Employee Announcements You Should Be Sending [+ Templates]
Research shows that well-connected teams have increased productivity by up to 25%. But in today’s working world, employees are feeling more disconnected than ever. Why? Distributed work is one challenge, along with organizational silos, a lack of alignment to company mission, and employee burnout.
There’s many ways to reconnect teams. Perhaps one of the easiest ways is by keeping them informed with employee announcements.
What are employee announcements?
Employee announcements aren't just a best practice, it’s a motivator. Employee announcements foster a sense of community and transparency within the workplace.
From a simple welcome note to introducing a new hire, to acknowledging your team's hard work and milestones, these communications can significantly impact employee morale and motivation.
In this blog, we’ll explore the different types of employee announcements, best practices for crafting and delivering them, and the benefits they bring to your organization. We'll provide practical tips and templates to help you create engaging and effective announcements that resonate with your team.
Here are the different types of announcements we will dive into!
- Recruitment announcements
- Required compliance notices
- Safety notices
- Benefits announcements
- End-of-year reminders for employees
- Demographic information
- Calendar-year benefit reminders
- Holiday and paid time off announcements
- Performance review announcements
- Event reminders
- Policy change announcements
- Bonusly announcements
Let's jump into it!
--> Looking to streamline announcements to your employees? Get started with Bonusly Appreciate, which enables HR leaders to send don't-miss announcements, connect company asks to enticing incentives, and ensure nobody misses key information.
Recruitment announcements
Informing your employee population about recruiting efforts can not only make new hires feel welcome, but it can also be a source of candidates and expand your recruitment reach. Send these recruitment announcements to your employees:
New job posting alert
Your own team is a valuable resource for sharing and promoting your job postings. You may gain internal interest you weren’t aware of, or use your employee’s networks for a wider reach.
Here’s a template for alerting your employees of new job postings at your organization.
“Hi Team, excited to share that we have a new job posting for [Job Title]. This role will report to [Hiring Manager] and be responsible for [Job Duties]. This is a [New or Existing] role that we’re looking to fill by [Estimated Hire Date].
Candidates can apply using this [link]. If you know anyone in your network that would be a good fit, please send them our way and share this post with your networks. [Reminder: we have a referral bonus program - details here].
New hire welcome message template
A new hire announcement is essential for welcoming a new team member, fostering transparency in your organization, clarifying new and existing roles, and facilitating networking across departments as the new hire is welcomed.
Use this template for welcoming a new hire to your team:
“I am excited to announce that [New Hire's Name] has joined us as our new [Job Title]. [He/She/They] will be responsible for [brief description of responsibilities].
Please join me in welcoming [New Hire's Name] and helping [him/her/them] settle in.”
If you’re a growing organization, these announcements can be automated to reduce your administrative work while providing the same lasting impact. Bonusly can automatically give recognition to your teammates when they are added to Bonusly. The recognition post will appear in the public recognition feed, which allows the rest of your team to meet and welcome their new teammate.
Referral bonus
Employee referrals are 5x more likely to get hired, have an increased average tenure, and save employers $7,500 in productivity and sourcing costs. To capitalize on these returns, many organizations have put together an employee referral program.
One way to promote your referral bonus program is recognizing employees who submit an employee referral. With Bonusly, referral bonuses are easier to give and provide more visibility across your organization, increasing awareness of your referral program by including it in the feed with everyday employee recognition.
Required compliance notices
While they aren’t as fun, compliance announcements aren’t usually optional. Here’s a list of annual compliance notices to distribute to your employees.
For state specific requirements, check out your state(s)’ Department of Labor website.
Safety announcements
OSHA’s “Job Safety and Health: It’s the Law” Poster
Officially titled "Job Safety and Health: It’s the Law", the poster is a mandatory workplace notice that informs employees of their rights to a safe workplace and provides details on how to report unsafe conditions. Some states have OSHA-approved state plan, and there may be a state-specific version of the poster.
The poster needs to be posted physically in a visible location, and distributed digitally for remote employees.
Depending on your organization, there may be other required posters such as minimum wage, FMLA, and payday notices. The Department of Labor created a tool, the FirstStep Poster Advisor, which can tell you what posters are required for your workplace.
Benefits notices
If your organization offers group health insurance, there are a myriad of notices that must be sent out with varying deadlines. But don’t fret, we’ve compiled a list of the most common notices here:
Marketplace Notice Requirement
Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) must provide a written notice to its employees about the Health Insurance Marketplace. However, there is no fine or penalty for failing to comply.
The notice should inform employees about the Marketplace, that depending on their income and coverage offered that they may have cheaper options on the Marketplace, and that they may lose access to employer contributions.
The US Department of Labor provides a Model Notice for employers who offer a health plan to their employees.
Medicare Part D Notice
If your group policy includes prescription drug coverage, the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA) requires organizations to notify policyholders whether their prescription drug coverage is “creditable coverage.” Creditable coverage means that the policy will pay on average as much as the standard Medicare subscription.
If your organization is required to send the Medicare Part D Notice, you must send this notice annually by October 15th to all Medigle eligible employees. CMS provides model notices in English and Spanish here.
Notice of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Special Enrollment Rights
The Notice of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) informs individuals about their rights under the HIPAA laws related to special enrollment periods for health insurance.
Special enrollment periods include life events such as losing eligibility for coverage under a group health plan, termination of Medicaid or CHIP, the addition of a new spouse or dependent by marriage, birth or adoption, and becoming eligible for premium assistance subsidies.
This notice should be sent out at the time an employee is offered enrollment, and most employers send the notification out annually during open enrollment to make employees aware of their options. The Department of Labor provides a sample notice here.
Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA)
The Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA) is a federal law designed to protect the rights of women who undergo breast cancer surgery, and mandates that health insurance plans provide coverage for certain breast cancer-related treatments and services.
Group Health plans covered by the law must provide written notification of WHCRA requirements during open enrollment and annually thereafter.
Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is a federal-state partnership program that provides health coverage to children from low-income families who do not qualify for Medicaid but cannot afford private coverage.
CHIP notices should be sent out annually, during open enrollment or at the date of hire.The Department of Labor provides model notices here.
Initial COBRA Notice
The Initial COBRA Notice is a notice required under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) that informs employees and their families of their rights to continue health insurance coverage after certain qualifying events. COBRA generally requires employers with 20 or more employees to offer temporary extensions when their plans would normally end.
Initial COBRA notices should be sent out within the first 90 days of coverage. The Department of Labor provides a model notice for employers here.
Summary Plan Description (SPD)
Summary Plan Descriptions (SPDs) are comprehensive document requirements under ERISA that require employers to provide essential information about the employer’s benefit plans.
SPDs must be provided to new participants within 90 days of starting coverage and distributed every five years. Employers are ultimately responsible for maintaining and distributing SPDs, but check with your benefits professionals for assistance.
This is not a comprehensive list, and there are some variances depending on the type of group health insurance plan(s) your employer offers. For clarity on the notices required for your specific employer, consult your group health insurance broker and/or your employment attorney. If you’re using an HRIS that includes benefit administration, many include these notices.
Taxes
As tax season approaches each year, HR is flooded with an influx of employee tax-related questions. Consider proactively sending out tax announcements to employees to provide time-savings and peace of mind for employees. For most employers, you’ll need to generate at least three types of tax forms:
- W-2s: Tax form indicating employee’s earnings and tax withholdings.
- 1099s: Tax form indicating an independent contractor’s earnings and tax withholdings.
- 1095-Cs: Tax form that includes information about the health insurance offered to an employee.
A best practice is to send out an announcement at the beginning of the year to let employees know what to expect, when to expect, and how they’ll receive it. Use this template:
“As tax season approaches, we want to inform you about the distribution schedule for your tax forms. You can expect to receive your W-2s, 1099s, and 1095-Cs by [specific date(s)]. Forms will be distributed via [mail or electronic]
If you do not receive your forms by [follow-up date], please contact [HR contact] at [HR contact email/phone number] for assistance.”
End-of-year reminders for employees
As the year draws to a close, it's essential for employees to wrap up any loose ends and make the most of their benefits. Make sure employees are aware of updates that are needed any any benefits that may be coming to an end, specifically:
Demographic information
To avoid lost mail and confusion, remind employees to make any changes in demographics such as addresses so you’ve got the right information for the new year notices. Ideally, this should be done self-service by the employee in your HRIS.
Calendar-year benefit reminders
Open Enrollment Announcements
No matter when your group health insurance plan renews, chances are you’re used to sending out multiple reminders to employees. To avoid a delay in ID cards, it’s important to get participation before your deadlines.
Use this template to increase your open enrollment participation:
“It’s that time of year again! Open enrollment for your benefits is now underway! Make sure to review and select your options here [link to enrollment] before the deadline on [specific date].
Don't miss this opportunity to choose the best benefits for you and your family. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact [HR contact and/or broker].”
Some benefits also expire at the end of the calendar year, and it’s important to remind employees so they’re making the most of their benefits.
Flexible Spending Account Reminder
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) usually expire at the end of each calendar year unless you’re offering a grace period or carryover. FSAs can be used for a variety of health-related expenses. Websites like FSAstore.com allow employees to shop for eligible products, and even some surprising ones like massage guns and fitness trackers.
Use this template to remind employees to use their FSA funds:
“As the year ends, please remember to use your Flexible Spending Account (FSA) funds. Any remaining balance will be forfeited after [specific date].
Eligible Expenses: Co-pays, prescriptions, medical supplies, etc. [Link to full list]
Claims Submission: Submit via [FSA portal link]. For help, contact [HR contact].”
PTO Announcement
If your PTO policy is “use-it-or-lose-it” at the end of each calendar year, you may want to consider sending a reminder and/or providing the option for employees to roll-over unused PTO to the next calendar year to avoid staffing challenges.
Use this template to remind employees to take PTO:
“As the year comes to a close, please remember to use your remaining Paid Time Off (PTO). You can view and request PTO here [link to PTO portal]. Take your days off before [specific date] to avoid losing any accrued time.
[PTO Roll-Over Policy if Applicable]
Ancillary Benefits Reminder
Check your insurance policies or talk to your insurance broker to see what other additional benefits may expire at the end of the calendar year, such as dental benefits.
Holiday and paid time off (PTO) announcements
At the beginning of each year, you should publicize your company holidays and any changes in your employee handbook and/or company intranet. However, it’s likely your employees will need reminders throughout the year as these holidays approach. Remind employees of upcoming company holidays with this template:
“This is a friendly reminder that [Holiday Name] is coming up on [Date]. Our office will be closed on this day in observance of the holiday. Normal business operations will resume on [Date After Holiday].
Please remember [any specifics like out-of-office reminders, international and/or service team exceptions, or requirements to complete work].
Performance review announcements
If your organization is still doing annual or semi-annual performance reviews, chances are it’s a large time commitment for HR, managers, and employees to complete the assessments on-time. While it’s proven that traditional performance management practices are ineffective, here’s a template to use until your organization moves to more frequent performance enablement practices:
“This is a friendly reminder that our performance review period is approaching. Reviews will take place from [Start Date] to [End Date].
Here are a few key points to keep in mind: [Details of your performance review program including assessments needed, time commitment, and expectations]. Performance reviews are an essential part of our growth and development process. They provide valuable feedback and help us set goals for the future.
If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to contact [Contact Person/Department].”
Event reminders
Attendance at organization planned events can increase employee morale and be an indicator of employee engagement. Most employees need a few reminders about events, especially if they are outside of normal business hours. Use this template to let employees know about upcoming events:
“This is a friendly reminder about our upcoming [Event Name] on [Date] at [Time / Time Zone]. The event will be held at [Location and/or Virtual Link.
We have an exciting agenda planned, including [Key Activities or Highlights]. Your participation is highly encouraged and appreciated!
Please RSVP by [RSVP Deadline/Link] if you haven’t done so already.”
Policy change announcements
Throughout the year, your team will likely make changes to existing policies and introduce new policies. It’s important to make employees aware of these policy changes and get acknowledgement if required.
“We would like to inform you about an important change to our [Policy Name], effective [Date].
Old Policy:
[Brief overview of the old policy]
New Policy:
[Brief overview of the new policy]
This change has been made to [reason for the change, if applicable]. We believe this adjustment will help [explain the benefit or improvement].
Please take the time to review the updated policy document [attached/provided at this link: link to document].
If you have any questions or need further clarification, do not hesitate to reach out to [Contact Person/Department].”
Bonusly announcements
Looking to streamline announcements to your employees? Get started with Bonusly Appreciate, which enables HR leaders to send don't-miss announcements, connect company asks to enticing incentives, and ensure nobody misses key information.
