. But it can be a challenge. Traditional company newsletters can become lengthy and overwhelming, often getting lost in the ever-growing inbox.
Table of contents
- What is an Employee News Digest?
- Why are News Digests Important for Employee Engagement?
- Key Features of News Digests
- Creating Effective News Digests
- News Digest Frequency and Delivery
- Tracking and Analytics: Measuring Success for Improvement
- Why Cerkl’s News Digest is The Best Choice for Your Employee Newsletters
- What’s Next?
- FAQ
According to the well-known and reputable source of international statistics, Statista shows that the number of emails sent and received globally since 2017 has continued to increase every year. From 269 billion in 2017, they estimated that more than 333 billion were sent and received daily in 2022. By 2026, this figure is projected to increase to 392.5 by 2026.
Statista also reveals that by 2025 the number of global email users is expected to reach a total of 4.6 billion. This is an approximate 600,000 increase in users, up from 4 billion in 2020.
A well-conceived, thoughtfully created digital company newsletter (usually delivered via email) can be, and often is, effective. However, another tool to consider is an employee news digest, also commonly delivered via email. Shorter and more concise than a typical employee newsletter, a news digest can be a much more powerful internal communication tool, especially when it provides a centralized platform for sharing company news, updates, and initiatives.
But not all news digests are created equal. In this article, we’re going to explore the benefits and importance of employee news digests, and introduce you to Cerkl Broadcast News Digest, a cutting-edge platform that is revolutionizing the way companies communicate with their employees. With its innovative features, personalized approach, and real-time updates, Broadcast News Digest is redefining the employee newsletter and news digest landscape. Join us as we delve into the world of employee news digests and discover how Cerkl is changing the game.
What is an Employee News Digest?
As mentioned above, an employee newsletter is not the same as an employee news digest.
Typically, an employee newsletter is a relatively comprehensive publication that includes a wide range of topics including company news, employee spotlights, industry trends, and feature articles. It often includes more in-depth reporting and analysis and may include interviews, profiles, and opinion pieces. It may be published on a regular schedule, such as monthly or quarterly, and it may include a mix of text, images, and multimedia content.
Think of an employee news digest as a shorter, more concise, and streamlined version of a newsletter. Typically, it includes a summary of key news, updates, and announcements, including company announcements, new initiatives, and policy changes. Often, it includes a list of headlines or summaries with links to more information or additional resources.
Unlike newsletters that may cover a broad range of topics, news digests are curated specifically for individual employees and prioritize information that directly impacts them.
According to Gallagher’s State of the Sector 2023/24 report, “e-newsletters” are used by 71% of companies while even more (87%) find them to be an effective communication channel.
So, why not use an upgrade from newsletters to new digests and improve effectiveness even further?
Why are News Digests Important for Employee Engagement?
In 2023, Gallup found that U.S. employees were less satisfied than ever before. An article by Jim Harter, the company’s Chief Scientist, Workplace Management and Wellbeing, U.S. Engagement Hits 11-Year Low, states that 4,8 million fewer U.S. employees were engaged in early 2024.
“Employee engagement trends are significant because they link to many important performance outcomes crucial to organizational leaders such as productivity, employee retention, customer service, safety incidents, quality of work and profitability.”
Jim Harter
The point is that engaged employees are more productive, satisfied, and less likely to leave. With this in mind, news digests can play a vital role in boosting engagement by:
- Improving communication and transparency: Regular updates keep employees informed about company goals, achievements, and upcoming events, fostering a sense of transparency and trust.
- Enhancing community and improving recognition: News digests provide an excellent way to highlight employee achievements as well as birthdays, or work anniversaries. You can use them to highlight relevant news and recognize individual contributions, in this way building a stronger sense of community within the organization.
- Driving participation: A news digest email can include calls to action, encouraging employees to participate in company initiatives, training programs, or internal surveys.
- Boosting morale: By keeping employees informed and connected to the company’s bigger picture, news digests can contribute to a more positive and collaborative work environment.
St. Elizabeth Hospital used to rely on an employee newsletter PDF for news and employee engagement. But Broadcast News Digest has provided them with the ability to simplify and improve the flow of information to employees. This, says Chad Schwalbach, Communications Manager at St. Elizabeth Healthcare has helped tremendously with employee retention. It has also continued to increase open enrollment engagement.
Key Features of News Digests
Effective employee news digests go beyond simple summaries. They focus on the most important and up-to-date information including announcements about breaking news, updates, and alerts, rather than in-depth reporting.
Here are some key features that make news digests truly effective. Just remember though, that not every employee news digest is structured in the same way. Nevertheless, these are the features you should look for.
Personalization
Some platforms allow users to tailor content based on employee interests, departments, or roles, ensuring they receive the most relevant information.
Cerkl Broadcast uses AI-powered technology to personalize its News Digests for each employee, based on their interests, job function, and location.
Employee Segmentation
Advanced digests can segment employees by specific criteria, allowing for targeted communication and content delivery. This is a very important feature that is allied with personalization.
Customizability
An advantage of some news digests is that employees can customize their news to fit their interests and needs, selecting the topics and sources that matter most to them. This is an important feature of Broadcast News Digest.
Omnichannel
Accessibility is key. Employees should be able to access digests on their preferred devices, whether it’s a desktop computer, laptop, or mobile phone.
Cerkl’s News Digests are generated and sent out automatically for every opted-in subscriber. Personalized subscribers receive their News Digest at their selected date and time and in their selected format.
Multichannel Delivery
Cerkl’s News Digest can be delivered through multiple channels, including email, mobile apps, and even voice assistants like Alexa. Don’t accept anything less.
Automation
Scheduling and automating the delivery of news digests saves time and ensures consistent communication. Cerkl’s News Digests are built and sent automatically.
Real-Time Updates
One of the disadvantages of any type of employee newsletter is the time it takes to update news. The same disadvantage might apply to news digests as well, depending on the platform you choose to use.
Cerkl’s News Digest is updated in real-time, ensuring that employees receive the latest news and information as it happens.
AI-support
Artificial intelligence (AI) can personalize content recommendations and analyze employee engagement with the digests. But not all news digests offer this function.
Each Cerkl Broadcast News Digest will prioritize personalizing based on subscribers’ weighted implicit and explicit interest in various categories. This is all achieved using AI.
Maria Steinberg, Product Manager at Cerkl, explains how you can control what you send in Broadcast News Digest.
“First, you can decide which stories are published and in an approved state. The more stories you have, the more you’ll see the AI work — it’s magic. If you have only a small number of approved stories, you’ll know they are more likely to be included. However, if a user has already seen the stories and your count of new stories is below your threshold, they might not get a News Digest.”
Maria Steinberg
Real-Time Analytics
Tracking metrics like open rates and click-throughs allows for measuring the effectiveness of the news digest and making data-driven improvements. It’s ideal to be able to see trending stories and categories with just a few clicks.
Cerkl provides analytics and insights on employee engagement and interest in its News Digest. This significantly helps organizations understand their employees’ needs and preferences.
Creating Effective News Digests
Although a news digest may be automatically generated, the key to success lies in its content. Here’s how to curate news that resonates with your employees:
- Source relevant and engaging content: Strike a balance between company updates, industry news, and even lighter content like employee achievements or upcoming events.
- Cater to diverse interests: Consider the various roles and departments within your organization. Include a mix of content relevant to different areas, or rotate the focus every digest.
- Personalization for added relevance: Explore options for tailoring each digest based on employee profiles. This could involve segmenting content based on location (regional news), department (industry-specific updates), or even personal interests (collected through surveys).
By incorporating these elements, you can create a well-rounded digest that caters to the diverse needs of your workforce.
News Digest Frequency and Delivery
Finding the sweet spot for frequency and delivery method is crucial.
- Sending frequency: Aim for a consistent schedule, whether it’s weekly, bi-weekly, or even monthly. Weekly digests offer a steady stream of updates, while bi-weekly editions might work better for a slower news cycle.
- Delivery methods: Consider your internal communication platform. Email is a common choice, but some companies utilize dedicated apps or intranet portals for their news digests. Choose a method with high visibility and accessibility for your employees.
The goal is to strike a balance between keeping employees informed and avoiding information overload.
Tracking and Analytics: Measuring Success for Improvement
News digests aren’t static. Regularly analyze employee engagement to ensure you’re on the right track.
- Track metrics: Monitor key metrics like open rates, click-throughs on links, and employee feedback. Tools like email analytics or platform usage data can provide valuable insights.
- Refine based on data: Analyze what content resonates best and which segments of your audience engage most. Use this data to continuously improve the content mix, personalization options, and overall delivery of your news digest.
By tracking and analyzing employee interaction, you can ensure your news digest remains a valuable and engaging communication tool.
Why Cerkl’s News Digest is The Best Choice for Your Employee Newsletters
Cerkl Broadcast News Digest is an automated employee news digest that curates and sends a personalized wrap-up of that week’s news to every employee. It provides real-time updates together with analytics and insights for the organization. It is customizable, offers multi-channel delivery and the option to include interactive features.
Cerkl’s News Digest platform also uses gamification elements, such as rewards and leaderboards, to encourage employees to engage with the news digest and stay informed.
All-in-all, it offers a unique and engaging news experience that sets it apart from other news digests.
What’s Next?
Are you looking to upgrade your internal communication? Check out our internal communication audit template, and get ideas on how to target your audience effectively.
