From FYI to FOMO: The New Way to Get Employees to Engage with your Internal Communication
- Vivien
- Oct 22
- 5 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Most internal communications feel like the company equivalent of being cc’d on a cold email.
Built for compliance, not curiosity.
They inform — but rarely ignite action.
Announcements, training invites, policy updates… all sent into the void of unopened inboxes and unread intranet posts.
And yet, these messages are often the heartbeat of culture, engagement, and performance.
So why do employees scroll right past them?
It's not that they're ignoring you - you just haven't given them a reason to stay
The Internal Communication Attention Problem Inside Your Company
Employees aren’t ignoring your internal comms because they don't care.
They ignore them because nothing signals why it matters to them right now.
There’s no urgency, no energy, no “I need to be part of this.”Just another polite FYI floating through Slack.
If you want to design internal messaging that makes people opt in rather than tune out add some FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) comes into the mix.
The psychology of FOMO isn’t just a marketing trick.
It’s an emotional shortcut for attention. It turns your update from “I’ll get to it later” into “Wait—what’s happening?”
It works because it taps into three deeply human needs:
Urgency: “This is happening now.”
Exclusivity: “Others are already in on it.”
Belonging: “I don’t want to be left out.”
FOMO is one of the few psychological cues that cuts through divided attention and makes them stop scrolling and start caring.
“You’ll want to see this before tomorrow’s meeting.”
works 100xs better than “Please read this month's update from HR.”
How to Use FOMO to Make Internal Communication Unmissable
1. Start with a “Why Now?” hook (Time pressure)
When you want to boost sign-ups and attendance
Employees are busy.
People ignore content if they think it’ll still be there tomorrow.
A “don’t miss this” tone cuts through the noise better than a polite invite.
Add time sensitivity or progress momentum:
"The first 20 people get priority access to…"
"Last few seats left for Friday’s innovation workshop!"
"Get your name on the list before it closes.”
before Friday,” “first 50 teams,” “this week only.”
Where to use:
Training sessions or skill-up programs
Town halls or leadership Q&As
Company-wide challenges or innovation sprints
2. Turn invites into moments (Exclusivity)
When everyone’s stretched thin, a new initiative or training session can sound like more work. Unless it feels like the place to be.
People want to be part of it when you make a project feel visible, desirable, and happening now.
They talk about it.
They advocate for it.
They make it a moment.
Your goal isn’t just to inform.
It’s to turn passive updates into can’t-miss moments.
So instead of “Reminder: register for Friday’s workshop.”
Try:
"You’ll hear this update here first before it’s announced company-wide."
“You’ll want your name on this project—see what our next big internal success story looks like.”
“Almost every department has registered for Friday’s Strategy Jam—will yours be the one missing?”
“Early access,” “VIP sneak peek,” “Pilot group only.”
Where to use:
Cross-functional projects
Culture or innovation initiatives
CSR or volunteer drives
Example:
Make internal projects feel like movements. (Social proof )
Create momentum for change initiatives
People join movements, not mandates.
Change only works when people believe it’s already happening. FOMO frames adoption as progress everyone else is already part of.
“80% of teams have already switched to the new platform — don’t be the last to migrate.”
Frame your internal initiatives into something people are proud to be part of:
“Be part of the pilot that’s shaping how we’ll work next year.”
“You’ll want your name on this project — it’s going to be a game changer.”
“80% of teams are already using the new workflow—don’t be the last to switch.”
“Everyone’s talking about…” or “Teams across APAC are joining in.”
Where to use:
Digital transformation rollouts
New tool or process launches
Policy or culture updates
Make recognition contagious
Recognition works best when it motivates through aspiration instead of instruction.
This isn’t just about applause. It’s about social proof.
Publicly celebrating others creates a “wait, I want that too” effect.
That subtle sense of “people I respect are already doing this” drives engagement far better than another reminder.
“Team X just hit 98% engagement — can your team top it?”
“Our Customer Service Team just earned their Collaboration Gold Badge — who’s next?”
Every shout-out becomes a soft nudge that says, “This could be you.”
and spread a culture of positivity.
Where to use:
Recognition programs
Employee spotlights
Peer-nominated awards
Drive engagement in storytelling and content
FOMO turns your updates from “nice to know” into “need to see.”
It makes internal stories feel alive, not archived — like you’re tuning into something unfolding right now, not reading leftovers from last week.
“You’ll hear the full story on Friday’s drop — don’t let someone else fill you in on Monday.”
“We’re revealing the project that changed how three teams work — streaming tomorrow.”
"how our suppliers in India pulled off the impossible using 58% less water (and what they learned doing it)"
Where to use:
Internal newsletters
Video updates
Employee podcasts or intranet stories
Creating FOMO-driven internal communication is about making employees feel like they’ll miss something exciting, valuable, or career-boosting if they don’t engage.
TL:DR Here's a quick FOMO Formula for Any Message
FOMO = (Relevance × Urgency) + Social Proof + Easy Next Step
Example:
“Join our new mentoring circle to see how you can fast-track your development with people who’ve been there (Relevance) x sign up before Friday, only 60 spots left (Urgency) + 40 attendees from Sales have already joined (Social Proof) + Add your name before the next round closes. (Next Step).”
Simple, clear, human — and suddenly, your message moves.whether it’s a training invite, a policy change, or a cultural story.Because it’s built for movement, not just attention.
Most internal communication shares information rather than inspiring action.
Using FOMO in your internal communication isn’t about manipulation — it’s about building momentum into your content design.
It nudges your employees to read more or sign up by showing that:
Something valuable is happening
Their peers are already involved
Time or access is limited
Their participation matters
If your messaging is getting stuck, I can help you build one that creates movement.
🎯 Hi, I'm Vivien,
I work with Heads of Communications, CMOs, and B2B internal and external comms teams who desperately need messaging that:
Sticks
Travels accurately
Gets repeated and remembered
Ticks internal alignment
Creates momentum in buying committees
And moves decisions forward
