Winner: iolo technologies – iolo insider
iolo technologies boasts an average staff growth rate of 30% over the last several years. Despite that phenomenal statistic, until 2009 the company had only issued two staff newsletters in its 12-year history. Recognizing the need for a change, the company made a concerted push to implement a monthly newsletter that could become a valuable tool in building company culture and cohesiveness.
Fast forward to today, the new iolo insider newsletter is published once per month. On top of the usual sections for staff and company news, it offers unique features designed to create a sense of community. These include sections that offer useful lifestyle tips; illustrate the diversity in cultures represented amongst the employees; display photos taken from iolo events and iolo-sponsored events; and a “Just for Fun” section that includes baby photos, movie polls and humorous cartoons.
It’s no surprise then that after the introduction of the newsletter, iolo jumped from #46 to #30 on the “Best Places to Work in LA” by the LA Business Journal. The newsletter was specifically cited as a significant reason for the jump. —SP
Fast Fact: The iolo newsletter e-mails have an average employee open rate of 75% to 95%.
Honorable Mentions:
Diageo North America – The Main Ingredient: Diageo promoted employee engagement by holding a contest to take and submit photos of Diageo products available at bars and restaurants for its biweekly newsletter. The prize was a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label, a Diageo brand.
Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) – Morning MoCA Member Newsletter: MoCA’s monthly newsletter focuses on creating a cooperative culture by soliciting and highlighting member articles for the newsletter. The publication has an impressive 98% open rate.