Texting Guide for HR Managers

HR managers need clear, timely communication to keep employees informed and processes moving. Short texts can confirm attendance, share resources, and resolve questions fast. TextUs helps you coordinate HR updates, reminders, and follow-ups that feel personal and stay tracked in your HR systems.

How TextUs Fits HR Workflows

TextUs Campaigns can reach employees for onboarding, policy updates, benefits enrollment, training, and company events. You can attach PDFs or images such as benefits guides, policy one-pagers, or venue maps so employees can act in the thread.

Keywords like ENROLL, ACK, or HELP can enroll replies in Sequences that confirm receipt or send links automatically.

Replies appear in the Shared Inbox where HR, payroll, and managers can collaborate. Integrations can log messages, timestamps, and outcomes to your HRIS or LMS for clean records.

You can review deliveries, replies, and clicks, then export CSVs to support reporting and audits.

What to Set Up First

Connect your HRIS or payroll system so locations, departments, and employment status sync both ways. Register 10DLC numbers and keep opt-out handling active so STOP and UNSUBSCRIBE can process automatically.

Define segments for common motions such as New Hires 0-30 Days, Open Enrollment, Training Due, and All-Hands Invitees.

Create templates for recurring needs: onboarding welcome, document reminder, open enrollment steps, training due, and event logistics. Assign Shared Inbox coverage by hours and team so employees always receive a quick response.

Align tone and approvals with HR and legal before you begin.

How to Create an SMS Campaign With TextUs

1. Choose your audience: Open Campaigns in TextUs and select a segment such as “Open Enrollment - Eligible Employees.” This can make sure the message reaches only those who need to act.
2. Write your message: Keep it clear and action-led. Example: “Hi {{first_name}}, open enrollment is live through [Date]. Reply ENROLL for your link or HELP with a question.”
3. Attach media: Add a plan summary, policy one-pager, or event map if it speeds action. Attachments can reduce back-and-forth.
4. Set up an A/B test: Try two versions that differ in opener or CTA. Keep the variant that gets faster replies or clicks.
5. Schedule your campaign: Send during local business hours. For deadlines, schedule reminders at 7 days and 24 hours before the cutoff.
6. Create a keyword: Add a keyword such as ENROLL, ACK, or RSVP and reference it in your message. TextUs can recognize and route replies automatically.
7. Link to a sequence: Connect the keyword to a two-step sequence. For example, “Step 1: Send the enrollment or acknowledgment link. Step 2: Follow up after 24-48 hours if there is no action.”
8. Send and monitor: Launch your campaign, track replies, and assign owners in the Shared Inbox for issues that need human help.

Example sequence messages:

• Step 1 (auto-reply): “Thanks, {{first_name}}. Here is your enrollment link: [short URL].”
• Step 2 (reminder): “Reminder that enrollment closes on [Date]. Need help choosing a plan? Reply HELP.”

Segmentation and Personalization Strategy

Segment by location, department, employment type, and eligibility. Useful lists include Hourly vs. Salaried, Union vs. Non-Union, Benefits Eligible, Managers, and Remote Employees. Exclude inactive staff and anyone who has completed the required action.

Personalize with first name and one context field such as site, deadline, or program. Example: “Hi {{first_name}}, your safety training for [Site] is due on [Date]. Reply TRAIN for the link.” Use fallbacks to avoid broken fields.

Refresh segments daily during time-sensitive periods. Clean segments improve trust, reduce noise, and protect deliverability.

Template Library for HR Scenarios

Keep a compact set of templates for frequent HR moments. Each should make one request and point to one action.

• “Hi {{first_name}}, welcome to [Company]. Want your onboarding checklist? Reply START.”
• “Open enrollment ends on [Date]. Ready to review plans? Reply ENROLL for your portal link.”
• “Your compliance training is due by [Date]. Reply TRAIN for the course link.”
• “All-hands is at [Time] in [Location]. Need directions or the stream link? Reply INFO.”
• “We updated policy [Name]. Reply ACK to record acknowledgment or HELP for the summary.”

Review the template performance monthly with compliance. Retire low performers, keep files under 1 MB, and align copy with HR tone.

Reporting and Attribution Workflow

Export deliveries, replies, clicks, and keyword activity from TextUs each week. Join that data with HRIS or LMS outcomes such as enrollments completed, acknowledgments recorded, and trainings finished. Keep campaign name, segment, keyword, and send time consistent for clean analysis.

Track delivery rate, time to acknowledgment, completion rate, and opt-out rate by segment. Compare A and B variants to learn which opener and send time work best. Share a simple monthly dashboard that highlights completion lift and the top-performing template.

Change Management and Policy Updates

Treat policy communication as a mini-campaign. Start with a short text and a link to a one-page summary, then request acknowledgment with ACK. For complex changes, send a follow-up that invites questions and routes HELP to a live owner.

Use phased segments when rules vary by site or jurisdiction. Send region-specific versions so guidance stays accurate. After the window closes, send a final confirmation to managers with completion stats.

Store versioned policy files and message copies with dates. This creates an audit trail you can share with leadership or regulators.

Managing Replies in the Shared Inbox

All replies can appear in the Shared Inbox so HR, payroll, and managers see the same context. The first responder assigns the thread to themselves so ownership is clear. Templates can standardize answers, while a short personal line can keep the tone supportive.

Use tags like Onboarding, Benefits, Training, Policy, and Event to organize threads. Add notes when handing a conversation to payroll or legal so context stays intact. Keep notifications on during business hours and set backup coverage for peak periods.

Compliance and Deliverability for HR Managers

Use registered 10DLC numbers for all HR traffic. Keep opt-out handling on so STOP and UNSUBSCRIBE can process automatically. Include a simple line in the first message that says “Reply STOP to opt out.”

Avoid multiple links, heavy punctuation, or all caps. Keep attachments relevant and concise, like a one-page summary or checklist. Send during local working hours and follow a sensible cadence to maintain trust.

FAQs About Texting Guide for HR Managers

Can I attach benefits guides or policy summaries?

Yes. TextUs allows PDFs, images, or GIFs in both campaigns and one-to-one conversations. Many HR teams use one-page summaries so employees can act without leaving the thread.

Can I capture policy acknowledgments by text?

Yes. You can use a keyword such as ACK to record receipt automatically. TextUs can log the timestamp and route a reminder if acknowledgment is missing.

Can I automate enrollment and training reminders?

Yes. You can schedule campaigns and connect keywords to Sequences that send links and follow-ups on a timer. This reduces manual chasing and improves completion rates.

How does the Shared Inbox help HR teams collaborate?

All replies appear in one shared view where HR and managers can assign owners, tag threads, and add notes. This prevents duplicate outreach and speeds resolution.

What metrics should I track for HR communication?

Start with delivery rate, reply rate, time to acknowledgment, and completion rate. Export TextUs data and match it to HRIS or LMS results to show impact and find improvements.