Newsworthy Reasons to Write a Press Release: Part 2: Employee News
In our new blog post series, we’re uncovering all the newsworthy reasons to send a press release – and how to go about it – so you don’t miss an opportunity to promote your brand or engage current audiences while winning over new ones.
After all, the vast majority of journalists want to receive press releases from brands – press releases are the primary source from which journalists generate story ideas and learn about breaking news.
Some organizations, however, don't always take advantage of the press release as a platform to announce newsworthy information to journalists, customers and other key stakeholders. Oftentimes, the obstacle lies in not realizing which information actually is newsworthy.
In part one of this series, we talked about the reasons to send a press release as they related to company news. For part two of this series, we have another great reason to send a press release: Your employees.
What Constitutes an Employee News Press Release?
Employees are a company's most valuable asset. News about employee growth—individual or collective—is a celebration of your employees' contributions to the success of your business. Publicly recognizing the importance of your employees is a great morale booster.
Introducing a new executive. Publishing a press release to announce a new executive has joined your organization is almost as exciting as making a new relationship official on social media. Like any new relationship announcement, most will be happy for you and some will be jealous.
Announcing an internal promotion. A sign of a healthy company is one that regularly promotes its employees. Sharing news of your employees' promotions demonstrates your commitment to their advancement and acknowledges the great work they've done.
Announcing a retirement. Choosing to retire from a career is a brave decision. Unfortunately, you may not be able to hang jerseys from the rafters to acknowledge the contributions of those who've retired from your organization. However, you can send them off with a celebratory press release.
Introducing hiring initiatives/goals. Prospective employees want to work at a company where they see potential for growth and new opportunities. Investors want to put their money behind a company that's growing. Clients, customers and prospects want to do business with organizations committed to equitable hiring practices. Announcing your hiring objectives lets all of these stakeholders know you're investing heavily in your company's most important resource: your people.
Recognizing an accomplishment. If an employee or team has won an award or has gotten special recognition for something, hopefully you are sharing it internally, but we also encourage you to share it externally. (In other words, go ahead and brag.) Employees are a reflection of their company, so when others see that your employees are accomplishing great things, they know you’ve done something right by hiring them. Celebrating your employees is also good for both employee morale and your employer brand. Taking the time to recognize your people publicly shows you are proud of their success and recognize the value they bring to the team.
4 Things to Keep in Mind When Writing an Employee News-Related Press Release
A press release related to hiring, promotions or staff changes can and should follow the format of a typical press release; however, there are a few elements you’ll want to include in most of these types of press releases.
1. Link to your About Us or careers site: Invite readers to learn more about what makes your company tick and why it’s growing by linking back to your website or social media pages. Better yet, while you’re on the subject of employment, consider linking out to your careers page or job listings – after all, your press release could fall into the hands of your next high performer.
2. Include executive quotes: For an employee news-related press release, a quote from a senior executive provides further evidence to support the notion that the company is investing in its people – from the top down.
3. Include an image: We always encourage using images to accompany press releases, which help provide context, bring the story to life and drive engagement. For a retirement, new hire or promotion announcement, include a professional headshot of the individual in question. If talking about hiring initiatives, consider a photo of your company’s campus or headquarters and/or a group shot of your employees looking engaged and excited.
4. Cover your bases: Make sure your press release answers those critical questions: Who, What and Why?
- For example, if announcing a new employee or a promotion, make sure your news release answers the following questions: Who is the employee in question? What will be his/her/their new function? Where are they coming from (previous role or job)? How many years of experience do they bring with them? When will they start? Why were they chosen for this role (what positive impact will this person have on the business)?
- If announcing hiring initiatives, make sure you cover the why (why is the company hiring?), the what (what factors are contributing to the company’s growth?) and the who (what types of roles are you hiring for? What special skills are you looking for?).
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About the Author
Erin Payton is the Integrated Customer Marketing Manager for PR Newswire. In her role, she develops multichannel marketing campaigns, drives demand generation, fosters brand awareness and creates thought leadership. Away from the keyboard, she is an unabashedly enthusiastic cat mom to Mia.