How to get employees to actually read your emails (and maybe even enjoy them!)

If you’ve ever stared at your internal email analytics and wondered, did anyone even see this?, you’re not alone.

Internal communications professionals are doing more than ever—crafting thoughtful updates, relaying business-critical news, and trying to build employee connection across distributed teams. But even the best message won’t make an impact if it doesn’t get opened.

The reality? People are busy. Inboxes are full. And internal email doesn’t always feel urgent. That doesn’t mean your message isn’t important. It just means it needs a smarter, more human approach.

This isn’t about chasing vanity metrics. It’s about getting eyes (and attention) on the updates that matter most, whether that’s a benefits deadline, a CEO announcement, or a simple message of recognition. Below, we’re sharing practical ways to turn “mark as read” into real engagement.

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Start with how it feels to receive your message

So, your email might be important, but if it feels overwhelming, confusing, or irrelevant, it’s likely getting skipped.

Before you write, ask yourself:

• Would I open this?
• Do I know what it’s about just from the subject line?
• Does it feel like something made for me?

Most internal emails are well-intentioned but fall into the trap of trying to do way too much. A few extra paragraphs here, another link there, and suddenly, your message is working harder than it should.

The best internal emails don’t try to say everything. They get to the point, respect the reader’s time, and make it easy to take action or learn more.

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Make the subject line worth clicking

Take a moment and think about the last subject line you clicked in your personal inbox. Chances are, it was short, specific, and hinted at something useful (or at least interesting!).

It’s the same for your employees. They’re scanning dozens of subject lines every day, most of which feel generic or irrelevant. A great subject line doesn’t try to be clever, it just has to earn their attention by being clear, timely, or personal.

We’ve seen open rates improve dramatically just by trimming a headline from 60 characters to 35, or swapping a vague title like “Weekly Update” for something more focused like “This week’s wins + what’s ahead.” Small changes, big difference! And when you add a personal touch—like including a name, team, or location with merge tags, it gets even better. 

A subject line like “Hey Alex, quick update from the People Team” feels tailored, not templated. Personalized subject lines don’t just perform better…they feel better to receive!

And if you ever feel stuck, give yourself permission to write five versions (or embrace a little AI) before picking one. The first draft is rarely the best one.

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Think smaller, not louder

It’s tempting to hit “send to all” just to make sure everyone’s in the loop. But when every message is for everyone, nothing feels personal, and it’s easy for people to tune out.

Think about it: a store manager doesn’t need a reminder about the corporate town hall. A remote engineer doesn’t need a breakdown of in-office events. And no one wants to read through paragraphs of updates just to figure out if one applies to them. Instead of broadcasting everything to everyone, start with who actually needs the message and what would make them care. That might mean segmenting by role, writing a quick custom intro, or sending the message from a leader they recognize (ghostwriting s a great option to quickly deploy messages on behalf of key leadership members).

Sometimes it’s not about writing more. It’s about writing closer to how people think, work, and connect.

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Add a little life to your layout

We’ve all opened that one internal email that looks like it was copied straight from a Word doc in 2004. Long paragraphs. No visuals. A subject line that reads like a folder name. It’s not inspiring, and it doesn’t invite people in.

But great internal emails don’t have to be fancy. Some of the most engaging ones we’ve seen are simple, well-structured messages with a clear visual hierarchy: a short headline, a friendly intro, and one strong call to action. Maybe there’s a team photo, a few icons to break up sections, or a GIF that actually makes someone smile. That’s all it takes!

Design helps your message feel readable before it even gets read. When you lead with clear headers, use bold text to call out key info, and break things into scannable sections, you’re helping employees find what matters most—fast.

Here are a few quick design tips that can level up almost any internal email:

• Use headers to break content into sections and guide the eye
• Keep paragraphs short (2–3 sentences max) to improve readability
• Add visuals—photos, icons, or GIFs—to add context or spark interest
• Highlight the CTA with a button or bold styling so it doesn’t get lost
• Make sure your layout works well on mobile (most employees read there first)
• Use accessible design: high-contrast colors, readable fonts, and alt text for all images

It also makes your content more accessible. If your team is reading on different devices or with assistive tech, these small details make a big (and meaningful!) difference.

Good design isn’t just decoration. It’s a signal that says, “Hey, this is worth your time.”

And for frontline or deskless employees, structure matters even more. A cluttered or overly formal layout can feel like it wasn’t built for them at all. A mobile-friendly format, a clear “five things to know,” and a photo from their own team? That’s what pulls people in!

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Make the ask easy (and worth it)

When someone opens your email, you’ve already won half the battle. But the next step—getting them to do something—requires its own kind of clarity.

You’ve probably seen emails that bury the action in a wall of text or throw five different links at the reader. These aren’t bad emails, just busy ones. And busy emails make people bounce. Instead, think about how your message flows. What’s the one thing you want someone to do after reading this? Is that ask obvious? Is it easy?

There’s a difference between “Click here to review the update” and “See what’s changing in next month’s PTO policy.” One is a task. The other feels like a benefit.

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Go beyond email when it matters most

Let’s be real, email can’t carry every message on its own. And that’s not a failure of your email. It’s just a reality of modern communication.

A big announcement might deserve a multi-channel rollout: first an all-hands, then a follow-up email, then a Slack or Teams reminder or intranet deep-dive. Not because people aren’t paying attention, but because they’re not all paying attention in the same place.

We’ve seen teams add a text alert for an urgent facilities update, follow up a survey reminder with a direct manager ping, or even turn key FAQs into digital signage for warehouse teams. It’s not about duplicating effort—it’s about layering moments of visibility so the message lands.

And bonus: repeating something across multiple channels builds trust. Employees start to notice the consistency and rely on the rhythm.

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Use your data to do better (not be perfect)

Data should be your compass, not your scorecard.

If a team isn’t opening your messages, that’s not a red flag—it’s a nudge. Maybe they prefer updates in chat. Maybe they need a different tone. Maybe your send time hits right when their shift starts. Think of your metrics as a conversation. Clicks show interest. Drop-off points show friction. And subject lines with unusually high open rates? Save those formats for later. They’re little golden tickets in your toolkit.

At Workshop, we keep a running “What’s Working” doc. It’s a simple internal file where we save subject lines that resulted in high open rates, screenshots of employee feedback, and little moments of success—like someone replying “This was actually helpful” or a manager sharing a message with their team unprompted. Over time, it’s become a go-to source of inspiration when we’re drafting new messages or looking for patterns to repeat.

Another smart move? Review your campaign data regularly to spot what’s working (and where you can improve!). If you’re using Workshop, you already have access to dashboards that show trends by team, topic, and format at a glance. You can quickly see that event reminders are outperforming policy updates, or that Monday sends consistently land better than Fridays. Tracking doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does need to be intentional.

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Final thought: better internal emails aren’t about perfection

You don’t need every employee to read every word of every email. That’s not the goal. The goal is to consistently reach the right people, with the right message, at the right time—in a way that feels useful.

Internal communication isn’t just about distributing information. It’s about building a shared understanding, creating moments of connection, and giving people what they need to do their jobs (and feel good doing them).

Some emails will be skimmed. Some will be saved. Some will spark action, and others might just offer a little clarity on a noisy day. That’s still a win.

So keep your tone human. Keep your approach flexible. And remember: every message you send is a chance to build trust, reinforce culture, and make work feel just a little more connected!