Assignments
Employee Newsletters and Magazines
(#1) Matching the Columns
a) A organization publication must tell the truth.
1) Is appropriate
b) A publication must fit into the organizational
culture.
2) Supports organization and mission statement
c) The publication tells employees what is
happening. 3) Is honest
d) The publication improves morale and
dedication.
4) Is entertaining
e) The publication announces recognition and
appreciation. 5) Is
Informative
f) The publication is interesting and fresh.
6) Uses names and photos
Answers: a-3, b-1, c-5, d-2, e-6, f-4
(#2 & 3) Multiple-Choice Questions
1.)
The editor has the responsibility of
a.) planning
b.) providing
c.) protecting
d.)
all of the above
2.
A journalist must always remember
a.) accuracy
b.) writing utensil
c.) the editor
d.) all of the above
3.
A story should always start with
a.) Who & What
b.) When & Where
c.) Why & How
d.)
All of the above
4.
When writing, sentences should
always be
a.) short
b.) simple
c.) focused
d.)
all of the above
5.
Newsletters and magazines need a
a.) mission statement
b.) hero
c.) graphic artist
d.) all of the above
6.
Newsletters
a.) are read externally
b.)
inform employees
c.) produce poor morale
d.) All of the above
7.
Stories about events in the lives
of the employees are most likely found in
a.) the town newspaper
b.)
an in-house publication
c.) on television
d.) all of the above
8.
Employee publications may include
a.) promotions
b.) external accomplishments
c.) community involvement
d.)
all of the above
Summary
An in-house publication—whether it be a newsletter, magazine, or TV
news-magazine—is an important element in establishing and maintaining an effective
internal communication program. It is cuts across organizational barriers and boundaries, and
should be written to be read and enjoyed by top management, senior staffers, and the
newest employees. It should also reflect what is actually going on inside the organization, but
not lose sight of the organization’s goals, objectives, and accomplishments.
It
can also increase organization morale and pride, generate team sprit, and help employees feel
that they belong to something greater than themselves.
While some organizations produce their own in-house publications, others have it done for them by an outside agency, such as a public relations organization. Even when a publication is done internally, outside contractors are often hired to write articles, take pictures, or handle the graphics and design.
Good in-house publications follow a
standard set of objectives. They are honest, cover the organization and its people, support the
organization and its mission statement, are written for all employees, use lots of name and
photos, entertain and inform, are appropriate to
the organizational culture, and look good.
Editors are really managers, and therefore have to perform the same functions that all managers do.
People writing for in-house publications are bound by the same rules that all journalists are. The three most important ones are accuracy, accuracy, and accuracy.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Module Test
1.) Employee
publications are most concerned about what the organization is doing externally.
True
False
2.) An
in-house publication should use vocabulary, content and a style that the majority of
readers are comfortable with.
True
False
3.) The
editor of an in-house publication is like a manager who must plan, provide, and protect.
True
False
4.) The most
important point a journalist must remember is accuracy.
True
False
5.) An
in-house publication can decrease organization morale and pride.
True
False
6.) In-house
magazine articles should be local from within the organization and community it’s in.
True
False
7.) A good
in-house publication is written for just the top management.
True
False
8.) At some
organizations, organization newsletters are an in-house job.
True
False
9.) In-house
newsletters and magazines do not need mission statements.
True
False
10.) Employee
publications focus on subject matter like new employees, promotions, transfers, awards,
and accomplishments.
True
False
Bibliography
Bentley. G. (1953).
Editing the organization publication.
Halley, W. (1959).
Employee
publications: Theory and practice of communication in the modern organization.
Philadephia:Chilton organization.
Klubnik, J. (1994).
Rewarding and recognizing employees.
In-house
publications: Written materials used for
communication within the organization, such as newsletters and magazines.
Editor: A
manager who manages the in-house publication and takes on roles of a journalist, while
maintaining the roles of a manager.
Employee
publications: Communication tools to use
with employees about the news, issues, concerns, and developments relating to the
organizations they work for.
Learning Objectives
To understand that in-house publications are
an important element in establishing and maintaining an effective internal communication
program because it cuts across organizational barriers and boundaries and is read by all
organizational employees.
To know that good in-house publications
follow a standard set objectives. They are
honest, cover the organization and its people, support the organization and its mission statement,
written for employees, inform, and appropriate to the organizational culture.
Q&A
Newsletters inform employees about policy and changes in the organization, and to get feedback from the employees. Also, newsletters facilitates networking within the organization, promotes a sense of belonging, and builds moral within the organization.
Some newsletters are published in-house with people hired
to produce, write, and edit them. organizations
may also turn the newsletter to an outside agency to be written, graphically laid out, and
edited. Other organizations will have someone
within the organization edit the newsletter, but hire outside photographers and writers.
A good in house publication should be honest, cover the
organization and employees, support the organization, be written for all employees, uses photos and
names, is entertaining, is informative, is appropriate, and looks good.