The comeback of the employee magazine: when paper beats pixels

Is print still worth it? You’d think printed employee magazines were extinct in the digital age — yet they’re very much alive and kicking. Despite the rise of intranets, MS Teams, and slick online platforms, the printed company magazine remains surprisingly resilient. During my trainings, I’m often asked: “Does print still make sense next to digital channels?” To find out, I ran a LinkedIn poll about how organizations currently shape their employee magazines. The responses were enthusiastic, relatable, and occasionally nostalgic — and the outcome? More than one-third of organizations still choose paper.

That got me thinking: why do people remain so attached to print? In this blog, I dive into research on reading behavior, attention, impact, and sustainability — comparing print and digital magazines. The conclusion might surprise you.

TL;DR In short

Printed employee magazines are read more thoroughly, kept longer, and appreciated more than digital versions. Digital magazines are faster and cheaper but attract less attention and lead to shallow reading. Sustainability isn’t black-and-white: digital media also consume vast energy and resources. So, choose the medium that fits your goal. For depth, pride, and connection, print often wins. For speed and updates, digital is your friend.

What the LinkedIn Poll Revealed

In May 2025, I asked my network how they publish their employee magazine. Participants could choose from four options:

1. A printed magazine
2. A separate online magazine
3. Integrated within the intranet
4. No magazine at all

A total of 174 people responded. It wasn’t a scientific study, but the results were telling: 49% had no magazine, 9% published an online-only edition, and a surprising 35% still printed their magazine on paper.

Here are a few highlights:

“I strongly believe in the impact of a magazine for the home front. Creating one is a joy! And nothing beats the smell of fresh print! Generational differences at work do influence choices: the Book Generation vs the Podcast Generation.”
— Tanja Korevaar, Portbase

“Once a year, right before summer vacation, it lands on the doormats of 500 colleagues. The #WY (Frisian for ‘we’) is full of employee stories — we started it after a merger to help people get to know each other. It still makes me happy every year, even though nothing in it surprises me anymore as editor-in-chief .”
— Jacoba Frenkel, Municipality of Noardeast-Fryslân

“Beyond connecting to employees’ families, print helps bridge the gap between office and field staff when your workforce is split 50/50.”
— Cecile Leerkotte, Siemens Healthineers

Research Says: Print Gets More Attention

Fun anecdotes aside — what does research tell us?

Yes, there’s solid evidence that printed employee magazines are read more thoroughly than digital ones. Studies show that print grabs more attention, is kept longer, and is more likely to be reread — which increases the odds your message will truly sink in (mattercontentagency.com).

A 2022 Press Gazette study confirmed this: 58% of readers in the UK said they enjoy reading magazines on paper more than online. In the US, that number was 47%. Surprisingly, even younger audiences preferred print: among 25–34-year-olds, 45% favored print versus 32% who preferred digital.

Research from DPG Media and Blauw Research also shows that attention directly affects brand recall, trust, and affinity — and print outperforms digital on all three. That makes the printed employee magazine a powerful internal communication tool.

Digital Reading: Quick, Distracted, and Forgotten

A University of Twente study found that long articles on intranets or in digital magazines are rarely read in full. Employees perceive digital media as fleeting — fine for updates, but not for deeper content. Print, on the other hand, invites slower, more attentive reading and tends to be saved and reread, strengthening understanding and emotional connection.

MediaTest, a research firm specializing in readership analysis, found that employees read digital magazines more superficially and value them less. One reason: they often read them “in between” tasks, reducing focus and engagement.

A RenM|Matrix study of the Dutch Road Authority (RDW) magazine confirmed this pattern. Despite a high satisfaction score (72%), readership dropped when the magazine went digital. Readers simply preferred the tactile, physical version.

Frankwatching, a leading communications site, sums it up well: intranet is great for fast updates, but print offers a richer experience that deepens connection and pride.

The Environmental Paradox: Is Digital Really Greener?

Paper versus digital — the sustainability debate is trickier than it seems.

Paper is often seen as wasteful: it uses trees, water, energy, and transport.
But digital media aren’t as clean as they look:

• Data centers consume huge amounts of energy.
• Devices rely on scarce raw materials.
• CO₂ emissions grow with every download, view, and cloud backup.

A 2021 Deutsche Umwelthilfe study found that the ecological footprint of digital media is often underestimated — especially when content is read, shared, or stored frequently.

The Bottom Line: Print Reaches (and Resonates) Better

Choosing print or digital isn’t just a budget or eco decision — it’s strategic. For deep storytelling, connection, and employee pride, print still delivers the strongest impact. Digital works best for immediacy, speed, and measurable engagement.

In practice, many organizations find that digital magazines draw less attention and emotional connection. Employees skim them, forget them, and move on. Print, however, lingers — literally and mentally.

If you want to make an informed decision, consider conducting your own readership survey. The results might show that a well-crafted printed magazine isn’t old-fashioned at all, but a powerful driver of connection in a hybrid workplace.

It’s About Connection, Not the Channel

Ultimately, the choice between print and digital isn’t about nostalgia — it’s about strategy. A printed magazine requires more effort and budget, but it earns attention and appreciation. Digital editions are agile and measurable but need smart design to keep readers engaged.

The real art lies in knowing when to use which medium — and how each can add meaning. Because in the end, it’s not about paper or pixels.
It’s about the human connection you create.

Huib Koeleman