8 Must-Have Features in a Modern Intranet Platform

At Blink, our mission is to connect and empower workforces worldwide, and a crucial part of that mission is ensuring that our platform is accessible to everyone.

We’re excited to announce that Blink is now WCAG 2.2 level AA compliant, marking a significant milestone in our commitment to accessibility.

Why accessibility matters

Roughly 15% of the global population — around 1 in 6 people — lives with some form of disability. Given these numbers, there’s a high likelihood that many Blink users depend on our app to be accessible.

Many countries require digital products to meet accessibility standards, so we take these obligations seriously. However, our commitment to accessibility goes beyond compliance. It’s about making sure that our platform meets the needs of all users, removing barriers and creating a truly inclusive environment.

Understanding WCAG standards

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are a set of internationally recognized standards for digital accessibility. Developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), these guidelines ensure that content is accessible to people with disabilities, including those who rely on assistive technologies like screen readers or alternative input devices.

WCAG standards are organized into three levels of compliance: A, AA, and AAA. Level A does not achieve accessibility in many situations, yet AAA is not recommended by the W3C because it is not possible to satisfy all Level AAA Success Criteria for some content. Therefore we comply with AA, whilst striving to meet as many AAA criteria as possible. The latest version of the standards, WCAG 2.2, includes updated requirements that address new aspects of accessibility, such as improved keyboard navigation, visible focus indicators, and content predictability.

How we’ve updated the Blink experience

Here are some of the key accessibility enhancements we’ve introduced as part of our efforts to be WCAG 2.2 AA compliant:

#1. Media accessibility

Blink now supports features that make media content more inclusive. For example, we’ve added the ability to set alternative text for image-only context, allowing user-generated content to be accessible to a broader audience.

#2. Improved visual and text contrast

To enhance readability, we’ve adjusted contrast levels to ensure that users can easily distinguish text from background colors across all devices — an essential feature for individuals with visual impairments.

#3. Flexible orientation and resize options

Blink’s content and interface elements can now be resized up to 200% without losing clarity, and the platform supports both landscape and portrait orientations. These improvements make it easier for users to read and navigate on any device, regardless of their visual needs.

#4. Keyboard navigation and focus visibility

Keyboard focus is now visible and consistent across all interactive elements, enhancing accessibility for users relying on keyboard navigation. Additionally, we’ve ensured that elements won’t change unexpectedly when they receive focus, which prevents accidental interactions and supports smooth navigation.

#5. Consistent navigation and error prevention

We’ve made navigation more predictable and consistent across the app. Users will now receive helpful error messages and suggestions to prevent data entry mistakes, making Blink more user-friendly and inclusive.

Blink’s commitment to accessibility

We’re dedicated to empowering diverse workforces and ensuring that our technology is accessible and inclusive. Here’s how we’re continuing to prioritize accessibility:

• Adhering to standards: We maintain strict alignment with the WCAG 2.2 level AA, ensuring that Blink meets industry-recognized accessibility standards.
• Inclusive development: Accessibility is at our engineering core. From screen reader compatibility to clear navigation, we build with accessibility in mind at every stage.
• Transparent accessibility: We provide an up-to-date, transparent accessibility statement, outlining our efforts and providing information to our users.

Accessibility isn’t just about checking the box — it’s about empowering individuals and creating an environment where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive.

‍Blink. And create an inclusive employee experience at your organization.

In many organizations, the work WhatsApp group is the go-to place for company news.

The app provides a vital link between coworkers and managers. And it’s easy to see why. WhatsApp has a user-friendly interface, streamlined functionality, and a range of useful communication tools. It’s also sitting in the pocket of over 3 billion monthly active users.

The stats say it all. 1 in 3 UK workers relies on apps like WhatsApp and Telegram for workplace communication. And a huge 69% of frontline workers rely on personal text messaging apps to get their work done. 

So what’s the problem? Why shouldn’t employees use WhatsApp — or other consumer messaging apps like it?

The truth is, while these apps may be the height of convenience, they come with major risks for your organization. Risks that include data leaks, regulatory fines, legal liability, and cyber-attacks. And that’s before we even look at the dangers they pose to company culture.

In short, WhatsApp doesn’t work for work.

Here, we dive into the issues associated with consumer messaging apps and explore a safer alternative for team messaging.

The WhatsApp trap

Imagine you’re a frontline delivery driver. You spend limited time at the depot. You receive company news in a piecemeal fashion — from the depot bulletin board, from coworkers in the break room, and over phone calls with your manager.  

Your company has an employee intranet. But the mobile experience is clunky and hard to access without a corporate email address. You feel out of the loop, disconnected from your coworkers and from company culture.

So what do you do?

Option one. Do nothing. In which case, your workforce engagement is likely to take a dip and you may be tempted to hit the job boards.

Option two. Turn to the messaging tools you already use day to day. Use WhatsApp to ask about changes to today's employee scheduling, share route tips with fellow drivers, and request paid time off.

When your company experiences an internal communication tech gap, employees seek out other solutions. The most logical is always the consumer apps they use away from work.

Setup is frictionless — you can set up a group with coworkers in seconds. The app is instantly familiar. And (for employees at least) these apps do the job perfectly.

But, look under the hood, and this unofficial tech poses all sorts of problems for your organization.

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Why “shadow messaging” isn’t something you should overlook

Unofficial tech tools, unapproved by your IT team, are known as “shadow IT.” And while WhatsApp may provide a path of least resistance for employees, shadow messaging has no place within a security-conscious organization.

Beneath the convenience and (let’s be honest) that exceptional user experience, there’s no company oversight, no easy way to offboard users, and no data control. Here’s why shadow messaging tools like WhatsApp pose such a risk to your business.

Security and compliance risks

WhatsApp gives the perception of technical security. End-to-end encryption sounds pretty good, right? But that’s not the whole story.

Message backups stored in the cloud may not be encrypted. Phones can be lost or stolen. Ex-employees can continue to access conversations. And mistakes happen: Someone could send sensitive information to the wrong group, or add someone who doesn’t have the right security clearance.

If your company is subject to GDPR, HIPAA, or other data privacy regulations, consumer apps are a ticking time bomb. Sensitive customer data or internal information shared via WhatsApp can lead to data breaches and hefty compliance fines.

Reputational risks

Shadow messaging doesn’t just create compliance issues — it can threaten your company’s reputation, too.

Private chats are private…until they aren’t. A screenshot from a WhatsApp group can quickly circulate beyond the intended audience. Informal remarks may be misinterpreted when broadcast beyond a small team. Even small errors — like sharing internal updates before they’re ready for public consumption — can undermine credibility with stakeholders.

Consumer messaging apps make it nearly impossible to monitor and manage these risks. Administrative features like disappearing messages and the ability to make edits mean there’s no consistent audit trail. Organizations can’t easily verify what was said, who saw it, or when it was deleted.

These gaps raise critical questions. How long should employees retain work-related messages? What happens if group messages are deleted before they can be reviewed? How do you investigate disputes when evidence is scattered across personal devices?

Without centralized control, organizations are left exposed and at increased risk of PR headaches.

The cost to company culture

There’s a quieter risk at play here, too — the one posed to company culture. When you use WhatsApp or another consumer app for internal communication, instead of your own dedicated team chat app, there’s a cost in terms of the following:

• Oversight. No messaging analytics. No content hub. No unified inbox. No team-level access. Limited integration with other workplace tools. WhatsApp operates in a silo. So creating a connected culture is tough. What’s more, comms teams can’t track employee engagement or measure sentiment, so your organization struggles to make meaningful changes to the employee experience.

• Exclusivity. Without oversight, some employees inevitably get left out. Maybe a new starter never got added to the group, or some workers avoid using personal messaging apps for work-related chat. When some people are in the loop and others aren’t, information gaps form, resentment builds, and engagement suffers.

• Missed messages. Important and urgent updates get lost in the noise.

• Burnout. WhatsApp blurs the line between personal and professional. Managers may feel it’s fine to ping employees at any hour. Without clear boundaries, employees may struggle to fully switch off. The result? No downtime and an increased risk of stress and burnout.

• Informality. Here at Blink, we talk a lot about the value of authentic, human communication. But authentic and unprofessional are two very different things. When employees chat over a personal messaging tool, there’s a chance they drop their professional filter. The work chat becomes a place to vent frustrations or spread gossip, damaging the cultural values you’re trying to uphold.
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What safe employee messaging looks like

So if WhatsApp is too risky, what does good team messaging look like?

Safe, compliant messaging tools go beyond WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption. They give organizations the control and visibility they need, in one digital source of truth without sacrificing the speed or familiarity that employees crave.

Here’s what to look for.

• Centralized mobile access and identity management. Single sign-on (SSO) gives employees secure, frictionless access to group messaging and other workplace software, without juggling multiple passwords.
  
  
• Automated user management. With the help of SCIM (system for cross-domain identity management), you can automate the user lifecycle, creating accounts for new employees and automatically ending access when someone leaves your company.
  
  
• Moderation and governance tools. Admins can flag, review, and remove inappropriate content, protecting both employees and the business.
  
  
• Secure file sharing. Instead of forwarding PDFs and customer data over WhatsApp, files stay encrypted and traceable within your organization’s approved environment.
• Customizable notifications, read receipts, and acknowledgements so you know who got the message and can manage compliance and critical comms.
  
  
• Integrations. The best messaging tools connect seamlessly with workplace software — like Workday, ServiceNow, and Microsoft 365 — offering secure access to all the tools your teams need in real time.

Security features like these are paramount. But your tools need to go even further:

Remember all those reasons employees like using WhatsApp? 

• Mobile-first and simple. It’s instantly accessible.
• A second-to-none user experience that feels as intuitive and familiar as Instagram or TikTok. This is key for adoption.

The best team messaging solutions replicate this kind of consumer-grade user experience.  They give employees a streamlined, user-friendly way to chat with managers and coworkers. And they give them all the cutting-edge team communication tools they’re used to. 

The bigger picture: Using team messaging to build meaning

When you move beyond WhatsApp, you’re not just switching to a more secure tool. You’re opening up a world of employee communication possibilities. Because team messaging was never just about chat. It’s about connection, trust, and belonging.  

With a customizable, company-branded app, you can create a messaging experience that feels distinctly yours — one that supports your business goals and reflects your values.

By offering a mobile-first solution, you show frontline teams that they’re a valued part of company culture. You show everyone that easy, open communication is a foundation of your employee experience. And you create a space where respectful, inclusive, and collaborative communication is the norm.

Every message — from a company update to a simple “thanks for your hard work” — acts to reinforce what you want your organization to stand for.

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Transitioning from WhatsApp to a team messaging tool that’s built for work

Moving your teams away from WhatsApp is easier than you might think — particularly when you choose a secure, mobile-first platform like Blink.

Blink was built to replace risky, fragmented comms. It’s a mobile modern intranet platform, with all the channels you need for an effective internal communication strategy and beyond.

Our consumer-grade team messaging tool comes with notification controls, GIFs, emojis, the option to favorite your most frequently used chats, and the ability to highlight messages you want to return to at a later date.

Elsewhere on the app, you’ll find a content hub, news feed, coworker communities, modern social features, employee surveys, journeys workflows, recognition, digital forms, and integrations with the other workplace software you use.  

Most importantly, Blink uniquely combines consumer-grade UI and intuitive, flexible features with enterprise-grade automation and data security, ensuring compliance without compromising on adoption and engagement. 

Our app was built for everyone, particularly those who do not sit at a desk. And with a customer experience team on hand to provide support every step of the way, you can hit the ground running from the first day your app goes live.

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As year two of the COVID-19 pandemic comes to an end, many consumers and businesses wonder what the new normal will bring. 

Are social distancing policies and mask mandates here to stay? Nobody can say for sure, but there’s no going back completely to a pre-pandemic world. 

Frontline workers will bear the brunt of constant policy changes as we work towards a new way of working and living. Healthcare workers who faced unprecedented workplace risks are now battling symptoms of post-traumatic stress syndrome such as chronic anxiety, reduced social lives, flashbacks, and nightmares.

That’s why businesses must prioritize employee mental health and wellness, particularly on the frontlines, to protect their employees and make it possible for them to keep doing the work they love. 

The costs of ignoring frontline worker wellness

You can’t afford to ignore employee mental health, especially on the frontline. 

During the pandemic, frontline health care workers reported stress, anxiety, frustration, and exhaustion as the most common symptoms of poor workplace mental health.

Matt Peterson, a nurse in the Sanford Health pulmonary unit recalls, “​​[I]t would be a struggle to fall asleep at times. I would be very wired… and that doesn’t really go down when you get home; it takes several hours.”

As employees struggle with burnout symptoms, job performance, engagement, and morale begin to plummet and many employees choose to leave.

Losing employees takes a toll on your business. Every time you need to replace a frontline employee, you spend money on recruiting, onboarding, and training. And your workplace environment can suffer from lost productivity, engagement, and more customer service errors that happen when you hire someone new. 

Instead, you can avoid this cycle by taking care of your existing employees and prioritizing their mental health at work.

Benefits of investing in employee mental health

Investing in employee mental health on the frontline creates a positive impact for your team, your customers, and your business as a whole. 

Rikke Bräuner is the Nordic diversity and inclusion lead for EY, and believes:

“Mental well-being transmits positively across an organization  —  just as it can have a negative impact if an individual on a team does not thrive. That is why it is so important for us to focus on mental health and how we find purpose and balance in our working life  —  both in our organizational culture and leadership philosophy.”

Specifically, the benefits of prioritizing mental health include:

• Higher attendance rates
• Better work quality
• Improved productivity
• Increased employee retention
• Better customer experience

When you take care of your frontline workers, you empower them to take better care of your customers. 

7 ways to improve frontline employee mental health 

Now that you know the benefits of investing in mental health on the frontline, here are seven steps you can take to create a work environment that empowers your team to perform their best and find a purpose they can connect to at work. 

1. Invest in employee well-being

One of the best ways to improve employee mental health at work is by providing tools that promote well-being, self-care, and stress management.

Wellbeing is a state of positive physical and emotional health where your employees feel a sense of purpose and can manage their stress in productive ways. 

You can support your frontline employees by offering benefits such as access to mental health services, gym subscriptions, and meditation apps. Investing in mental health resources promotes better work-life balance and improves employee engagement while at work.

2. Consistently collect feedback 

Having a sense of connection and purpose is vital to employee mental health and engagement at work. But frontline workers often feel disconnected and excluded from the company.

Ditanya Rosebud, a nursing home cook and hostess, describes the feeling like this:

“The company shows no compassion. We are just another body. That’s it.”

She loves her work and caring for patients, but her disconnection from the organization is demoralizing. 

Make sure your frontline workers feel a sense of teamwork from headquarters by leveraging mobile solutions for internal communications and recognizing the work they do. 

3. Provide mental health training to managers

When managers receive training on mental health in the workplace, their employees are more likely to use the mental health resources that the company provides. Without managerial involvement, employees may worry that using mental health resources will hurt their growth potential at work.

It’s not enough for human resources to stay up to date on the latest mental health research. You need to educate and empower frontline managers. 

Think of them as your internal frontline workforce.

Try creating a mental health training course that teaches managers to identify red flags and discuss mental health support options with their team.

4. Identify your business’s mental health risks

Don’t just implement a blanket mental health initiative and call it a day. Get practical and focus on the most significant wellness risks in your business.

For example, does your business require long hours or night shifts? Is the work physically taxing? Are employees putting their health at risk by going to work? 

Find out the primary mental well-being issues facing your frontline workers and address them head-on. You can use these red flags to help you identify which mental health programs have the most benefits for your employees. If your business requires night shifts, you can provide resources about adjusting to them by managing sleep patterns, diet, and social life.

5. Normalize conversations about mental health

Frontline businesses have a long-standing tradition of sweeping mental health issues under the rug. Jennifer Feist, a health care worker advocate, told the California Health Care Foundation,

“It is a well-established premise in health care that you do not seek mental health care, you just don’t.”

You can’t address an employee’s mental health concerns if you don’t know about them. And changing the stigma around mental health conversations must come from the top. 

See if you have leaders who are willing to discuss their personal experiences or bring in guest speakers. 

Most importantly, continue to prove to your frontline workers that you’re eager to listen, and talking about their mental health challenges won’t put their careers at risk.

6. Scan for signs of low morale

Don’t wait for employee mental health to reach a critical state before you tackle it. Be proactive and look for signs of low morale and poor mental health conditions on the frontline.

Patterns such as an increase in absenteeism, higher turnover, and staff complaints all mean there could be low morale at work. And when productive employees start to slip in their performance or withdraw from team members, that means they could be struggling with mental health problems. 

Wherever you see signs of mental health-related issues, check in with your employees to find out what’s going on in their lives and see how you can improve their work experience. It’s better to find out early and take action than to discover problems after someone has quit. 

7. Ensure safety in the workplace

Unsafe work environments are another risk factor when it comes to employee mental health. Employees are constantly worried about workplace accidents or exposure to illness or harmful chemicals. They’re also more likely to experience low morale and even symptoms of anxiety.

Rebecca, a nurse from Albuquerque, recalls watching hospital management lock up N95 masks. She told NBC, "It's really demoralizing to see someone lock them up in front of you knowing that you might need one of those," she said. "The whole scene was very symbolic of how all this was going to go down.”

Instead of expecting frontline workers to risk illness or injury at work, show them you value their well-being by establishing safety procedures for employee mental and physical health. 

Final thoughts: 7 ways to improve employee mental health on the frontline

Changes like these take time. You can’t revamp company culture overnight, but you can start right now. 

There are many elements of the new normal you can’t control. But you can choose to make prioritizing employee mental health part of your company’s future. As an employer, you have the opportunity to create a working environment where your employees can thrive because they have a sense of purpose and belonging.

It’s up to you to decide what kind of leader you want to be. If you make it your responsibility to support your frontline workers, you’ll see that investment rewarded in several ways, from the customer experience to your bottom line. 

Learn more about employee engagement solutions from Blink and start making frontline employee health part of your new normal today.

Good internal communication is the glue that holds organizations together. It keeps everyone informed, aligned, and connected — helping employees understand company priorities and feel part of a shared purpose.

In 2026, internal communication involves more than noticeboards and scattered email threads. Organizations with hybrid or frontline teams need modern internal communication platforms like Blink to connect employees, simplify updates, and enable easy collaboration. 

A successful internal communication strategy includes all communication types: top-down, bottom-up, and peer-to-peer. These channels work together to connect employees and ensure information flows throughout your organization.

For larger or dispersed teams, achieving this can feel like a tall order. But with the right internal communication software, even global workforces can stay connected and engaged.

Luckily, many new tools and platforms can help your company improve communication. 

So, which platforms are worth your investment? 
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Types of internal communication tools and platforms

Before diving into specific providers, it helps to understand the main types of internal communication software shaping the modern workplace in 2026.

The most effective organizations use a combination of these tools — or a single employee experience platform like Blink, which combines many of these functions into a single mobile-first solution.

Instant messaging tools

Internal communication isn’t just top-down. Co-worker collaboration tools keep conversations flowing across teams and locations by enabling quick information sharing, file exchange, and informal social connections.

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Advantages:

• A communication tool that allows employees to chat and share information (along with emojis and GIFs)
• Most instant messaging tools are available on both desktop and mobile
• Messaging tools can be used for communication between co-workers, but also for information-sharing between leadership and employees

Best tools: Blink, Slack, Jive, Workvivo

Emails and newsletters

Digital newsletters have always been great for sharing essential company updates. Modern tools enhance this channel with templates, analytics, and branded content delivery.

Best tools: ContactMonkey, Axero, Poppulo, Staffbase

Audio and video conferencing tools

Rewind a decade and video conferencing probably wouldn’t be one of the top staff communication tools on your list. Today, however, in a world of remote and hybrid teams, video conferencing tools are a workplace essential. They allow employees to talk face-to-face, even when they’re not based in the same office.Now a workplace essential, these tools make remote and hybrid meetings seamless — from one-to-one calls to company-wide events.

Best tools: Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams

Employee recognition center

Recognition platforms reward effort and build engagement by blending social recognition with tangible rewards to boost morale and employee retention.

Best tools: Blink, Bonusly, Unily

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Employee engagement and surveys

Engage your employees and you experience countless benefits, including improved productivity, customer loyalty, and profitability. But if you really want to improve employee engagement, you need to measure it.

Employee surveys and feedback forms are an essential part of any internal communication toolkit. They support bottom-up communication and give you valuable insight into how employees really feel about working for your firm.

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Best tools: Blink, SurveyMonkey, Bonusly, Qualtrics

Company news feed

A private, social-style feed alerts employees to company updates and important cultural moments.

Best tools: Blink, Workvivo, Staffbase, Happeo

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Project management

Project management platforms keep work visible, accountable, and collaborative.

Best tools: Asana, monday.com

Intranet

Evolving beyond traditional intranets, these tools now enable engagement, two-way communication, and document collaboration.

Best tools: Blink, Simpplr, Happeo, Unily

Employee communication app

Mobile-first employee communication apps centralize updates, messaging, and engagement features — ideal for hybrid and frontline teams.

Best tools: Blink, Workvivo

Employee experience platform

These top-tier employee experience platforms offer a user-friendly way to access messaging, news, surveys, recognition programs, and HR functions.

These platforms go beyond communication — supporting onboarding, engagement, and culture-building.

Best tools: Blink, Workvivo, Staffbase

The takeaway:

Modern internal communication relies on an integrated ecosystem or a unified platform like Blink, which simplifies your tech stack and enhances workforce connection.

Blink serves as a mobile-first communication app, a modern intranet, a recognition tool, and a complete employee experience platform. That agility makes it ideal for companies looking to streamline their technology and boost employee engagement.

20 best internal communication tools

Ready to find the right comms solution for your organization? Take a look at our round-up of the best internal communication tools for 2025.

1. Blink

Blink is a modern internal communication tool and employee experience platform that brings together messaging, news, surveys, recognition, and analytics into a single mobile-first solution. It’s designed for organizations that want to improve communication, engagement, and access to information across both desk-based and frontline teams.

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As a mobile-first internal communication platform, Blink’s unified interface lets teams share updates, message peers, and access essential workplace applications in real time, without a corporate email address — no matter their location.

Unlike single-purpose messaging apps, Blink functions as an all-in-one internal communication software, combining collaboration and employee engagement tools in one place.

Features like pulse surveys, recognition, and content personalization enable two-way communication and make company-wide updates more meaningful.

Blink also includes social-style communication features — such as Stories, Communities, and a personalized news feed — that make information sharing intuitive and engaging. Built-in analytics help leaders understand message reach, engagement trends, and content effectiveness.

Pros

• Unified internal communication toolset: Blink combines chat, news, surveys, recognition, and analytics.
• Mobile-first accessibility: It works on smartphones and desktops, and doesn`t require a company email.
• Personalized communication: Blink’s audience segmentation and employee journeys ensure targeted updates.
• Seamless integrations: Connects with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, HRIS, and scheduling tools.
• Data-driven insights: The analytics dashboards measure communication performance and engagement.

Cons

• The search functionality could benefit from more advanced filtering and refinement options.

Pricing

Pricing is available on request

Use Cases

• Strengthening culture and alignment through data-informed communication strategies
• Connecting hybrid and frontline teams with one internal communication platform
• Centralizing all company messages, tools, and resources in a single hub

Improving engagement through interactive multimedia content

2. Asana

Asana is a well-known project management tool and, if you use it, you’re in good company. Around 85% of Fortune 100 companies say they use Asana.

With this workplace communication platform, you can create, prioritize, and allocate tasks. You can view tasks in timeline, board, and list formats — and track your progress toward milestones.

The visual format makes it easy to see which tasks your team needs to complete first. And the process of identifying and remedying project bottlenecks becomes much easier too.

Pros

• A free version that supports 10 members and comes with unlimited storage, tasks, and messages
• A clean, intuitive interface and a comprehensive selection of project and task management tools
• Comes with a mobile app so employees can keep of track of projects on the go
• Good integration with third-party tools

Cons

• A high volume of email notifications can be frustrating for users
• One of the more expensive project management solutions available
• The mobile experience pales in comparison to the desktop experience
• Collaboration tools aren’t as extensive and effective as those of other project management tools on the market

Pricing

Monthly pricing for Asana starts at a basic free plan. A business plan costs $24.99 per user per month when billed annually.

Use cases

• Giving remote teams the tools they need to manage projects effectively
• Cross-team collaboration
• Status updates and reporting — leaders can view dashboards and reports to stay informed of project progress.

3. Jive

Jive is a community-building communication tool that you can use for top-down, bottom-up, and peer-to-peer connection. Team members can share photos, videos, documents, status updates, and blog posts. They can also decide whether their post gets seen by one team member, a specific group, or the whole organization.

Another great feature of Jive is its People Directory. Here, employees can search for co-workers they want to connect with, based on their skills, endorsements, and favorite activities.

Pros

• Jive is an all-purpose business communication tool
• Supports personalized news updates
• Provides a single inbox so employees can manage all company communications and conversations in one place

Cons

• Jive has a complicated interface and a cluttered layout that can be difficult for users to understand and navigate
• Limited integrations with the other workplace tools you use
• Some users say the Jive mobile app is slow and clunky with lackluster features

Pricing

Pricing is available on request.

Use cases

• Creating a centralized hub for updates and document sharing
• Personalizing company updates to make them more relevant and engaging
• Giving employees the tools they need to interact with leadership, managers, and coworkers

4. Zoom

Zoom is often listed as one of the most reliable video conferencing platforms. It offers excellent audio and visual quality, even when internet connection is patchy, and it’s really easy to use.

You can record meetings, direct meeting participants to breakout rooms, and make use of a meeting annotation function. Zoom offers a range of other useful features too, including an online whiteboard and virtual working spaces (known as Zoom Huddles). 

Pros

• User-friendly interface
• Can run small one-to-one meetings, large conferences, and anything in between
• Advanced features include breakout rooms and webinar hosting

Cons

• Zoom can be expensive for larger teams, with add-ons needed for meetings of more than 500 participants

Pricing

A Pro plan, for up to 99 users, costs $15.99 per user per month. A Business Plan, for up to 250 users and with a greater range of features, costs $21.99 per user per month.

Use cases

• Running live meetings and webinars
• Supporting video and audio communication for hybrid and remote teams

5. Bonusly

Bonusly gives you all the tools you need to run a successful recognition program. Via an intuitive platform, employees can tag peers and congratulate them on their accomplishments. Congratulated employees earn points, which they can then use to claim their preferred reward — a gift card, cash, or a charitable donation. 

Reporting tools give leaders insight into team dynamics and patterns of recognition. It helps you to discover top performers and identify people who haven’t had any recognition in a while.

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Pros

• A user-friendly interface and next to no learning curve
• The option to tailor recognition programs to fit your culture and values
• Out-of-the-box integrations with other workplace tools including Workday, Asana, and Slack

Cons

• Limited analytics — so it can be hard for companies to understand employee engagement and recognition patterns

Pricing

Monthly pricing options for Bonusly starts at $2 per user.

Use cases

• Strengthening company culture and employee morale with regular recognition, even when employees are working remotely
• Creating a culture of peer-to-peer recognition — employees can award points and praise to their co-workers

6. Axero

Axero is an internal comms platform designed to unify teams, increase productivity, and improve workplace culture. It features mass email tools, an activity stream, a blogging platform, and instant messaging.

Using Axero, you can create a central hub for files, communications, and company updates. Collaboration features also come in handy, with space for team discussions and the option to co-edit documents.

Pros

• Axero’s customer service is responsive and helpful
• Good customization and integration options
• A comprehensive employee directory that makes it easy for staff to find and connect with co-workers

Cons

• A steep learning curve — users say that Axero can be overwhelming for beginners
• Some users say that Axero functionality lags behind that of other intranet competitors
• Limited features on the mobile version 

Pricing

Pricing is available on request.

Use cases

• Creating a single hub for news, updates, and resources
• Supporting collaboration across your company, with file sharing and team discussions
• Building a personalized employee experience, with custom dashboards tailored to the roles and departments of employees

7. ContactMonkey

ContactMonkey is one of the best newsletter platforms available. Unlike some of its competitors, ContactMonkey integrates with both Outlook and Gmail so you can send emails from and receive replies to your usual inbox.

The platform provides an easy-to-use, drag-and-drop email builder. Multiple team members can collaborate on the same email. And analytics tools help you judge which newsletter content is best engaging your workforce, so you can create more of the same.

Pros

• Employee survey tools so you can email your surveys to the workforce with ease
• Integration with Outlook and Gmail
• SMS integration that allows you to reach employees with urgent updates
• Real-time tracking and analytics — so you get insight into email open rates and click-throughs

Cons

• You can only use ContactMonkey for internal emails, not external marketing emails
• Only supports communication over email, which may not be particularly engaging or appropriate for all organizations
• Unlikely to fulfill all your internal communication needs

Pricing

Prices start from $600 per month for 500 employees. Prices for more extensive plans are available on request.

Use cases

• Engaging email and newsletter communication for employees
• Launching employee surveys to help you acquire useful feedback

8. Slack

Slack is an instant messaging tool that supports asynchronous communication. Slack works well for desk-based employees who have access to other platforms, like Google Drive. Slack doesn’t work as well for on-the-go, field-based employees, who don’t have such easy access to separate cloud storage.

People within your organization can launch chat threads, including as many or as few team members as they like. They can create threads for different projects, departments, and topics. Teams also get access to little extras, like file sharing, message search, and a task reminder function.

Pros

• User-friendly interface
• Integration with a wide range of other workplace software
• Customizable notifications

Cons

• Doesn’t work well for teams who are on the go — Slack is most suited to desk-based teams
• Can be hard to find what you’re looking for across multiple chats and channels

Pricing

Slack offers a limited free plan. Paid plans start from $8.75 per user per month.

Use cases

• Ensuring real-time communication between dispersed team members
• Providing a variety of internal communication channels — including direct messages, group chats, and channels

Read more: Top Slack alternatives

9. SurveyMonkey

SurveyMonkey has made it to our employee survey top spot for its ease of use. This employee communications platform has lots of survey templates to choose from and, if speed is your priority, lots of features that help you get employee feedback fast.

You can choose from hundreds of expert-written questions or write your own. And with the help of custom templates, you can find or create surveys for any situation, whether you want to conduct 360 reviews, find out your Net Promoter score, or seek feedback on your employee engagement efforts.

Pros

• Ease of use — SurveyMonkey has a clean, uncluttered interface that employees will enjoy using
• Using the Genius Assistant and the “build it for me” feature, you can create surveys quickly
• Excellent analytics that help you make sense of employee responses

Cons

• Limited free features
• Limited customization options, so you may struggle to create complex or specialized surveys

Pricing

Prices start from $30 per user per month.

Use cases

• Boosting employee satisfaction and engagement with the help of employee feedback
• Making it easy for your teams to launch and respond to employee surveys 

10. Microsoft SharePoint

Microsoft SharePoint is a file-sharing software that integrates seamlessly with the other Microsoft tools you may already use. You can create branded document libraries called sites, customizing them for document collaboration or top-down comms.

Teams get to share news, documents, and data. They can also edit documents collaboratively — setting notifications so they know when a co-worker makes changes.

Pros

• Easy integration with other Microsoft products
• Allows you to segment employees by division, giving each division its own calendar and visual timeline
• Customization options so you can build forms, workflows, and custom applications for your teams

Cons

• Not particularly user-friendly, especially on mobile
• Cost of implementation is high and adoption rates tend to be low

Pricing

A basic SharePoint plan costs $5 per user per month.

Use cases

• Project collaboration — teams can co-edit documents and manage workflows
• An easy way for desk-based teams to access company documents and resources
• Using internal announcements and newsletters to communicate with all employees

11. Monday.com

Monday.com is a project management tool that supports comms and employee engagement. You can use this internal communications software to create and assign tasks, track project progress, and create performance-tracking templates for employees.

Team members receive notifications when action is required. And an easy-to-use visual interface makes it easy to see where each project is up to at a glance.

Pros

• A comprehensive set of project management tools
• Customizable project templates to get you started
• A weekly overview so you can see tasks and project milestones you need to tackle over the next few days

Cons

• The backend of this business communication software is complicated and involves a steep learning curve
• Limited comms tools so Monday.com isn’t useful as a standalone business communication platform

Pricing

Prices start from $8 per user per month.

Use cases

• Improving project management and work collaboration
• Task and workflow automation to streamline repetitive processes

12. Workvivo

Workvivo is an intranet software company owned by Zoom. You can use this internal communication tool to improve comms, employee engagement, and recognition, too. You can also make use of multiple communication channels and employee feedback tools.

Standout features include live broadcasting tools, so you can launch live streams and podcasts. You can also create microsites, where teams and special interest groups can create their own, tailored communities.

Pros

• Strong translation abilities for multilingual organizations
• An engaging, social-media-style interface that will feel familiar to employees
• Rich communication tools including a news feed and instant messaging (available through integrations with tools like Slack, MS Teams, and Zoom meetings)

Cons

• Chat functionality on the mobile app falls behind the desktop experience
• Advanced features — including chat, Workvivo TV, and advanced analytics — are add-ons that come at an additional cost
• Admins say they want better customization options and improved third-party integrations

Pricing

Workvivo’s Business Plan starts at $20,000.

Use cases

• Creating engaging, social-media-style communications
• Ensuring internal communications move in all directions — top-down, bottom-up, and peer-to-peer
• Opening up internal communications to deskless employees

Read more: Top Workvivo alternatives

13. Staffbase

Staffbase is an internal communication platform designed to connect and engage employees. It brings company news, messaging, and resources into one place, making it easier for you to reach your workforce — whether they’re remote, hybrid, deskless, or office-based.

With Staffbase, you can communicate over the company intranet and send emails and SMS, all from one centralized dashboard. You can also create tailored content paths so employees receive the right information at the right time.

Pros

• A great user experience across desktop and mobile versions
• Brings a range of communication and workplace functions into one location, supporting top-down, bottom-up, and peer-to-peer conversations
• Built-in reporting so you can see how employees are using the platform and interacting with your content
• You can customize the platform so it matches the look and feel of your branding

Cons

• Some add-ons and integrations come at an additional cost
• There are few out-of-the-box features on the employee app
• Search functionality and integrations aren’t as good as they could be

Pricing

Pricing is available on request.

Use cases

• Launching employee surveys with in-built tools
• Creating a single source of truth within your organization thanks to communication channels that all workers can access
• Making comms more personal, with the option to segment your audience and deliver relevant content to different employee groups

14. Poppulo

Poppulo is an email and mobile communications software. It also provides digital signage functionality and digital tools for desk and meeting room management.

You can target messages based on location, role, or interests to cut through the noise. You can also access tools for planning and promoting internal events, like town halls and team meetings.

Pros

• Omni-channel communications, across email, SMS, intranet, and digital signage
• Drag and drop email design tools plus advanced personalization
• Strong analytics — Poppulo gives comms teams clear visibility into message performance

Cons

• Poppulo is more complex than some of the other tools on this list, so there can be quite a learning curve
• While it brings multiple communication channels together, Poppulo isn’t comprehensive enough to work as a standalone company communication system

Pricing

Pricing is available on request.

Use cases

• Enterprise email communication and analytics
• Improving the quality of email messaging with employee segmentation tools
• Managing office workspace among hybrid teams

15. Qualtrics

Qualtrics is an employee survey and feedback tool. You can use it to capture employee data via surveys and passive listening — and discover how your business is doing across metrics like intent to stay, engagement, inclusion, and wellbeing.

Surveys are easy to customize, with advanced question types and logic, while analytics and reporting tools help you turn insights into actionable strategies. 

Pros

• Flexible survey design options
• Powerful analytics and reporting capabilities
• AI tools that guide you to take action based on your employee feedback findings

Cons

• Using advanced features effectively may require training
• Qualtrics can be overly expensive for smaller businesses

Pricing

Pricing is available on request.

Use cases

• Improving employee satisfaction and engagement with the help of regular surveys
• Creating a culture of 360 feedback to improve the effectiveness of management and leadership

16. Happeo

Happeo is a Google-based intranet that provides a centralized location for all internal communications. It provides a hub for company news, documents, and collaboration tools.

Key features include a social intranet, an employee directory, and an intuitive search function. You can also use AI tools to find and fix gaps in your knowledge base. 

Pros

• Easy integration with Google Workspace tools
• Excellent search functions so it’s easy to find the people, posts, and integrated third-party apps you’re looking for
• The option to create hubs and communities based on departments, roles, and shared interests

Cons

• Limited integrations beyond the Google suite
• A web-first platform, best suited to desk-based teams

Pricing

Pricing is available on request.

Use cases

• Creating a centralized hub for updates and document sharing
• Building company culture and employee engagement
• Connecting hybrid, remote, and office-based teas

Read more: Top Happeo alternatives

17. Unily

Unily is an employee experience and internal communications tool. It provides features that support its “four cornerstones” of digital employee experience: Alignment, Engagement, Enablement, and Simplicity.

Key features include email, employee feedback, and recognition tools. You can design, sequence, and automate employee journeys so staff receive relevant information at the right time. You can also use gamification features to improve intranet engagement.

Pros

• An excellent desktop version, with an engaging and intuitive user experience
• Fine-grained controls for admins
• A good range of notifications

Cons

• Mixed opinions on Unily’s customer service and ability to support its partners
• Translating Unily’s comprehensive desktop features to mobile is a challenge for admins

Pricing

Pricing is available on request.

Use cases

• Creating channels for company-wide communications
• Boosting employee engagement with dynamic content and gamification
• Making recognition a key part of company culture

Read more: Top Unily alternatives

18. Simpplr

A comprehensive intranet platform, Simpplr supports internal communication and employee engagement. It provides a user-friendly, social-media-style interface and provides AI-driven content recommendations.

Standout features include employee listening tools, surveys, and a recognition program. There are also lots of communication channels you can use across email, SMS, a mobile app, and desktop software.

Pros

• An intuitive, uncluttered interface
• Strong analytics that make it easy to track engagement metrics and content performance
• Great search functions

Cons

• Difficult login process, with multiple links provided
• Some users say the struggle to integrate Simpplr with their preferred third-party apps
• Advanced features can be expensive

Pricing

Pricing is available on request.

Use cases

• Making employee feedback and listening a key part of company culture
• Creating a centralized hub for communications, resources, and community
• Bringing large organizations and distributed teams together

Read more: Top Simpplr alternatives

19. Google Meet

Google Meet is a video conferencing and virtual meeting tool. It’s integrated into Google Workspace, so it connects easily to Gmail, Calendar, and any other Google tools your team happens to use.

It’s incredibly easy to use via an internet browser so users don’t even have to download the software. This makes it one of the most accessible virtual meeting tools currently available.

Pros

• Easy to set up and use
• The ability to hold meetings with up to 1,000 participants
• Chat, emoji, and screen share functions available during meetings

Cons

• You need additional tools to fulfil all internal communication needs
• Fewer advanced features compared to Zoom and Microsoft Teams

Pricing

Prices start from $6 per user per month.

Use cases

• Virtual team meetings, webinars, and company-wide announcements
• One-on-one video meetings
• Virtual training and employee onboarding 

20. Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams combines instant messaging, video conferencing, and file-sharing tools. As you’d expect, it offers the best possible integration with other Microsoft Office tech. You can use a selection of tools to create an all-round internal communication solution.

You can use Teams to run video meetings and team chats when your employees are working remotely or across different locations.

Pros

• Strong integration with other Microsoft products
• Secure communication and file sharing

Cons

• Interface isn’t particularly engaging and there are few social-media-style features
• Teams is designed for desktop use so mobile users don’t get the same user experience

Pricing

Prices start from $4 per user per month.

Use cases

• Creating digital channels for internal communication and project management
• Launching video and audio calls and sharing company-wide updates
• Bringing remote and hybrid teams together, even when they’re working in different locations

Read more: Top Teams alternatives

Choosing an internal communication tool for your frontline organization (2026)

The right choice depends on your organization’s structure, workforce, and goals — particularly if you operate with hybrid or frontline teams.

For frontline organizations, the most significant communication challenge is dispersion. To resolve this, every employee should receive critical updates and feel part of the same company culture, even if they rarely visit headquarters.

To build a sense of belonging, choose a mobile-first internal communication platform that’s user-friendly and equally accessible for all.

To identify the best fit, ask yourself these four questions when evaluating internal communication software:

#1. Is your organization office-based, or do you have deskless workers to consider?

Some internal communication tools suit desk-based teams, such as intranets designed for desktop access. However, these are often unsuitable for reaching frontline workers who rely on smartphones.

To prevent information gaps, look for mobile-first internal communication solutions that offer the same functionality across devices. A dedicated mobile app ensures equal access and engagement across every team member — no matter where they work.

#2. Do your employees have regular opportunities to connect during the workday?

Connection drives performance, and employees who feel they belong are much more engaged and productive.

The problem for frontline teams is that they often lack organic “water cooler” moments. Using internal communication tools that enable social-style interaction — such as chat, feeds, and communities — fosters real-time collaboration between field and office teams.

#3. How much time can your employees spend on internal comms each day?

As frontline employees are busy serving customers, maintaining operations, or working off-site, they need a simple and reliable communication platform. 

When evaluating tools, prioritize their ease of use, onboarding speeds, and precise message delivery.

Also check adoption rates and engagement levels as they’re powerful indicators of how smoothly a tool integrates into your daily workflow.

#4. How many internal communication goals do you want to cover?

Some platforms specialize in single functions, such as surveys, document sharing, or project management. Others, like all-in-one employee communication platforms, combine these capabilities.

To streamline your tech stack while enhancing connection and engagement, choose an internal communication tool that supports multiple channels — chat, news, surveys, recognition, and analytics — within one system.

The importance of internal communications in an organization

Every organization — frontline or otherwise — needs an effective internal communication strategy that unites employees behind the company culture and values, improves collaboration, and enhances retention.

Strong internal communication also supports:

• Company connection: When employees feel aligned with organizational goals, engagement and satisfaction rise
• Change management: Transparent communication ensures buy-in during transitions
• Problem-solving: Clear, direct messaging limits misinformation and strengthens trust
• Productivity: Employees perform best when information is easy to find and act upon

Many internal communication tools support these goals — from instant messaging and surveys to intranets and recognition platforms. For frontline teams, the right solution must be mobile-first and easy to access on the go.

The right internal communication software can transform a disconnected team into a cohesive, informed community. 

Blink shows how this works by helping companies like Go North West connect all their employees through a single digital hub.

Blink. And transform company communication with an all-in-one internal communication platform built for every worker.

With shifts in working patterns over the past couple of years, maintaining employee productivity has seemed like an uphill battle for many employers!

The good news: your employees genuinely want to do good work. If you provide them with the right tools, environment and support, you’ll get great performance in return. 

The slightly-less-than-good-news: you need to do this amidst ongoing uncertainty around COVID and potentially figure out the ramifications of permanent hybrid and remote working arrangements. 

This isn’t always easy – but it is doable. Gallup reports that it recorded its highest ever percentage of engaged employees in 2021. Given the links between employee productivity and engagement, this is a really solid starting point for your efforts. 

This 101 guide will help you understand a little more about employee productivity, how to increase it and its ties with employee engagement. 

What is employee productivity? 

‘Employee productivity’ is a measure of performance which tracks the amount of output each employee creates per unit of work. 

If that sounds a little fiddly to you…you’re absolutely right. 

Unlike ‘workforce productivity’ (also known as ‘labor productivity’) which measures the output of your workforce as a whole, employee productivity is a completely individual measure. 

What does that mean? 

Firstly, it’s more difficult to define. Each of your employees plays a vital role in the success of your business. What constitutes a ‘unit of productive output’ for your marketing team? What about your frontline retail staff or your drivers?  

Secondly, it’s more difficult to measure. You can measure the output of your workforce as a whole relatively easily. Because not every employee will work in a position with an easily definable output, you’ll need to seriously consider how to adjust your approach for different positions in your organization. 

How to improve employee productivity 

Investopedia identifies three key factors that increase labor productivity: 

• Physical capital
• Technological progress
• Human capital development

We think that exactly the same applies when you’re trying to increase employee productivity. After all, the output from each of your employees adds up to the output of your business as a whole. Employee productivity is the individual building block of organizational success. 

‘Technological advancement’ feels particularly important with the drastic rise in hybrid and remote working caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. A 2021 study found that home workers dealt with a gruelling four tech problems a week on average, whilst 24% said they didn’t have adequate tools to do their job. 

Equally, whilst tech is a major factor in keeping employees productive, it’s not a cure-all. You can invest in all of the latest collaboration tools – AI note-taking tools, augmented reality conferencing solutions, the rest – but it won’t make a difference if your workforce is directionless, confused, and unmotivated.  

Here are a few steps you can take to improve employee productivity – both tech and people-focused. 

Set clear goals, expectations and priorities

Having solid goals to work towards helps employees remain focused and productive. If they have a clear idea of what to expect, they can figure out how to meet those expectations and prioritize accordingly. 

Set deadlines, but contextualize them. “I need this done by Wednesday lunchtime” comes across as needlessly authoritarian and creates stress for the sake of it. “I need this by Wednesday lunchtime so that we can pass onto the production team in time for our to-market target” draws your employees in by emphasizing how important their work is to the wider organization. 

Invest in your workforce

In the USA, there are now 5 million more unfilled job vacancies than there are unemployed workers. Getting the most from your existing workforce has never been more important. 

Invest time and capital building your workforce’s skills. Offering training – whether in person or e-learning – both allows your employees to do their job more effectively and shows that you’re invested in their long-term career development. Employees work harder and get more done as a result. 

Work on building employee trust

Can you trust your direct report to follow instructions and complete tasks on time? 

It’s a valid question, but it’s really only half of the equation. 

Can they trust you to support them in their goals, be transparent about company developments, communicate effectively and respect their time (such as by approving leave requests promptly without follow up)?

Trust in any relationship goes both ways. If you uphold your end of the bargain with support and respect, you’ll see increased morale and productivity as a result. 

Identify issues first. Then find the tech that helps

Since the pandemic began, the market for productivity apps & tools has exploded. It’s tempting if you’ve seen productivity levels dropping, to dive right in and rectify the problem immediately. 

Take a step back. Before you commit to anything, work out which issues are currently barriers to employee productivity and look for tech solutions for those specific problems. 

For example, virtual kanban boards like Trello can make managing large, desk-based departments much easier with notifications and deadline reminders, immediate visibility into task completion and an easy-to-follow visual layout. Would it offer the same benefits to rapid-fire ER healthcare teams, whose work priorities and tasks shift rapidly throughout the day? 

Employee engagement and productivity

Setting clear goals, investing in your workforce, building employee trust and providing time-saving tech solutions all increase employee productivity. 

Why? 

It’s because they also increase employee engagement – and engaged employees are 17% more productive than non-engaged employees. Understanding how these two concepts are linked is essential in building employee productivity in the long term.   

‘Employee engagement' has been a fundamental concept in people strategy circles for the past decade. There’s no absolute definition, but we like global advisory firm Gallup’s for its simplicity and directness: 

“Employee engagement as the involvement and enthusiasm of employees in their work and workplace.”

If we had to simplify it even more: employee engagement measures how much your employees buy into your organization. Do they support your organization’s goals, see their work as meaningful and see their career developing at your business over time? Or, are they disinterested, doing the bare minimum and about to jump ship?

Highly engaged teams are more productive. If employees feel involved, respected and needed in the workplace, they innovate more, collaborate willingly and are significantly more motivated – and they’re much less likely to leave, which your hiring budget will thank you for. 

How to measure employee productivity

As we discussed above, there isn’t a catch-all approach to employee productivity measurement 

As such, your line managers will need to be involved in measuring employee productivity from step one, setting goals and analyzing performance from their direct reports to find effective ways to motivate each individual employee. 

Here are a few tools your managers can use to get started. 

Percentage of goals met

If you offer clear objectives and goals for each employee, check in on how effectively they’re completing these. Measuring the percentage of goals met gives a good baseline understanding of overall employee performance.  

Benchmarks and targets

Businesses now hold more past performance data than ever before. Use this data to set realistic targets and benchmarks for employees, taking into account seasonality and external conditions. 

Revenue per employee

How much revenue did you make last quarter? Divide it by the number of employees to give an average of revenue generated per hire. 

Employee productivity software: how to track employee productivity 

It isn’t easy to track employee productivity at the best of times. With the increase in home-working and virtual collaboration, the employee digital experience makes this even harder. 

Employee productivity tracking software is a great way to get insights into how your team is performing, particularly in remote and hybrid environments. You may find some employee experience software has this built in as standard.

The key to success here is not to use tracking software completely negatively. It’s as effective at identifying the habits of top performers (and allowing you to reward and share them) as it is for picking up potentially disengaged employees. 

And, when you do use it to identify which employees are lagging behind, you can target coaching to their specific needs to address any potential weak spots and turn their performance around. 

When you’re looking for employee tracking software, these features are must-haves: 

• Timesheets 
• Time tracking
• Attendance management
• Task management
• Location tracking for frontline mobile employees
• Alerts for protocol breaches
• Browser history tracking

What makes it all worthwhile?

You might have figured out by now that increasing employee productivity will need time, effort and potentially investment on your part. 

What does this get you, in the long term? 

The simple answer is: more revenue. Two welcome words for any key decision-maker!

Engaged, productive employees care more and put in more effort as a result. This gives more scope to innovate, more drive to provide great service and better performance across the business in general. 

The effort you put into improving employee productivity will more than make its money back as remote and hybrid works become ever more established. If you haven’t already, now’s the perfect time to start.

Engaged employees are more productive, more collaborative, and more likely to stay working for your company. And with 33% of hiring managers predicting that employee turnover will increase in 2024, there’s never been a better time to get the right employee engagement tech on your team.

Employee engagement apps are intuitive and easy to use. They enjoy high rates of adoption. And they offer a range of features that support employee engagement.

But which are the best of the many employee app options available? In this guide, we look at the seven best employee engagement apps for 2024 and explain a little more about why an app could benefit your business.  

Best employee engagement apps for 2025

The best employee engagement solution varies depending on your industry, the functionality you need, and the engagement metrics you want to improve. Here are our top picks for this year.

Blink: best employee app for frontline workers

Workleap Officevibe: best employee app for EX data

Engagement Multiplier: best employee engagement app for small businesses

Bonusly: best employee app for rewards and recognition

WeThrive: best employee app for mental health support

Culture Amp: best app for performance management

Workvivo: best employee app for large, multi-lingual organizations

1. Blink — best employee engagement app for frontline workers

Blink is an employee engagement app built specifically for frontline workers. It brings employee engagement tools to every employee smartphone.

Frontline workers don’t need a desktop computer or even a company email address to access the Blink app. Instead, a simple sign-on process gives them access to an intuitive, user-friendly dashboard.

Here, they can view employee communications, respond to surveys, read policy documents, and use the newsfeed to take part in the company conversation.

They can also use the Blink Hub to access the other workplace tools you use. With a couple of clicks, they can view their current training module, their pay stub, or their upcoming shifts.  

Managers get lots of useful engagement features too — like recognition and survey tools. They can also use Blink’s workforce analytics to measure engagement and make data-driven decisions.

All in all, the Blink employee app helps frontline teams to connect with each other and with leadership. It ensures they have access to the people, comms, and tools they need to do their jobs well.

Pricing

Pricing is available on request.

Reviews

• Capterra: 4.6/5
• G2: 4.6/5

See Blink in action. Get your free demo.

2. Workleap Officevibe — best employee app for EX data

Performance management and recognition tools are part of the Workleap Officevibe employee app. But its most impressive features revolve around employee feedback. This app has a range of tools to help your HR team understand employee sentiment and make data-backed improvements.

Pulse surveys, onboarding surveys, eNPS scores — there are plenty of ways to find out what employees are thinking. You can also launch anonymous surveys so you know you’re getting honest, unfiltered feedback from employees.

Officevibe then helps you make sense of the feedback you’ve gathered. You can use reports to identify trending feedback topics. And use well-presented survey data to benchmark employee experience (EX) results and set targets. 

Pricing

Workleap Officevibe has a free version with limited functionality. Prices for paid plans start at $3.50 USD per user per month.

Reviews

• Capterra: 4.6/5
• G2: 4.3/5

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3. Engagement Multiplier — best employee engagement app for small businesses 

Engagement Multiplier is a reasonably priced app aimed at small to medium-sized businesses. It’s not as in-depth as some of the other employee engagement software on this list. But it can be really useful for new companies and start-ups wanting to learn more about their engagement levels.

Features include benchmark assessments, anonymous data collection, recommended actions, and the ability to create custom employee engagement surveys.

Pricing

Prices start from $7.20 USD per user per month.

Reviews

• Capterra: 4.8/5
• G2: 4.3/5

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4. Bonusly — best employee app for rewards and recognition

Bonusly is all about motivating your teams with employee recognition and rewards. The app lets you give each employee an allowance of points. They allocate these points to co-workers, appreciating them for their support, for doing a great job, or just for being an awesome work friend.  

Recipients can then exchange their points for a variety of different rewards, choosing between big brand gift cards, company merchandise, and custom rewards chosen by your company. Employees can also convert their reward points into charitable donations.

Bonusly supports the kind of peer-to-peer recognition that engages employees. It also allows you to share recognition in a company-wide feed, so you improve motivation and amplify company culture to every member of every team.

Pricing

Bonusly offers new users a free trial. Paid plans start from $5 USD per user per month, plus the cost of employee rewards.

Reviews

• Capterra: 4.8/5
• G2: 4.8/5

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5. WeThrive — best employee app for mental health support 

WeThrive is an employee engagement platform focused on the mental health of your workers. It helps you create surveys to check on employee wellness and take action to safeguard it.

The app’s mental health and wellbeing survey helps you to identify the root causes of stress, burnout, and anxiety. An easy-to-use feedback dashboard segments results by team, location, department, tenure, and manager so it’s easy to see where improvements need to be made.

The app also uses feedback data to suggest wellbeing actions for your managers so it’s easy to decide the next steps.

Pricing

Pricing is available on request.

Reviews

• Capterra: 4.7/5
• G2: 4.6/5

6. Culture Amp — best employee engagement app for performance management

Culture Amp is an employee platform built around employee feedback and analytics. It also has some excellent performance management tools.

You can use 360-degree feedback to find out how employees are doing. You can use goal-setting functions to align employee work with company strategy. And you can use 1-on-1s to encourage meaningful communication between managers and employees. 

With tools that support regular coaching and feedback, Culture Amp aims to provide organizations with everything they need to build a culture of continuous improvement and high employee engagement. 

Pricing

Pricing is available upon request.

Reviews

• Capterra: 4.7/5
• G2: 4.5/5

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7. Workvivo — best employee app for large, multi-lingual organizations

Workvivo is owned by Zoom. It’s a desktop intranet that comes with a user-friendly employee app.

There are lots of community and social features for employees to engage with. You have the option to live-stream company updates in real-time. And, with Spaces, users can create their own community groups

For large organizations with employees who speak a range of different languages, Workvivo has some particularly useful tools. The auto-translation feature allows you to easily translate posts into a user’s preferred language. There’s also the option to auto-translate video subtitles.

Pricing

Pricing is available upon request.

Reviews

• Capterra: 4.7/5
• G2: 4.8/5

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6 advantages of an employee engagement app

The best employee engagement software meets employees where they are. These days, that tends to be on their smartphones. And that’s why employee mobile apps are an increasingly popular choice.

Apps are inherently engaging and very easy to use. In fact, 53% of frontline workers already use messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger for work-related conversations.

When you replace those apps with your own user-friendly employee app, you make communication more secure — and make it a key part of company culture, too.

Here are six other advantages of mobile-first employee engagement tools:

1. An employee app reduces costs and improves profitability

Construction giant Caterpillar found increasing engagement helped save $8.8 million at one of its European factories in just one year. The company also improved customer ratings and increased profits by $2 million.

Gallup research shows that Caterpillar’s cost savings aren’t an anomaly. They looked at thousands of teams and found that highly engaged businesses experience:

• A 43% decrease in employee turnover
• A 10% improvement in customer satisfaction
• An 18% uptick in sales
• A 23% increase in profitability

Employee engagement has a big impact on a company’s bottom line. So an employee engagement app tends to have a high return on investment.

2. An employee app improves communication without adding to the noise

An employee app streamlines company communication by putting everything in one, searchable location.

A social-style news feed. Employee surveys. Messages from management. With an app, teams know exactly where to go to get the information they need.

Managers also get the tools they need to highlight critical messages and ensure employees read them.

3. You connect every member of your workforce — including those on the frontline

To make a success of employee engagement, you need to take every member of the workforce with you. That includes those hard-to-reach employees working on the frontline of your organization.

Deskless workers get the raw end of the deal in terms of engagement tech. Only 10% of frontline workers say they have high access to the tools, tech, and opportunities they need to connect and advance in their workplace. 

But these workers are in greatest need of engagement intervention. Deskless employees are less trusting and engaged, and more likely to experience burnout than their desk-based peers.

An employee app ensures frontline workers aren’t excluded from company comms and culture. You take engagement beyond the office and a desktop computer and put it in the palm of every employee’s hand.

A good app is also easy and intuitive to use. It enjoys high rates of user adoption. So by using an employee app, you make engagement tech more accessible than ever to all employees.

4. You make work more engaging and efficient

The best employee engagement apps put the most effective engagement tools in one, single place. You give employees access to the things we know help to improve employee engagement:

• Training and development
• Recognition
• Two-way communication and collaboration
• Feedback opportunities

You also remove friction and frustration from the work day. Because employees can access all the comms, tools, and resources they need via your employee app, they become more efficient and productive.

Employees can get on with doing their jobs to the best of their ability. Managers save time thanks to improved communication channels and employee self-serve resources. That translates into increased levels of staff satisfaction.

5. Employee engagement apps support frontline safety

Employee engagement makes for better workplace safety and fewer workplace accidents. According to Gallup, companies with high engagement experience 64% fewer safety incidents than those with low levels of engagement.  

An employee app supports frontline safety because workers have all policy documents and safety procedures at their fingertips. They also have a direct line to managers, so it’s quick and easy to report safety or maintenance concerns.

6. Managers get access to data and analytics

When employees engage with your organization via an employee app, managers get access to valuable user data and analytics.

They get insight into how people are using the app and how they’re engaging with company communications. They get to know what engagement looks like for different teams, locations, and managers. Use an app with great integrations and you get insight into how employees are using other workplace tools, too.

The best employee engagement apps present this data in a way that is easy to understand and act upon. So your teams have everything they need to make employee engagement improvements going forward.

Does your company need an employee engagement app? 3 key questions

Staff engagement apps aren’t the best fit for every company. You can figure out if your organization would benefit from this by answering the following questions.

Do we have a communication channel that reaches everyone?

Effective internal communication is the foundation of engagement. So you need a reliable communication channel for all employees, particularly when there’s a time-sensitive update to share.

Email may not be a viable internal communication strategy if some workers don’t have email addresses. Getting managers to make phone calls and send text messages takes up a lot of time. Paper notices up on a board are easy to miss.

If you have a patchwork of different communication channels, an employee mobile app is a great streamlining tool. It saves your comms team time — because they have fewer comms channels to maintain. And it makes communication more efficient, relevant, and reliable.

Are employees treated equally?

Fairness is really important for employee engagement. If an employee feels like someone else is getting preferential treatment, it’s unlikely they’ll bring their A-game. So when it comes to opportunities for engagement, it has to be a level playing field.

Use surveys to find out if frontline staff and office workers enjoy the same level of engagement and the same access to company comms, culture, and connection.

If some workers are feeling overlooked, an app can help you treat employees equally. Ditching a two-tier engagement strategy means everyone feels valued and like they belong.

Do we need to lighten the load for managers and HR teams?

When there isn’t an easy way to share company policies, resources, and comms, managers and HR teams often end up acting as gatekeepers. Employees have to ask for the information they need, which adds to the HR and management workload.

An employee app removes this bottleneck by allowing employees to access relevant information for themselves. They can view their schedule and vacation time. They can read the most recent safety policy and get details of the next company social event.

HR and management spend less time answering the same questions. And employees — with resources in the palm of their hands — feel more engaged with the organization.

Final thoughts: The best employee engagement apps

An employee engagement app can be a game-changer when it comes to your employee engagement strategy.  Whether you’re a small office with a few dozen employees or a multinational corporation with hundreds of stores, the best employee engagement apps help your workers feel more connected.

At Blink, we’re passionate about helping companies connect with their frontline employees. And our frontline employee engagement solution will help your workforce thrive in 2024 and beyond.

Blink’s employee app offers the same great features across mobile and desktop. A company newsfeed, recognition, secure chat, surveys, analytics, and more. So your teams have everything they need to improve employee engagement — along with staff satisfaction, productivity, and retention.

If you want an all-in-one frontline employee engagement solution, get started with Blink today!