You've committed to the newsletter. You've built the workflow. Department heads are submitting content on time. Your managers are opening it.

But are they actually engaging with it?

There's a massive difference between a newsletter people skim out of obligation and one they actually look forward to reading. The difference isn't production value or fancy design—it's whether you've given them a reason to care beyond "here's another thing corporate needs you to know."

During our January 2026 Opus Office Hours on company newsletters, we heard from operators across hospitality and service brands about what makes their teams actually engage. The pattern was clear: newsletters that mix necessary operational updates with recognition, fun, and genuine value get read.

💡 As Hannah Taylor from Sounds Fun Entertainment puts it: "Most of the feedback we get is people being like, 'Wow, I can tell somebody actually made this. I enjoyed this part. I understand this reference you made.' It's very personable."

The challenge isn't creating engagement from scratch—it's knowing what's actually working for brands like yours. That's why we've compiled 50+ specific, tested engagement tactics from real operators. These aren't theoretical best practices. They're what training teams at multi-unit brands are actually doing to keep their newsletters from becoming just another ignored email.

How to Use This List

→ If you're just starting: Pick 1-2 ideas from different categories. Don't try to implement everything at once.

→ If your newsletter feels stale: Identify which categories you're missing entirely. Most struggling newsletters are heavy on operational updates but light on recognition and fun.

→ If engagement is dropping: Rotate through different interactive elements monthly. What worked in January might feel tired by June.

→ If you're short on time: Focus on Recognition & Celebration + one Interactive Element. These give you the biggest engagement return for the least time investment.

→ If you have bandwidth: Layer in Behind-the-Scenes and Format Variations quarterly to keep things fresh.

The operators with the highest newsletter engagement don't use every tactic—they use 5-7 consistently, rotating in new elements when engagement dips or seasons change.

👇🏽 Ready to make your newsletter something people actually want to open? Here are 50+ ways to do it.

Recognition & Celebration

  • Employee/Team Member of the Month - Feature with fun facts, photo, favorite menu item
  • Location Spotlight - Highlight a store's recent win or unique approach
  • Shout Outs Section - Recognize team members living company values
  • Milestone Celebrations - Work anniversaries, promotions, personal achievements
  • Guest Compliment Callouts - Share specific positive feedback with team member names

Interactive Elements

  • Hidden Easter Eggs - stick the copy somewhere in the body of the content "First person to message me their favorite core value gets a $25 gift card"
  • Trivia Questions - About the newsletter content, company history, or menu items
  • Quiz with Prizes - 10 questions about the month's updates with gift card drawing
  • Polls or Surveys - Quick 1-2 question feedback on new items, processes, or preferences
  • Photo Contests - Best uniform selfie, cleanest station, most creative display

Fun Features

  • Pet Corner - Employee pet of the month with photo and fun fact
  • Word of the Week - Vocabulary from company values, menu items, or industry terms
  • Did You Know? - Interesting facts about the company, ingredients, or locations
  • Recipe/Menu Item Spotlight - Story behind the dish, how it's made, pairing suggestions
  • This Month in History - Company milestones, memorable moments from this month in past years

Visual & Multimedia

  • Video Messages - 30-60 second clips from leadership, department heads, or team members
  • GIFs & Memes - Relevant, appropriate humor that reflects company culture
  • Before/After Photos - Renovations, new equipment, process improvements
  • Infographics - Visual data about performance, guest feedback trends, or operational metrics
  • Employee-Created Content - Let team members contribute photos, videos, or stories

Gamification

  • Scavenger Hunt - "Find this week's secret word in the newsletter and tell your GM"
  • Bingo Card - Monthly challenge card with operational goals or training completions
  • Leaderboard - Top performers, fastest quiz completers, most engaged locations
  • Badges/Achievements - Recognition for completing certain training paths or hitting milestones
  • Mystery Reader Rewards - Random draw from everyone who opens the newsletter

Practical Value-Adds

  • Quick Win Tips - One simple trick to improve speed, accuracy, or guest experience
  • Problem-Solution Spotlight - "Store 42 had this challenge, here's what they did"
  • FAQ Section - Answer common questions from the field in bite-sized format
  • Seasonal Prep Checklist - What to expect and prepare for in coming weeks
  • Resource Quick Links - Direct links to most-needed docs, training, or contacts

Behind-the-Scenes

  • Leadership Q&A - Rotating executive answers one question from the field
  • Day in the Life - Follow a team member, manager, or support role for a shift
  • Product Testing Updates - What's being tested where, when it might roll out
  • Coming Soon Preview - Sneak peek at new menu items, initiatives, or tools
  • Meet the Support Team - Introduce back-office people frontline teams interact with

Department-Specific Twists

  • Marketing Corner - What social campaigns are running, how to talk about them
  • Operations Reminder in Disguise - Frame as "pro tip" or "level up your shift" instead of mandate
  • IT Quick Fix - One common tech problem solved in 30 seconds
  • Safety Spotlight - One safety win from a location, not just rules and reminders
  • Guest Experience Story - Real example of exceptional hospitality from the field

Seasonal & Timely

  • Holiday Countdown - "X days until [busy season], here's how we're preparing"
  • Weather Watch - How severe weather affects operations, procedures to remember
  • Community Events - Local happenings that might affect traffic, staffing, or guest flow
  • Industry News Relevance - "You might have seen [news], here's what it means for us"
  • Anniversary Celebrations - Store openings, company founding, partnership milestones

Engagement Metrics You Can Track

  • Fastest Reader - First 5 people to complete get recognized next month
  • Perfect Score Club - Everyone who aces the follow-up quiz
  • Feedback Champions - Locations/managers who consistently provide input
  • Suggestion Box Winners - Best idea submitted through newsletter feedback gets implemented
  • Response Rate Recognition - Call out regions/stores with highest engagement

Format Variations

  • Theme Months - January = "New Year, New Skills" with skill-building focus
  • Guest Takeover - Let a GM or regional manager author one section
  • AMA (Ask Me Anything) - Submit questions, leadership answers in newsletter
  • Myth Busting - Address common misconceptions or rumors with facts
  • Flashback Feature - Throwback photos, old menu items, company evolution stories

Pro Tips from Real Operators

From the Office Hours:

  • Surprise & Delight: "We'll embed questions randomly—'the first reader to let me know their favorite core value gets a gift card'"
  • Training contest: "We use trivia questions to encourage engagement with gift cards for the first three correct answers"
  • Using gifts: "Most feedback we get is 'I can tell somebody actually made this. I enjoyed this part. I understand this reference.' It's very personable"

Key Principle: Mix the necessary (operational updates, reminders) with the enjoyable (recognition, fun facts, contests) so newsletters don't feel like just another assignment.