Email templates for HR (human resources) and general tips

When talking about emails, the first thing that comes to mind is perhaps emails for marketing or sales. They are probably the most intense users of email communication, applying different marketing techniques to attract clients.

However, they're not the only ones who are heavy email users. The HR department is also a big player in sending electronic messages to internal and external partners. HR managers often compose emails that must be sent out regularly, whether they welcome new hires or reach out to employees to share some news.

This takes up a lot of time and effort that could be spent on more productive activities. 

Email templates are a quick way to get those messages out without wasting time writing emails from scratch. If written effectively, email templates can help with high-quality and timely communication, improving work processes and even marketing strategies to improve the company's brand.

With Mailbutler's email tagging feature, these templates can be tagged based on their purpose, ensuring that the right template is always at hand when needed.

They can also help HR teams attract talent, speed up the employee onboarding process, and build trust within teams.

Here are some HR email templates to help make your life easier, including some email creation tips that will help you communicate effectively.

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Dos and don'ts of creating HR email templates

Similar to sales or marketing emails, some fundamental rules make HR emails reader-friendly and informative. Some of our tips are:

• Be direct

People don't like reading long messages, especially when these messages don't come from a familiar face. So when writing emails, always be direct and brief. Only include the most important information to avoid losing the reader's interest.

• Stay on brand

The tone and voice of the emails should always be consistent with the company's brand. However, the word choice used in templates can be adapted depending on the template you're creating.

• Personalize

It's best for personalized templates to include personal details related to the receivers.

If the marketing or sales team uses Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools, you can get personal information from your Applicant Tracking System (ATS) tool to modify the addressee of the templates.

• Keep it short and simple

Make sure that the template’s design is easy to understand. The format and structure should help people focus on the message, rather than distract them from vital information.

The fewer things included in the mail, the better it is, and the lower the chances are of it being flagged as spam.

• Use the correct software

Don't Microsoft Word or other text editing software to create your template because it may contain specific codes that cause the email to be broken.

• Include the right image and size

The smallest file size is the best size for email templates. Large images increase load times and affect email delivery.

Avoid using too many illustrations. Instead, strike a balance between text and images.

• Include links to unsubscribe

This is important for email deliverability and is required by many spam laws worldwide.

Including a link to unsubscribe from the email in your template will save your emails from being flagged.

Check out these email writing tips for more detailed tips and tricks in creating emails.

Essential HR Email Templates

Employee Feedback

Companies that care about their employees have one main characteristic: they regularly ask for feedback. Getting feedback on your company's workflow, teamwork, and culture is important to measure your employees' satisfaction levels.

Happy employees are more likely to be more productive and, in turn, bring more profit to the business.

A good way of doing this is by providing a survey for your team to fill out, anonymously if possible so your team feels it can be honest.

Invitation for company feedback: Use the following template to ask your team to give company's feedback, such as an employee pulse survey.

Subject Line: Training invitation: [name of training course]. Save the date!

Dear team,

At [Company Name], we're constantly working to improve our work culture. We'd like to hear your feedback on which areas we're doing well in and in which areas we could improve.

We'll benefit most from honest and sincere opinions. To take part in the survey, please click on this [link]. It will only take 3 minutes to complete.

Thank you for participating. 

Best regards,

The HR Team

Recruitment Process

Here are some email templates that can be used at various stages of the recruitment process.

Job offer letter template: For sending successful candidates their acceptance email.

Source

Subject Line: [Company Name] – Job Offer [Position Name] 

Dear [candidate name],

It has been a pleasure to get know you these past few days. We were impressed with your background, skills, and performance in the interview. We want to offer you the [job title] position formally. This is a [full/part-time] position of X hours per week. You will report to the [department name's] [manager's job title]. 

Salary compensation will be X and [mention any bonus programs, if applicable]. In addition, you will also be entitled to [mention company policy benefits such as health and insurance plans and X days of paid vacation.

[Date] is the anticipated start date for you. You will need to sign a contract at the beginning of your employment and [mention agreements, like confidentiality, nondisclosure, and non-compete].

We'd like to hear from you by [date]. In the meantime, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to get in touch with me or [manager name] via email or phone at [provide contact details].

Check the document attached for other details about your employment.

We are excited to have you on our team!

Best regards,

The HR Team 

Job rejection template: You send this email when notifying prospective candidates that their application was unsuccessful.

Subject Line: [Company Name] – Your Application for [Position Name] 

Dear [candidate name],

Thank you for meeting with our team about the [role title] position at [company name]. It was a pleasure to learn about your abilities and achievements.

We regret to inform you our team did not select you for further consideration.

I want to note that competition for jobs at [company name] is always intense and that we frequently face difficult choices among a large number of qualified candidates. Therefore, if it's okay with you, we will keep your resume on file for future openings that better match your profile now that we have learned more about you. If you wouldn't like us to keep your resume on file, please let us know.

If you have any questions, please contact me.

Thanks again for your interest in [company name], and best of luck with your job search.

Best regards,

The HR Team

Pre- and onboarding process

This includes all the processes that occur after someone agrees to join the team. Since your preboarding experience is the first point of contact for a new employee, it must be flawless.

Preboarding email template: You send this to inform new hires to prepare for their onboarding to the new job.

Subject Line: Before your big day at [Company Name] 

Dear [employee name]

Welcome on board!

We are thrilled to share with you our dynamic culture. You will soon receive an email with more information about your onboarding journey and what to prepare for it.

We'll also send you some work equipment and the company's welcome pack. Please let us know your preferences by filling out this [form].

Once again, congratulations! We can't wait to start working with you!

Best wishes,

The HR Team

Onboarding email template: You send this email to prepare new hires for their first day of remote work and onboard them into your organization.

Subject Line: A quick reminder - onboarding

Dear [employee name],

We are all delighted to have you on board! You will start on [date] at [time], and the company’s dress code is [dress code].

We have sent you the equipment and everything else that you need for your new role. Our team will assist you in configuring your computer, software, and online accounts on the first day.

In addition, you will meet with your hiring manager to discuss your next steps. The meeting schedule will be sent later.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. We'll be more than happy to help you.

We are looking forward to working with you and having you on our team!

Best regards,

The HR Team

Welcome email template: This email is used to welcome new employees to your company.

Subject Line: Welcome to [Company Name] 

Dear [employee name]

We are all delighted to have a new member in our team!

I am attaching your schedule for the first two days of your new journey at [company name].

You'll also meet with your hiring manager to discuss your role, our expectations, and initial goals. In addition, we've scheduled a few training sessions for you during your first week to help you learn more about our organization and operations.

Our team is looking forward to meeting you and will introduce themselves at [scheduled event].

Please contact us via email if you have any concerns about anything.

We are excited to work with you and see you achieve great things! 

Best wishes,

The HR Team

End-of-the-day email template: You send this email to an employee after the first workday.

Subject Line: You did it! 

Dear [employee name]

Thank you for all the hard work you've put in today. We appreciate the extra effort you've gone through, and we know the rest of the team is impressed with your commitment.

Let's connect on [day/date] to discuss the next steps of your new role. Keep up the excellent work!

Best regards,

The HR Team

Development Process

The Human Resources team is in charge of developing processes and methods for ongoing employee development. These include training, conferences, and certifications that can help employees improve their skills and knowledge and perform better in their jobs. 

Source

Invitation to join training: You send this email to inform employees of the required training and provide all pertinent information about it.

Subject Line: Training invitation: [name of training course]. Save the date!

Dear [employee name] 

We'd like to invite you to a [name of course] training session on [date], from [start time] to [end time]. Please mark this date on your calendar.

The training will be held at [location] and will be led by [name of instructor], who will provide [information about the training and instructor’s background].

We require all employees to attend. The goal of this training is to [include training’s goal]. After attending this session, you’ll have learned how to [skills/knowledge achieved].

If you have any special needs or requirements, please let me know.

Thank you in advance for your commitment to [training name].

I look forward to seeing you there.

Best regards,

The HR Team

Policy Update: Changes to our Annual Leave Policy: You send this email to keep employees informed about modifications to existing policies, ensuring they are aware of and can adhere to the new guidelines

Subject Line: Policy Update: Changes to our Annual Leave Policy

Dear [employee name],

We're writing to inform you about some important changes to our Annual Leave Policy, effective from [effective date]. Please take a moment to review these updates.

The revised policy includes [brief description of the main changes]. This decision was made after [reason for the change, e.g., "taking into account feedback from many of you and in line with industry standards"].

It's essential for all employees to familiarize themselves with these changes. We believe that these updates will [benefits of the change, e.g., "provide more flexibility and clarity for everyone"].

If you have any questions or need further clarification, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Warm regards,

The HR Team

Discussion Regarding Your Performance: You send this email to address specific performance-related concerns with an employee.

Subject Line: Important: Discussion Regarding Your Performance

Dear [employee name], We value your contributions to the company and believe in open communication.

It's been observed that [specific issue, e.g., "your attendance has been irregular over the past two months"]. We'd like to discuss this matter with you to understand any challenges you might be facing.

Please schedule a meeting with [HR representative/manager's name] by [specific date].

We aim to provide support and find a solution together. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Best regards,

The HR Team

Notice of Termination: This email is sent to formally notify an employee about the end of their employment with the company. It provides the reason for the termination and ensures the employee is aware of their entitlements, such as benefits and severance.

Subject Line: Notice of Termination

Dear [employee name],

After careful consideration and multiple discussions, we regret to inform you that your employment with [Company Name] will be terminated, effective [termination date]. This decision has been made due to [specific reason, e.g., "ongoing performance issues despite multiple interventions"].

You will receive all due benefits and severance as per our company policy. Our HR team will provide further details regarding the exit process.

We appreciate your contributions during your tenure with us and wish you the best in your future endeavors.

Sincerely,

The HR Team

Interview Invitation: This email is sent to candidates who have been shortlisted for a specific role. It provides essential details about the upcoming interview, such as date, time, and location.

Subject Line: Interview Invitation: [Position Name] at [Company Name]

Dear [candidate name],

We're pleased to inform you that you've been shortlisted for the [Position Name] role at [Company Name]. We'd like to invite you for an interview on [date] at [time]. The interview will be held at [location/online platform].

Please confirm your availability by [specific date]. If you have any questions or need further details, please don't hesitate to ask.

Looking forward to our conversation.

Best wishes,

The HR Team

Final Interview Round: This email is sent to candidates who have progressed to the final interview round. It provides specifics about the final interview, including topics of focus and interviewers.

Subject Line: Final Interview Round: [Position Name] at [Company Name]

Dear [candidate name],

Congratulations on progressing to the final round of interviews for the [Position Name] role. Your final interview is scheduled for [date] at [time] with [senior executive's name/panel members].

This interview will focus on [specific topics, e.g., "strategic alignment and cultural fit"]. Please be prepared to discuss [specific points or projects].

Confirm your availability by [specific date], and let us know if you have any questions.

Best of luck!

Kind regards,

The HR Team

Provide detailed guidance

Templates are a starting point, but their effectiveness lies in how they're used. To maximize the impact of your HR email templates, it's crucial to provide users with detailed guidance on customization and optimization.

By offering insights on personalizing templates to resonate with the recipient, understanding engagement metrics to measure the effectiveness of the communication, and establishing feedback mechanisms to refine the content, HR professionals can elevate their communication strategy.

This holistic approach ensures that every email sent is not just a template but a well-crafted message that achieves its intended purpose.

Feedback and continuous improvement

The world of HR is dynamic, and what works today might need refinement tomorrow. To ensure that your Human Resource email templates remain relevant and effective, it's essential to establish a robust feedback mechanism.

By inviting HR professionals to provide input on template effectiveness, share their experiences, and suggest improvements, a continuous loop of refinement is established. This iterative process ensures that templates evolve in line with changing HR needs, industry trends, and feedback from the very people who use them daily.

Such a proactive approach to improvement ensures that HR communication remains top-notch, always catering to the ever-evolving needs of the industry.

Conclusion

Creating several email templates can help you speed up HR's recruitment and onboarding processes. With Mailbutler's Tags, you can ensure that each template and related communication is organized and easily accessible.

In addition, you can extend the use of HR email templates for other areas of people management, such as feedback, training, company-wide invitations, webinars, etc.

To make your operations more efficient and with less manual effort, adopt Mailbutler's email scheduling feature to your system, and utilize email templates to improve your emailing game.