Boosting recruitment and awareness through your union noticeboard

In an age dominated by digital screens, smartphones and devices, it may feel like the humble workplace noticeboard is an outdated relic of the past — but what if I told you that is far from the truth. A well-managed, strategically placed and regularly updated Community noticeboard remains one of THE most powerful tools for recruiting new members, spreading awareness and keeping members updated on the latest news. Noticeboards are a physical touchpoint that digital communications often miss, particularly for those who aren’t constantly on their phones, smart devices or social media.

Your noticeboard is not only an insight into your work for the branch, but also for the work that Community does as a whole. It needs to be inviting, informative and kept up to date to ensure members are in the know at all times. In this blog, we’ll explore how you can use your workplace noticeboard as an effective recruitment and informative tool in your branch.

Location, location, location

The first thing to consider is where your noticeboard is located. Is it in a high-traffic area where colleagues will naturally congregate or pass by? Think canteens, break rooms, changing rooms or busy corridors — these are all ideal locations to feature a noticeboard. If not, this is a key area for negotiation with your employer. If your noticeboard is tucked away where no one can see it, it isn’t going to achieve anything.

Make your union noticeboard eye-catching

We all have short attention spans, and don’t have time to stand and read page after page of text on a noticeboard. That’s why everything featured on your noticeboard needs to be bold, clear and concise. Consider:

Don’t over clutter your noticeboard!

Less is more! Avoid over cluttering your noticeboard. Each poster, leaflet or newsletter should be prominently featured and easy to scan.

Is your noticeboard visually appealing?

Make sure any posters or literature featured has big, eye-catching headlines and is clear and easy to read. Use compelling imagery and graphic, and consider using bright colours to help Community’s literature stand out (like our cerise!). We are more than happy to provide branded templates and materials, so don’t be afraid to ask for some.

Ensure your noticeboard is reviewed on the regular

You should regularly review the content on your noticeboard, and don’t be afraid to remove things that are outdated, or get little to no engagement. Remember, you want to capitalise on this space to spread the word about the work you’re doing, so make it count. A messy noticeboard signals a disorganised union branch.

Share your noticeboard with other Community Reps

If you have a team of Reps in your branch, why not work out a rota, or assign a dedicated Rep who will stay on top of the information that is displayed and keep the content clean and fresh.

Protect your noticeboard (at all costs!)

If possible, keep your noticeboard safe by using a cover to protect it from tampering or damage (even someone catching it with their coat as they walk by could cause damage!).

What exactly should you display on your noticeboard?

With the limited space, it is important to consider what exactly you should display on your noticeboard. This can include:

Member recruitment, retention and awareness

Community has a wide range of member recruitment and retention literature readily available for members and Reps. This includes noticeboard headers, posters, leaflets, booklets and much more. 

When displaying these materials on your noticeboard, you should ensure that messaging about Community’s membership benefits are clear and concise. At Community, we utilise QR codes across our posters and literature that link to our join form, so ensure that this easily accessible for colleagues to scan. You may even want to pin up physical join forms in a clearly marked pocket for non-members to grab and fill out in their own time. Make sure to replenish these regularly!

You may even want to add your own twist with branch wins e.g. pay rises, recognition or policy changes, or even testimonials from members that you have supported by you.

You may also want to include your details, as well as the details of all other Reps and the Branch Secretary. This ensures members (and non-members) know who to go to should they have any questions or need support (this is also much more personal, and makes the team more approachable).

Campaign awareness

Whether you are running your own local campaign or promoting one of Community’s national campaigns, you can utilise your noticeboard to raise awareness and drive action from members, such as signing a petition, contacting their MP, recognising Community or changing policy.

Union and branch news

This could range from meeting dates and agendas in advance, success stories and testimonials from members you have supported, upcoming events, learning opportunities, training, and much more.

Tips and tricks to maximise the effectiveness of your union noticeboard

• Refresh your noticeboard regularly: Try to update the content either weekly, bi-weekly or monthly to keep it fresh. Stale content makes your noticeboard invisible.
• Involve your branch: Why not get your members and other Reps involved in creating content for the noticeboard? Or ask members what they’d like to see featured. This fosters ownership from your branch and spreads the workload!
• Localise the content: While Community can keep you informed on national matters, it is the Reps on the ground who know what goes on in their branches. So wherever possible, add content to your noticeboard that is specific to your branch and members’ experiences. This resonates much more than generic posters and literature.
• Get interactive: While there’s only so much interactivity you can do with a union noticeboard, you can utilise pockets to capture member questions or comments, feedback or even tear off posters for members and non-members to take away with them.
• Get digital: Who says noticeboards can’t be digital? You can utilise QR codes to link members and non-members to specific information and resources, bridging the gap between physical and digital engagement. Remember, QR codes are only effective in workplaces where members can use their phones.
• Check accessibility: Ensure that any content posted on your noticeboard is visible, and that the board is height accessible to all, including those using wheelchairs.