Emails are essential to our day-to-day work, especially for HR professionals. However, sometimes taking the time to compose professional well-structured emails can take up a significant amount of time that can be better spent elsewhere. That’s why we’ve created some ready-to-use email templates for busy HR professionals. In addition to our Essential HR Email Templates, ZenHR brings you some more must-have templates that you can fully customize, depending on your company’s policy.
Sometimes you will have employees that fail to adhere to company policies and have to deal with employee misconduct. Depending on your company’s disciplinary action policy, it might be best to first issue a verbal warning and advise the employee on how to correct their behavior before sending an official notice. We’ve made it easier for you to address these issues with our editable “Employee Warning” email template.
Make sure to clearly communicate any employee’s wrongdoing to help employees understand how their misconduct impacts the company and their work, what the consequences are, and what they can do so that they don’t face more serious disciplinary actions.
Email Subject Line: Warning Notice for [Misconduct type, e.g., Attendance] / Warning Notice
Dear [Employee’s name],
You are receiving this Warning Notice due to your [Misconduct type] that is negatively affecting your performance at work and your team’s productivity. We take [Misconduct type] seriously and expect all our employees to comply with our company’s [Name policy].
You have violated [Name policy] by [specific example of what they did, i.e., how many times it happened, who is affected, etc.]. We understand unexpected issues can arise. We can be flexible, but we still expect our employees to be professional and act in our company’s best interest.
This warning is considered the first step in [Company name]’s discipline process. You are requested to correct your behavior and [example of how you would expect them to behave in the future]. Otherwise, we’ll have to take further disciplinary action, including termination.
I’m available to discuss any issues you face that have caused your [Misconduct type]. Please, contact me directly if there’s any way I can help you.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Signature]
Letting someone go is a difficult job that no one enjoys, but sometimes you just can’t avoid it. By this point, the employee should have had some warning that termination may be coming. Consider arranging a brief meeting with the employee to let them know they’re being let go before you send them an official “termination of employment” letter.
This email template, “Employee Termination,” is designed to help you close your employment relationship with the employee on good terms.
Email Subject Line: Official Termination Letter
Dear [Employee’s name],
We are sorry to inform you that as of [Termination date], you’ll be no longer employed with [Company name]. As discussed, we believe this is the best decision because of [reason for termination, e.g. ‘this is the final step in our disciplinary process/ a decision we made after the end of your Performance Improvement Plan’].
From [Termination date] on, you won’t be eligible for any compensation or benefits associated with your position. Please return [Company assets that must be returned] by [Date] to [Where or to who they should return their company assets, e.g., ‘Human Resources office’].
You are entitled to [Mention any financial payments that will be provided to the employee, including their salary, unused leaves, vacations, etc.]
Please remember that you [have signed /have to sign] [Mention any documents or agreements the employee has signed/ has to sign before leaving, such as confidentiality policy and nondisclosure agreements].
If you have questions or clarifications regarding your compensation, benefits, company assets, or anything else, please feel free to contact me.
We wish you the best of luck.
Sincerely,
[HR name]
[HR signature]
During your hiring process, you will be scheduling interviews left and right with multiple job candidates. To make this process easier, use this editable “Interview Confirmation” email template to send an email confirming a candidates interview where you can also clarify any necessary details like:
If this is the first interview with candidates at your office, include:
Email Subject Line: Confirmation for Interview – [Company name] / Interview With [Company name] for the [Job title] Position
Hi [Candidate’s name],
I would like to confirm your interview for the [Job title] position. This interview gives us a chance to [what you’d like to discuss, e.g. ‘discuss your assignment’] and get to know you better. Below are the details of your interview:
When: [Date and time, e.g., Monday, May 16th, at 11 a.m.] – the estimated duration is [e.g., 30] minutes
Where: [Full address and link with the specific location, directions, and/or video link]
Who: [Name(s) and job title(s) of the interviewer(s)]
Remember that you’ll need [mention what they need in order to enter the building, e.g., your ID, as the security guard will ask for/ sign in at the front desk, if applicable]. If you’ll be driving to the interview, [mention where they can park, e.g. ‘there is a parking lot next to our office that you may use, if applicable].
Feel free to contact me via email or at [Phone number] if you have any questions.
I look forward to meeting with you and discussing this job opportunity at [Company name]!
All the best,
[Your name]
Sending a reminder before interviews can help improve the candidate experience. Candidates will appreciate the extra mile you went to contact them and give them all the information they’ll need to come prepared for their interview. You can also avoid potential misunderstandings that might delay the hiring process, such as candidates forgetting about their interview or getting lost on the way there.
Use this “Interview Reminder” email template to refresh candidates’ memory about a scheduled meeting and/or remind them of important information before their interview. Remind candidates about the following:
Email Subject Line: Reminder for Interview With [Company name]
Hi [Candidate’s name],
We’re looking forward to meeting you [the day of the interview, e.g. ‘tomorrow’]! As we agreed, [the recruiter’s/ hiring manager’s name] will welcome you at [Time] in our offices.
[Remind the candidate of anything they need to bring, e.g., ‘Please make sure to bring your ID with you, as the security guard will ask for it upon entry]. Here are the directions to our offices [add a link to the office location and/or directions].
Please call me at [Phone number] if you need further information.
See you soon,
[Your name]
Email Subject Line: Reminder for Interview With [Company name]
Hi [Candidate’s name],
We’re looking forward to meeting you [the day of the interview, e.g. ‘tomorrow’]! As we agreed, [the recruiter’s/ hiring manager’s name] will meet with you over [name of video platform].
To log in to the video call, [mention how they can enter the call, e.g. ‘click on this link and/or use the following details:
Username: Company name
Password: 123456]
Please make sure your camera and microphone are working properly before the interview. If you have any technical issues, feel free to contact me via email or call me at [Phone number].
Talk to you soon!
[Your name]
When you find potential candidates you’re interested in, you should send them assignments during the interview process to see what kind of work they can do, especially for technical roles. Adding an assignment or test will help you evaluate your candidates’ skills through a real work project. You should let your candidates know about your assignment ahead of time.
In the email template, “Interview Assignment,” add a deadline for your candidate to complete the assignment necessary and include instructions to help them understand what they’ll have to do.
It’s also essential to send a confirmation once you’ve received their assignment, to thank them for taking the time to complete it, and let them know about the next steps. You can use the below “Interview Assignment Received” email template to let them know their assignment has been received and is under review.
Email Subject Line: Assignment for the [Job title] Position / [Job title] Position Assignment
Hi [Candidate’s name],
Please find attached an assignment as part of our interview process that we discussed, along with instructions to help you complete it.
Keep in mind that there are no ‘right answers.’ This assignment is designed to gauge your skills and give us an idea of how you approach tasks relevant to the [Job title] role. It would be great if you could send this to us by [Date].
Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions.
Best of luck with the assignment,
[Your name]
Hi [Candidate’s name],
Thank you for completing the assignment! Our team will review it and get back to you with feedback as soon as possible.
Enjoy the rest of your day,
[Your name]
Ignoring rejected candidates could negatively impact your employer’s brand and your company’s candidate experience. Taking the time to explain why you’re rejecting a candidate shows them that you appreciate the time and effort they took to apply to your job and won’t leave them guessing.
This “Candidate Rejection” email template is designed to help you send rejection letters and maintain a relationship with your applicants.
Email Subject Line: Your Application to [Company name]
Hi [Candidate’s name],
Thank you for your interest in [Company name] and the time invested in applying for the [Job title] opening.
After careful consideration and upon evaluating other job candidates, we regret to inform you that we have chosen to move forward with a different candidate for the [Job title] position.
Our team was impressed by your skills and accomplishments, and we think you could be a good fit for other future openings.
We highly encourage you to apply to any of our upcoming positions, so please continue to check our website for any future job opportunities.
We wish you all the best in your future professional endeavors.
Sincerely,
[Your name]