Effective subject lines for every type of employee email


*This post is part two of a two-part series on email subject lines. Read part 1: Eight tips for superior internal email subject lines.

Drawing from Workshop’s page about best practices for email subject lines, this post will outline tips for 10 types of emails.

Company announcements

  • Clearly state the focus of the announcement.
  • Use enthusiastic language or create urgency to drive engagement.
  • Embrace a conversational tone so the announcement feels important, but still approachable and celebratory.

Examples: “New Office Renovations: Here’s What You Need to Know” and “College-Wide Changes: Here’s What’s Coming Next”

Employee newsletters

  • Use a consistent format (e.g, “This Week in Company News,”) to build familiarity and trust.
  • Use intriguing snippets or upcoming events to generate curiosity.
  • Make the subject line concise, but still give a preview of what’s inside.

Examples: “This Week in Department News: October Edition” or “Your Monthly Update: Events, Wins, and What’s Ahead”

Policy or process updates

  • Start with the most critical information so employees know what the email is about.
  • Use urgency only when necessary to preserve trust, especially for significant updates.
  • Keep the tone straightforward to show the process is easy to follow.

Examples: “New Travel Policy Effective Nov 1: Key Changes Inside” or “Remote Work Guidelines Updated: Here’s What’s New”

Event invitations

  • Use engaging language.
  • Incorporate key details in the subject line like the date and time or a call to action.
  • Make the event sound like a must-attend by focusing on its content or purpose instead of “Event invitation”

Examples: “Join Us for the All-Hands Meeting: October 5 at 2 PM” or “Sign Up Now: Employee Wellness Workshop This Friday”

Meeting invitations

  • Be specific about the topic and who needs to attend.
  • Highlight preparation needs so employees know what’s expected.
  • Use a casual but direct tone (e.g., make the meeting feel collaborative, not a routine obligation).

Examples: “Q3 Strategy Meeting: Agenda and Prep Materials Inside” or “Leadership Team Meeting – Oct 7, 10 AM: Confirm Your Attendance”

Deadline reminders

  • Lead with the deadline to increase the sense of urgency.
  • Keep it concise so employees immediately know what’s expected of them.
  • Include a call to action when relevant, but avoid overuse.

Examples: “Reminder: Training Registration Closes Tomorrow” or “Benefits Enrollment Deadline: Submit by Friday at 5 PM”

Team-specific updates

  • Address the specific team directly so they know the email is relevant to them (and use smart audience segmentation to make it possible).
  • Be concise and informative so employees know exactly what’s inside to ensure it doesn’t get overlooked.
  • Use a conversational tone to make the email feel more relatable to the team and its culture.

Examples: “Marketing Team: Q4 Performance Goals & New Strategy” or “Engineering: System Downtime for Maintenance on Oct 12”

Employee engagement surveys and feedback requests

  • Let employees know their feedback is valued and will have an impact.
  • Keep it simple and use clear calls to action.
  • Avoid making the request feel formal—employees should feel invited to contribute.

Examples: “We Value Your Input: Take the Employee Satisfaction Survey” or “Tell Us How We’re Doing: Quick 5-Minute Survey Inside”

Employee recognition

  • Use an upbeat and positive tone.
  • Use merge tags to mention specific teams or individuals.
  • Keep it concise to stand out in the inbox.

Examples: “Congrats to the Marketing Team: Q3 Performance Exceeded Expectations!” or “Celebrating Our Top Performers: Here’s This Month’s Recognition”

Leadership changes

  • Mention the leader’s name and role to avoid confusion about what’s changing.
  • Use a tone that reflects both professionalism and excitement.
  • If more details are needed, mention that further information will follow.

Examples: “Introducing Our New President: Meet [New Leader’s Name] on Oct 7” or “Leadership Transition Announcement: A Message from the Board of Regents”

If you have questions about email subject strategy, reach out to the University Marketing Communications Internal Communications Team on the Twin Cities campus at [email protected].

Topics: Internal Communications Tips and Tricks