Memorial Day messages to employees
As the last Monday in May approaches, so does Memorial Day (it’s May 27th in 2024). Memorial Day is a federal holiday designated to honor and mourn military personnel who died serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. For many companies and employees, the holiday means a three-day weekend and an opportunity to show respect and reverence. As an internal communicator, it’s important to live your company values in your holiday observance for employees. In this article, we’ll talk about how how to write impactful Memorial Day messages for employees, bringing you five message examples and some helpful tips for effectively delivering them using email.
The significance of Memorial Day
Memorial Day signifies more than just a long weekend, and more than just the unofficial “start of summer.” It is meant to be recognized as a meaningful reflection on the high price paid by so many in the military throughout the history of our country. In any Memorial Day employee communications, be sure to recognize that there may be employees in your organization directly connected to someone honored by the holiday, and to make sure that your employees are aware of any commitments your company has made to veterans or service member-supporting causes.
5 meaningful employee Memorial Day messages
Here are a few sample Memorial Day messages you can send to your employees!
Messages of recognition
Subject Line: Recognizing Memorial Day at [Company Name] 🇺🇸
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Body:
“Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices.”
– President Harry S. Truman
This Memorial Day, remember that it’s more than a day off to spend with the friends and family. This is a day to honor and remember those who have given the most in service to our country. Whether someone close to you has passed defending our country or not, please take a moment during your time off to to pay tribute to the courage and sacrifice made by so many.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
[Name]
Subject Line: This Memorial Day
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Body:
[Team/Department Name],
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
As you spend time with friends and family this weekend, don’t forget to take a moment to remember why we recognize Memorial Day. A version of this holiday has been observed for over 150 years, as an opportunity to honor and mourn U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. If you can, take the time to to place flags at a national cemetery, or support an organization that supports veterans and families of fallen soldiers.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
We’ll see you on Tuesday,
[Name]
Volunteer Opportunities
Subject Line: Memorial Day Volunteer and Donation Opportunities 🇺🇸
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Body:
[Employee Name],
This Memorial Day, we invite you to join [Company Name] in supporting these organizations in an effort to recognize the sacrifices of so many members of the US Armed Forces and their families.
– [Organization Name, Link]
– [Organization Name, Link]
– [Organization Name, Link]
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Thank you,
[Name]
Company Philanthropic Commitments
Subject Line: Our Commitment to the Troops
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Body:
Hi [Team/Employee Name]
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Memorial Day is a reminder of the great sacrifice paid by so many in service of our nation. That’s why [Company Name] supports [Organization Name]. The work that they do [describe the organization you support and why].
As you spend time with friends and family this weekend, please take a moment to honor those that Memorial Day is meant to remember. We will continue to support [Organization Name] as a company.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
[Name]
Suggestions for Support
Send this email at least a week before Memorial Day weekend, so that you have time to gather responses and share them in the newsletter before the holiday.
Subject Line: How are you recognizing Memorial Day?
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Body:
Hi [Employee/Team Name]
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It’s important to all of us at [Company Name] that our commitments reflect the values and connections of our employees. We want to hear how you’re planning to recognize Memorial Day, whether it’s something you’re going to do or an organization that you support with time or money. We’ll share any examples in the next company newsletter and bring more attention to your cause.
Submit your ideas here [link to a survey or embed a survey in your email]
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
[Name]
Delivering Memorial Day messages to employees via email
Remember, Memorial Day is not a party. Though many folks in your organization probably will attend a barbecue or celebration, it’s important not to strike the wrong tone with this holiday. Remember this as well in posts on your company intranet and company social media channels!
Personalize it! Mention employees by name, team, or department to make the message more meaningful. (With a tool like Workshop, you can use merge tags and personalize your content for every recipient by using fields within your synced data source!)
Clear Subject Lines: Use subject lines that clearly convey the purpose of your email. In this case, make sure that it’s about Memorial Day, and don’t add lots of fluff.
Sincere Tone: Keep the tone respectful and sincere, remembering that you don’t know who in your employee audiences may be directly connected to someone Memorial Day is honoring.
Call to Action: If you have something you want employees to do – read, donate, share, etc. – make sure your intent is clear and the links in the email are correct.
Delivery Timing: Send the email a day or two before Memorial Day weekend to set the tone and catch all employees before they take time off.
Bonus: With a tool like Workshop, you can create all of your communications at once & schedule them to go out when you want: by time zone, at the end of a shift, you name it!
This Memorial Day, make sure to be an example for your employees of how to recognize the significance and gravity of the holiday. Craft thoughtful messages that convey sincerity, gratitude, and reverence, and deliver them via email to make sure everyone gets the message.
If you’re looking for a tool to help you manage your internal communications at scale, we’re here to help. Workshop was built with internal communications in mind, and can help you set up the right systems and processes to manage your internal emails across a global, distributed team. From private campaigns to a shared calendar, Workshop offers the tools you need to streamline your workflow and align your organization! Interested in learning more? We’d love to chat!
