Meet Andrew Martin

Most restaurant teams are running on a patchwork. A group chat for the shift, a paper schedule on the wall, a manager relaying head office updates by word of mouth because nobody has time to read an email between the lunch and dinner rush.

A restaurant employee app is supposed to fix that. But not every app built for "employees" actually works for people who don't sit at a desk, who share one break room tablet between fifteen people, or who are moving between the fryer and the register all shift.

Here's what to actually look for, and where a purpose-built restaurant employee app earns its place in the tech stack.

Why generic workplace tools fall short in restaurants

Tools built for office teams assume a few things that don't hold up on a restaurant floor: everyone has a company email address they check daily, everyone has ten minutes to read a memo, and everyone's at a desk long enough to log in.

None of that describes a QSR or fast-casual crew. Shifts are short, phones are personal, and the person who most needs a schedule update might be the person least likely to see it in time.

That's the gap a restaurant employee app is built to close: getting the right information to every crew member, on the device they already carry, without asking them to change how they work.

What a restaurant employee app needs to get right

Mobile-first, not mobile-adapted. There's a real difference between an app designed for a phone screen first and a desktop tool with a mobile version bolted on. Restaurant staff need the first kind, fast to load, simple to navigate, and just as capable as the desktop version if a shift lead needs to log in from the office.

Shift-relevant communication. A restaurant employee app should make it easy to reach every crew member with the update that matters to them, whether that's a menu change, a food safety alert, or a shift swap request, without burying it in a company-wide newsletter nobody reads. That's the exact gap a dedicated restaurant messaging app is built to close.

Self-serve access to the basics. Payslips, schedules, and shift swaps shouldn't require a call to the manager. When employees can find what they need on their own phone, managers get their time back and staff feel more in control of their own work.

Room for recognition. Restaurant work is physical, fast-paced, and often thankless in the moment. A good employee app builds in a way to say thanks publicly, whether that's a shout-out from a shift lead or a peer recognizing someone who covered a double. It's one of the simpler restaurant employee engagement ideas to actually sustain, once it's built into the app your team already uses.

Multi-location and multilingual support. Franchise and multi-unit operators need one system that works the same way whether it's a location with five staff or five hundred, and that can reach a crew that doesn't all speak the same first language.

How Blink fits multi-location and franchise restaurant teams

Blink was built for frontline and deskless teams from the ground up, not adapted from a desk-based tool after the fact. For restaurant operators, that shows up in a few specific ways.

Every employee gets access from day one, whether they have a company email or not. Messaging and the news feed put shift-relevant updates directly in front of the people who need them, instead of relying on a printed notice by the time clock. Recognition and survey tools give crew members a way to be seen and to be heard, both of which matter in an industry where turnover is high and the reasons people leave are rarely a mystery. And because Blink is built to scale across locations, a five-location group and a five-hundred-location franchise system run on the same platform without either one outgrowing it.

Restaurant brands including McDonald's, Domino's, and Shake Shack use Blink to keep frontline teams connected, informed, and engaged, and adoption rates in Blink's frontline customer base regularly land in the 90 percent-plus range within the first week, exactly the kind of fast, friction-free uptake a restaurant employee app needs to actually get used.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between a restaurant employee app and a scheduling app?

A scheduling app like 7shifts or When I Work is built specifically around shift planning, labor forecasting, and clocking in and out. A restaurant employee app like Blink is broader: it covers communication, engagement, recognition, onboarding, and access to company information, and often integrates with the scheduling tool a restaurant already uses rather than replacing it.

Does a restaurant employee app replace a group chat app like WhatsApp?

It can, and for most operators it should. Consumer chat apps aren't built for shift-based turnover, don't give managers visibility or moderation tools, and blur the line between an employee's personal phone and their employer's internal comms. A dedicated employee app keeps that separation clear while still being just as easy to use.

How fast can a restaurant chain roll out a new employee app?

With a mobile-first app like Blink, most frontline organizations see the bulk of their team activate within the first week, since there's no company email requirement and the interface is built to need little to no training. For a broader look at what's out there, see our roundup of the 31 best apps for frontline workers.

Blink. And give your restaurant team an app built for how they actually work.

Are your internal comms authentic… or anonymous?

Traditional internal communications usually focus on the latter. They’re often overly polished, overly formal, and 100% vanilla. So they’re doing next to nothing for comms engagement.

Employees today want to relate to each other and see personality. They want to hear from people, not just about them. They want honesty over polish. Real talk over corporate speak.

That’s where POV (point of view) content comes in. POV content is engaging, memorable, and well-suited to a world where everyone with a social media account is a content creator.

Here, we take a look at all the reasons POV content works — and how you can weave it into your internal communication strategy in 2025.

What is POV content — and why does it work?

POV content is authentic content created by people within your organization, not your comms team.

It’s a “day in the life” video from a depot manager. A behind-the-scenes look at the retail crew prepping for a Monday morning. Snaps from the latest marketing team lunch.

It’s first-person stories and unfiltered moments, personal and imperfect, created by everyone from your execs to frontline employees to hybrid work staff. And it’s one of the key internal comms trends we’ve seen companies embracing in 2025.

Here are all the reasons POV content deserves a place within your internal communication strategy.

It builds empathy across departments and roles

When someone shares their story — the highs, the struggles, the interesting little details of their day — it helps to build bridges.

Frontline employees get insight into the challenges of your scheduling team. Your HR department comes to understand how busy a day in the life of a frontline worker actually is. Your C-suite starts to feel like real, relatable human beings.

POV content helps teams understand each other — and that drives better cohesion and collaboration.

It helps people feel part of company culture

When you incorporate POV content into your internal comms, employees hear from a diverse range of voices. So they’re more likely to see themselves reflected in internal messaging.

This is great for culture building. Employees feel part of something bigger. They don’t just receive corporate updates and a monthly newsletter. They build an emotional connection with your organization and their peers.

It makes your comms content more engaging

When communication feels more human and less corporate, it’s more interesting. Employees are more likely to tune into your internal comms channels because the content they find there is fun, real, and relatable.

Improved comms engagement is linked to improved reach and recall. And when employees enjoy your internal content, they’re more likely to lean into the company conversation — making your comms platform an evermore vibrant place to hang out.

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Why POV content matters now more than ever

Wondering why now? In 2025, POV content deserves a place within your internal communication plan because it helps you overcome some of the comm team’s most pressing challenges.

Disconnection is real

Frontline employees can feel miles away from HQ — both physically and culturally. Hybrid teams are, likewise, often left out of the loop.

The old ways of communicating — think internal emails and town hall meetings — were designed with desk-based and office-based teams in mind. And they now fail to cut through for your entire workforce.

In contrast, POV content tends to be short-form and engaging. It’s a way to bring hard-to-reach employees back into the comms fold, where they’ll find lots of other culture-building and information-sharing comms.

Employees are less trusting

There’s a ton of research out there to show that younger employees are a lot less trusting of institutions and authority figures than the generations that came before them.

So that official-sounding memo? Employees are liable to view it with a huge dose of skepticism. 

People trust people. Not generic messages. Not the corporate voice. So if you want your internal comms to build trust, POV content can help.

It’s a way to build community

Community is something today’s employees are craving.

Employees who feel that they belong within your workplace report greater job satisfaction and lower levels of burnout. And companies that prioritize community-building report better rates of retention.

POV content helps you build a welcoming workplace community — a place that celebrates individual employees, their perspectives, and their journeys. And this content isn't just good for culture, it's good for your business goals, too — helping to improve communication, employee experience, and employee engagement.

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How to bring POV into your internal content

So how do you put POV content into practice? How do you encourage employees to become internal content creators? And how do you guide them to create the kind of content you know will hit the mark?

Here are some practical tips on how to develop a regular stream of POV content for your internal communication channels:

• Employee take-overs. Invite employees to “take over” your intranet or employee app for the day. Give them the mic. Let them show what the workplace looks like from their perspective.
  
  
• Use Stories and short-form video. Short-form videos are a prime example of Insta-worthy comms. They’re easy to create, authentic, and can convey lots of information in seconds. What’s more, they’re proving very popular with employees.
  
  
• Spotlight real moments. Go beyond the latest conference or your end-of-year social. Highlight those less glossy moments — the tricky shift, the lesson learned, a tough moment where company values shone through. Encourage people to capture big milestones and the messiness of day to day work.
  
  
• Normalize imperfection. POV content shouldn’t look like a brand campaign. So encourage smartphone-filmed videos and text written in an employee’s unedited words. Highlight and celebrate examples of imperfect content on your internal comms channels to encourage people to give content creation a go.

Tools and tips for making it sustainable

POV content is most effective when it becomes part of your comms rhythm — not a one-off campaign. Here’s how to embed it into your internal communication strategy.

Ask: “Who can tell this story best?”

Before creating any new internal comms message, consider whether the comms team are the best people to craft it.

Consider the following: 

• Would this message mean more coming from an employee, in their own, unpolished words?
• Will it resonate better?
• Will it feel more authentic?

Create templates or prompts to help employees get started

Give employees a structure to follow and you’re more likely to spark their creativity and get content that sits neatly alongside your other internal comms messaging.

Employees may need guidance on content formats — for example, the ideal video length or the need for paragraphs in their posts. Prompts can also prove useful. Here are a few ideas:

• Share your weekly wins
• Share the why behind what you do
• Favorite work hack. Go!
• One photo that sums up your week
• Three things you wish people knew about your job.
• “The best thing about working in my team is…”

Curate and amplify top content

You can’t expect a POV content campaign to sustain itself. It needs input from your internal comms team — and real-time insights from analytics tools and employee surveys — to build and maintain momentum.

So shine a light on great POV content. Create a “voices of the week” roundup. Pin top posts to the homepage. You’ll encourage first-wave content creators to continue doing what they do — and maybe inspire some budding creators to contribute too.

Mix in leadership POVs

Your leadership team can set an example for the kind of personal, unpolished POV content you want to see on your internal comms channels.

So humanize your leaders and bring them closer to employees by giving them opportunities to share their personalities, challenges, and workday experiences.

Some ideas?

• A selfie-style video answering an employee question
• A photo from their week with a personal reflection
• A note on what they’re learning right now
• A personal story or anecdote

Put a few guardrails in place

Encouraging POV content doesn’t mean giving employees free rein across your workplace communication channels.

To ensure content aligns with your company values and to hear from a range of employee voices:

• Set expectations around respectful content and inclusive language
• Provide support for those who are unsure how to share
• Review posts before they go live — but avoid the temptation to over-edit
• Experiment with a pilot content creation group to see what works and what doesn’t

You can have it all. Authenticity and content that fits your company’s tone of voice. You just need to put a few boundaries in place. 

The best internal communication tools will give you the permission settings you need to exert just the right level of control over employee-generated content.

Handing the mic to employees for maximum comms impact

People connect best with people. Not anonymous corporate entities. Not executives who keep them at arm’s length.

When you open the door for employees to share their real stories, you do more than boost comms engagement — you strengthen culture, build trust, and create a sense of belonging that translates into measurable results. Gallup says companies with highly engaged employees have up to 21% higher profits and lower turnover.

POV content is one of the simplest ways to make that happen.It shows real, relatable, and diverse views clearly. This helps employees see themselves in the company’s story. It also makes internal communication channels places they want to visit.

With Blink, you can make POV content second nature. Our platform makes it easy for employees to share moments on the go, for leaders to engage in real conversations, and for comms teams to keep everything aligned with company values. The result? A steady stream of authentic content that drives connection, trust, and business performance.

In 2025, your internal communication strategy isn’t complete without employee POVs. Give your people the mic — and watch your culture, engagement, and results grow.

‍Blink. And design an internal comms strategy that fosters real connection with real voices.

Union conversations have a habit of making people nervous. Leaders worry about saying the wrong thing. Employees worry about being monitored. Union reps worry about losing influence or control.

And technology? It often gets blamed for all of the above.

But here’s the reality we see time and time again: unionization itself isn’t the problem. Poor communication is. And when communication breaks down, mistrust fills the gap.

This is where a modern, frontline‑first employee experience platform can either inflame tensions — or quietly make everything work better.

Let’s talk about how.

Why union engagement makes or breaks change

Rolling out any new workplace technology without union engagement is risky. Rolling it out to a unionized workforce without involving union reps early? That’s how good initiatives get derailed.

Union concerns are rarely about the tool itself. They’re usually about how the tool shows up:

• Is it being forced on people?
• Will it blur the line between work and personal time?
• Can data be used against members?
• Is this really about safety and communication — or “efficiencies” and headcount reduction?

If these questions go unanswered, assumptions fill the gap — and those stories spread fast.

The fix isn’t better messaging at the end. It’s earlier, more transparent engagement from day one.

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The most common union concerns — and what’s actually behind them

Union concerns tend to cluster around a few themes. None of them are unreasonable.

1. Personal devices and work creep

No one wants a workplace app that turns evenings, weekends, and lunch breaks into unpaid work time.

The fear isn’t the app — it’s the expectation that comes with it.

2. Surveillance and disciplinary misuse

“Are managers reading chats?”

“Is location tracking involved?”

“Can this data be used against members?”

If workers feel monitored, trust evaporates.

3. Data security and privacy

Unions are rightly skeptical of where employee data lives, who owns it, and whether it’s being shared or sold.

4. Digital exclusion

Not everyone is equally comfortable with technology. Digitizing forms and processes can unintentionally disadvantage certain groups if it’s done carelessly.

5. Loss of union voice

In some organizations, unions have historically been the primary communication channel. New platforms can feel like a threat to that role — unless they’re positioned differently.

None of these concerns disappear if you ignore them. They just get louder.

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Reframing technology as a worker benefit — not a management tool

When unions are brought into the conversation early, something interesting happens: the narrative shifts.

Instead of “this is being done to us,” the conversation becomes “how can this work for our members?”

Here’s where that shift usually lands.

Safety comes first

Priority alerts, emergency updates, and near‑miss reporting aren’t productivity features. They’re safety features.

When critical information reaches everyone instantly — not just the people with email access — it reduces risk for the entire workforce.

Clearer boundaries between work and personal life

Replacing informal tools like WhatsApp with a dedicated work app actually protects personal time.

Features like Do Not Disturb and notification controls make expectations explicit instead of implied.

A stronger union communication channel

A modern employee app doesn’t replace union communication. It strengthens it.

Union reps can:

• Share updates directly with members
• Run group chats and discussions
• Post sign‑up forms and resources
• Communicate clearly during industrial action or negotiations

Instead of losing visibility, unions often gain it.

Less friction, fewer workarounds

Paper forms, scattered systems, and shared logins aren’t just inefficient — they’re inequitable.

Centralizing access to tools and information creates a more level playing field between desk‑based and frontline workers.

A more equitable employee experience

When everyone gets the same access to updates, policies, and conversations — regardless of role or location — trust grows.

That sense of fairness matters more than most organizations realize.

[Product image - Reporting / digital forms (if we have it?)]

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What successful union engagement actually looks like

The organizations that navigate union alignment well don’t rely on clever slogans or last‑minute reassurance. They follow a few consistent principles.

Engage early (earlier than you think)

Unions should hear about new platforms before launch plans are finalized — not after.

Early conversations surface concerns while there’s still time to address them.

Make participation voluntary — and mean it

Choice matters. When people feel coerced, adoption drops and resistance hardens.

Ironically, voluntary rollouts often see higher uptake because the value is clear.

Involve union reps as champions

Union reps shouldn’t be observers. They should be part of the champion group helping shape how the platform is used.

Ownership beats endorsement every time.

Explain the “why,” not just the “what”

Link the rollout back to real issues unions already care about — safety, inclusion, access, and communication gaps raised by members.

When the problem is familiar, the solution makes more sense.

Keep the dialogue going after launch

Union engagement doesn’t end on go‑live day.

Post‑launch check‑ins, feedback sessions, and open forums build credibility — especially when concerns are acknowledged and acted on.

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What we see in the real world

Across transport, logistics, healthcare, and other unionized environments, the pattern is consistent:

• Unions that are resistant at first often become the strongest advocates once they’re genuinely involved

• Union‑led communication through the platform increases trust and reach

• During negotiations or industrial action, having a clear, controlled communication channel reduces confusion and misinformation

The common thread isn’t the industry. It’s respect.

Technology doesn’t replace relationships — it exposes them

No platform can fix a broken relationship between leadership and unions. But the right technology does amplify intent.

If the intent is control, workers will feel it. If the intent is safety, clarity, and fairness, that shows up too.

Unionized workforces don’t need fewer tools. They need better ones — introduced with transparency, choice, and trust. Blink was built for environments exactly like this — complex, frontline‑heavy, and relationship‑driven.

Because when communication works, everything else gets easier.

What makes him awesome?

Phil has been with Malcolm group since 2017, working on the logistics side of the business. It’s been challenging to get our Drivers on board with Blink, but Phil has been a true champion of the app from the start. Sharing pictures on the road, offering guidance to fellow drivers, and now he is a trained Mental Health First Aider for Haydock, he uses the platform to communicate and support with his peers who might be struggling.

How has Blink helped in his role?

We have drivers on roads all over the UK and Blink allows Phil to reach them when he otherwise couldn't. It also means drivers can easily reach office colleagues and others across the business.

What does he want to do next?

Phil loves driving so I’m sure he’ll keep trucking on!

Nominated by: Aaron Thomson, Internal Communications Coordinator

On May 14th, 2024, Workplace from Meta announced that it would be closing, leaving its users looking for a new digital home.

Ten years ago, bringing social-media-style tools to the workplace was revolutionary. And Workplace by Meta (launched in 2016) was quick to bring its version of the social intranet to the market.

Since then, many organizations have relied on Workplace for employee engagement and internal communication. They liked the Workplace from Meta interface, which mirrored those of popular social media apps.The interface was intuitive and felt familiar, so employees found it easy to use.

But over the last few years, we’ve seen product development across various social intranet companies grind to a halt. The customers we speak to here at Blink say that they’re looking to change platforms because their workplace social channels are noisy and irrelevant. Others say that their chosen platform has such low adoption that the business gets no value from it.

Now, organizations are looking for workplace software that does it all. A platform that provides an attractive social feed along with features that boost communication and productivity.

Whether you’re a Facebook Workplace customer looking for an alternative or you’re looking to adopt a platform for the first time, here are our recommendations. On our list, you’ll find products that are doing exciting things within this space — and that offer a wide range of features and functionality for your organization.

Top 8 alternatives to Meta from Workplace

1. Blink

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Blink is the market leader in delivering world class access and user experience to your employees, regardless of their work environment or location.  It simplifies the digital experience with a single super-app. Employees can access the app via their smartphones, without using an email address. 

Blink’s employee app is also available in a desktop version so all employees enjoy a unified experience. They can access an engaging news feed, 1:1, and group chats. They can take part in two-way communication, knowledge sharing, and employee recognition. The platform makes it easy to gather employee feedback, too.

Productivity also gets a boost, thanks to custom micro-apps and deep integrations with your favorite tools. Via single sign-on, employees can use the Blink interface to request time off, view their schedules, manage tasks, and complete training courses.

By putting all of these tools and resources in one place, Blink’s app gets excellent rates of adoption (90%+) and usage (96% monthly active users). Managers can also track adoption, usage, employee sentiment, and engagement thanks to Blink’s robust analytics features. So they can make data-driven changes to improve employee performance, experience, and retention. Blink is the leading choice for a Facebook Workplace alternative.

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Pros

• An engaging news feed: Blink has an intuitive social-media-style news feed that supports two-communication, employee recognition, and top-down updates. Admins can tailor the newsfeed so employees get relevant communications based on their teams, interests, and roles.
• Mobile-first: Designed for smartphones — and for the frontline workforce — Blink ensures both mobile and desktop apps have the same great features and functionality. And employees don’t need an email address to get set up.
• Analytics: Blink’s analytics features allow teams to dive deep into employee engagement data. They can learn about how employees engage with the organization and the platform and find actionable areas for improvement, too.
• A digital front door: Offering excellent integrations, the Blink super-app lets employees access all workplace tools and resources from a single, user-friendly dashboard. They can request time off, sign up for shifts, and access training resources.
• Customer support: Blink’s customer success managers are with you every step of the way — from set up to launch and beyond — helping you get the most from the platform and ensuring employee adoption.

Cons

• Frontline-focused: Blink was designed for frontline workers, however there is a best-in-class desktop application that allows for all employees to take advantage of the features and platform.

Pricing

Pricing is available on request.

Ratings

Capterra: 4.6/5

G2: 4.7/5

2. Staffbase

Staffbase is a tool that focuses on employee communication. It offers email, messaging, and chat functions to connect employees, including frontline workers. Billed as an intranet solution to unite entire organizations, Staffbase's communication and intranet features make it a strong Workplace from Meta alternative.

Pros

• Content planning: Good content planning and goal-setting tools that help your content creators coordinate campaigns.
• Reporting: Staffbase analytics lets you see how many employees are using the platform and how they engage with your content.
• HR tools: This platform makes life easy for your HR team. They get communication tools, surveys, and analytics, while employees get self-service options.

Cons

• Pricing: Staffbase comes in at a high price point and there are added costs if you want to use all available modules.
• Mobile app: While Staffbase provides a mobile app, this takes time to set up as there aren’t many out-of-the-box features for frontline workers.

Pricing

Pricing is available on request.

Ratings

Capterra: 4.8/5

G2: 4.6/5

Read more: Top Staffbase alternatives

3. Beekeeper

Beekeeper Around since 2012, Beekeeper is a tool that focuses only on the frontline organizations. The platform’s employee app provides lots of useful forms and integrations, meaning companies can give employees access to workplace tools from a single interface. However, Beekeeper doesn’t put a lot of emphasis on the office worker experience, which means your desk-based teams may need a separate system.

Pros

• Communication tools: Beekeeper provides a range of communication tools, including chats, streams, surveys, polls, and campaigns. Daily stand-up briefings and crisis communication allow critical comms to cut through.
• Employee services: The Beekeeper platform supports workplace and HR operations. Employees can request time off or view their shifts via the Beekeeper dashboard.
• Personalized comms: It’s possible to filter communications so employees only see information that’s relevant to them.

Cons

• A complicated interface: Some users say that the Beekeeper interface isn’t particularly user-friendly when compared to other apps and modern intranets on this list.
• Reliability: The platform sometimes takes a while to load, for both admins and end-users.
• Search functionality: You can’t prioritize or order search results so it can be hard to track down older posts and content.

Pricing

You can try Beekeeper for free for 14 days. There’s also a limited free plan for up to 30 users. Pricing for other plans is available on request.

Ratings

Capterra: 4.6/5

G2: 4.7/5

Read more: Top Beekeeper alternatives

4. Simpplr

Simpplr is an all-in-one social intranet platform with two priorities. First, to create a centralized social hub for sharing news and updates. And second, to provide an alternative to SharePoint for housing documents and policies. Simpplr’s advanced search capabilities promise a seamless experience and a simple interface is appealing to users.

Pros

• Customer support: Simpplr prides itself on customer service so customers can expect plenty of support.
• A minimal interface: The Simpplr interface is very simple and feels like a social media app. This makes it easy to navigate and understand.
• AI assistance: You can use AI chatbots to support employees with their queries. AI also comes in useful for automating processes and producing platform content.

Cons

• Lack of customization: Simpplr doesn’t provide a lot of design flexibility so users may find it hard to align the platform with their branding and company requirements.
• Integrations: Some users complain that there are limited integration options with third-party tools. 

Pricing

Pricing is available on request.

Ratings

Capterra: 4.8/5

G2: 4.7/5

Read more: Top Simpplr alternatives

5. Yammer / Microsoft Viva Engage

Yammer, now also known as Microsoft Viva Engage, works well with other products in the Microsoft suite. This particular product focuses on communication and you’ll need to use other Microsoft products to create a fully-fledged intranet ecosystem. If you already use Microsoft products in your organization, Yammer is certainly a Workplace from Meta alternative worth considering.

Pros

• Microsoft integration: Viva Engage offers easy integration with other Microsoft tools and is familiar to those already working within the Microsoft suite.
• Communities: As well as keeping up-to-date on company news through the news feed, employees can create communities, connecting with co-workers with whom they share interests.
• Virtual town halls: Viva Engage allows you to create virtual events with video and Q&A functions, so both remote and office-based employees can be part of the company conversation.

Cons

• Interface: Some users complain that the Viva Engage interface isn’t particularly user-friendly, especially on the mobile app version.
• Unfiltered comms: Without comprehensive content filtering options, content in the news feed isn’t always relevant to individual employees.
• Notifications: Users complain about the number of email notifications they get from Yammer, which they say is frustrating and distracting.

Pricing

The full suite of Viva tools costs $12 USD per user per month. There’s a yearly commitment and prices aren’t inclusive of GST/VAT.

Ratings

Capterra: 4.2/5

G2: 3.6/5

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6. Workvivo

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Workvivo - has been named as Meta’s preferred migration partner. It’s a product that’s risen to prominence in recent years due to its acquisition by Zoom. Seamless integration with Zoom’s video conferencing software is a major platform selling point. Workvivo also provides a mobile app and a variety of communication channels. 

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Pros

• A variety of communication channels: Workvivo’s channels include a news feed, 1:1 chats, live streams, and podcasts. 
• Translation capabilities: The platform makes it easy for multilingual teams to publish and read content in their chosen languages.
• Microsites: Teams and special interest groups can create microsites, which are tailored to their community.

Cons

• Cost: Some features — like Workvivo TV and advanced analytics — are add-ons that cost extra.
• Personalization: Workvivo offers limited personalization options meaning users can’t configure the platform to suit their needs. 
• Notifications: This is another platform where notifications seem to be a problem. Users complain that excessive notifications disrupt their workday.

Pricing

Pricing is available on request

Ratings

Capterra: 4.7/5

G2: 4.8/5

Read more: Top Workvivo alternatives

7. Happeo

Happeo is a Google-based social intranet that makes a good alternative to Workplace from Meta, particularly if you’re a Google Workspace organization. Happeo helps teams to share knowledge and manage internal communications. It offers a template-based page builder, which you can use to create intranet pages and employee content.

Pros

• Easy setup: It’s easy for organizations to get started with Happeo, particularly if they’re already using Google Workspace.
• Communities: Happeo allows users to create hubs and communities, based on departments, roles, or shared interests.
• Search functions: You can search people, posts, and integrated third-party apps to find exactly the information you’re looking for.

Cons

• Analytics: There’s a time delay on analytics, so it’s hard to get real-time insight. Some analytics features are only available as an add-on.
• Limited customization: Users can’t change notifications, page layouts, menus, or formatting to suit their needs and preferences.
• Content management: Some users say content management features could be improved so it’s easier to recognize old content and assign admins to update it.

Pricing

Pricing is available on request.

Ratings

Capterra: 4.5/5

G2: 4.5/5

Read more: Top Happeo alternatives

8. Igloo

Igloo is workplace experience software that offers a sense of community, recognition, and resources to employees. This cloud-based, mobile-optimized solution gives teams all the tools they need to collaborate, share knowledge, and communicate.

Pros

• A digital workplace: Igloo helps organizations create an effective digital workplace with tools like the news feed, polls, targeted content, and file sharing.
• Analytics: Igloos provides users with great analytics tools. These help you to improve your content, identify key creators, and understand user flow.
• Access to Igloo University: Customers can use Igloo’s education program to learn more about the platform and how to use it effectively.

Cons

• Integration: While Igloo makes workplace apps available via the one interface, integrations can be tricky and may require additional development resources.
• Lack of customization: Some users say they struggle to customize pages and the Igloo interface in the way they’d like.
• Complexity: Getting started with Igloo involves a steep learning curve that can be off-putting for users.

Pricing

Pricing is available upon request. Although Igloo does say that pricing typically starts at around $20,000 USD per year for an organization.

Ratings

Capterra: 4.5/5

G2: 4.2/5

In summary

Rest assured that there are plenty of excellent alternatives to Workplace from Meta. The platforms on this list all offer a social-media-style feed, along with other employee communication and engagement features.

For all organizations with a large frontline employee base, Blink is a standout option. With its user-friendly, mobile-first app it supports employee connection, even for hard-to-reach frontline teams. It gives employees a voice and makes their lives easier, giving them access to workplace tools from one simple, digital front door. 

Supporting communication, engagement, and productivity, Blink helps organizations to thrive. And it gives frontline workers the sense of belonging and connection they need to feel invested in their work and less likely to look for another job. 

Find out what Blink could do for your frontline organization. Book your Blink demo today to see our platform in action.

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Why teams choose Blink over Slack

Slack is excellent for desk-based teams already living in their inbox — but it assumes everyone has a company email address and a laptop open all day. Blink doesn't. It's mobile-first, requires no corporate email, and is used daily by frontline teams at McDonald's, Domino's, and Chick-fil-A. If most of your workforce is on the floor, not at a desk, see how Blink compares.

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At first glance, it seems that internal communications and external communications couldn’t be more different. 

External communication is all about sharing your brand and its messaging with people outside of your organization. This includes customers, stakeholders, and investors.

Internal communication is focused on sharing key company developments with people inside your organization. It gives employees the information they need to do their jobs effectively.

Because of this primary difference between internal and external communication, many companies treat these two forms of corporate comms as separate entities. They fail to see how their approach to external comms can inspire a better kind of internal communication.

Here, we challenge that thinking. We look at the similarities and differences between internal and external comms — and share some ideas for improving internal communication at your organization.

Similarities between internal and external communications

Let’s start by looking at all the things internal and external business communication have in common.

Strategic importance

Both external and internal communications are important to the success of your business.  

External communication is how you share your brand with customers and stakeholders. It’s how you convince people to trust in your brand and buy your products or services — and it has a clear impact on your bottom line.

Internal communication is aimed at your employees. It supports day-to-day operations and helps you build a strong company culture. The link may not be as obvious but internal communication also has a big impact on your company’s profitability.

That’s because, when you communicate effectively with employees, you stand to improve productivity, the customer experience, employee engagement, and employee retention, all of which affect company profits.

Therefore, both types of communication are essential to an organization — and both require a detailed schedule and strategy.

Selling the brand and what it stands for

You can use external and internal communication to sell your brand to respective audiences.

To your external audience, you sell your external brand image. You show customers and collaborators what makes your brand unique — and why they should pick you over your competitors. 

To your internal communications audience, you sell your employer brand and company culture. You remind employees why your company is such a great place to work.    

Comms content differs depending on your audience. But there’s a guiding principle to bear in mind. Selling your brand is easier when you create an emotional connection between your organization and your audience.

To do this, creative visuals and persuasive copy can do a lot of the heavy lifting. But you should also communicate a brand purpose that goes beyond increasing profits. You should highlight your company’s social purpose to both internal and external audiences.  

You can take things further with your internal comms. Clearly communicate your purpose, values, and strategy to employees. This helps your staff find meaning in their work — and understand how their efforts contribute to business goals — which means better motivation.

To align employees with your purpose, values, and strategy, focus some of your internal communications plan on the following:

• Making your senior execs accessible and accountable. Holding monthly Q&As is a great way to align your on-the-ground team with long-term strategy goals. It’s also much easier for employees to relate to the humans behind your company than to a faceless corporation.
  
  
• Highlighting how your company has made a difference in the world. Showcase positive customer case studies to show how your company is making a difference in people’s lives. Also, share any company activities that support people or the planet.
  
  
• Featuring employee perspectives. Interview people from different departments and ask them what they do and what they like about their job. This helps people to build a bigger picture of their workplace and understand how everything fits together.

Two-way conversations

In both external and internal communications, communication used to travel one way. A brand and its leaders would speak. Customers and employees would listen.

But social media changed things dramatically. It’s now easy for customers to interact with brands, comment on their social posts, ask questions, and post their online reviews.

This shift from one-way conversations in external communication has changed expectations around workplace communications — and many organizations are now adopting a two-way approach as part of their internal comms strategy.

Companies are involving employees in the company conversation — whether they work in the office, at home, or on the frontlines of the organization. They’re giving them a voice with the help of employee surveys, two-way communication channels, and meetings where their contributions are encouraged.

Of course, making the decision to embrace two-way conversations can be a big deal for brands. They have to be prepared to respond to questions and criticism — from customers or employees. So why do it?

Involving customers and employees in your communications is good for engagement. It helps to boost trust and loyalty, which benefits both employee and customer attraction and retention.

For employees, two-way communication makes them feel valued and respected by your organization. This means they’re more likely to offer their valuable insights and perspectives — and they’re more likely to do their best work.

The need for engagement

Another similarity between internal and external communication is the need for engaging content.

This is a given in external communication. Marketing and PR teams are tasked with making a brand stand out from the competition. They employ eye-catching visuals and interactive content to grab and hold customer attention.  

Typically, internal communication has lagged behind. But with the "Tiktokification" of internal communications, dry, corporate comms are becoming a thing of the past.

Just like customers, employees are more likely to engage with your content when it’s creative, interactive, and visually appealing. This is why many organizations are now posting social-media-style internal content to user-friendly, mobile-first communication channels.

The need for targeting

You maximize the impact of internal and external communications when you personalize content to your audience.

Send the same external or internal information to everyone and your recipients will start to switch off from your comms. They assume that your messages are irrelevant to them and stop reading or watching them.  

So you need to segment your audiences. Then, create targeted content relevant to each group of customers or employees.

For internal communications, you can segment employees by role, location, department, tenure, and team to ensure each employee only receives information relevant to them.

Of course, there are some messages that all employees need to hear. But with proper segmentation, you don’t give retail staff an in-depth update on your work-from-home policy — or tell office-based staff about the next driver training session. Instead, all comms are appropriate and engaging.

Measuring success

Measurement is another important element of both external and internal communications. If you don’t set and track metrics, you can’t be sure that your communications are effective.

So, just as you measure the impact of your external communication campaigns, you can set internal communication metrics and KPIs. You can identify your best content and assess levels of engagement, finding ways to hone your comms going forward.

Also, in the same way that you’d conduct market research and seek customer reviews, seek feedback from employees. Use surveys to ask them about their employee experience. Find out what they think about your internal communications. Then, make informed improvements. 

Differences between internal and external communications

Internal and external comms clearly have a lot in common — and there are lots of external communication principles that you can apply to your internal messaging. 

However, there are some key differences between internal and external communication that you should bear in mind.

Your audience

Internal and external communications have different audiences:

• Your external communication audience includes customers, stakeholders, business partners, investors, and the media. 
• Your internal communication audience includes your organization’s C-suite, managers, and employees.

There is, however, some overlap. You need to share external messages with frontline employees so they can relay a consistent message to customers.

Your communications team

Usually, different teams are responsible for external and internal communications.

External comms is often run by your PR or marketing teams. You may rely on agency or in-house staff.

To communicate effectively with your employees, you need an internal communications team. This is usually an in-house team that has regular contact with:

• The leadership team
• Marketing and PR
• Operations
• HR

Your internal comms team will work with partners throughout the organization to ensure key messages are communicated consistently and employees have access to the information they need.

Content

The content you share with internal and external audiences is very different.

External communication is all about marketing messages, customer support, and building a brand reputation. Examples of external communication content include:

• A press release discussing the latest company news
• Customer emails detailing a discount
• An industry research report
• An advertising campaign for a new product

Via your internal communication channels, you’ll tend to share business updates, strategy details, operational information, and company culture. Examples of internal communication content include:

• Rota changes
• Health and safety updates
• Details of your next company social
• Recognition for employee success

The content you serve to your internal and external audiences may differ. But there are still some fundamentals that apply to both.

Comms that demonstrate honesty and authenticity are better at building brand trust. So try to communicate openly across both internal and external communication channels.

In internal communications, this means being transparent about company goals and challenges. And it means welcoming questions and ideas from employees.

Communication goals

The goal of external communication is to promote the company. You’re aiming to:

• enhance the company’s reputation
• generate sales and leads
• build relationships with customers and stakeholders

Goals for internal communications are different. Across internal comms channels, you’ll share practical and operational information to ensure the smooth running of your organization.

But effective internal communication does more than convey essential, day-to-day guidance for employees. You can use your internal communications to:

• share company values, goals, and purpose
• strengthen co-worker relationships
• recognize and motivate employees
• facilitate collaboration

Done well, internal communications helps you to build a company culture employees are excited to be part of. This is particularly important for remote, hybrid, and frontline teams.

These employees miss out on the camaraderie of the office. It’s easy for them to feel disconnected from the organization and, as a result, less engaged in their work. Internal communications — and co-worker communication channels — provide a vital link to the organization.

So use internal communications to improve the employee experience, boost employee engagement, and reduce employee turnover. Build these goals into your internal communications strategy and you’ll create a happier, more motivated, and more cohesive organization.

Communication channels

You can use some communication channels to speak to external and internal audiences. You might use emails, webinars, conferences, and newsletters to reach employees, customers — and other company stakeholders.

However, in general, you use different communication channels for each group.

Your external audience gets updates via press releases, your company website, media news, and your social media accounts. You can also grab their attention with marketing campaigns and product launches. 

Internal communication takes place over internal channels. Offline channels include company meetings and notice boards. But the best internal communications strategies make the most of digital communication tools.

Modern intranets and employee apps are a one-stop shop. They consolidate your internal communications and give internal comms teams all the tools they need to communicate with staff.  

Pick a mobile-first solution and employees can access your company comms from their smartphones, which is ideal for frontline and remote workers.

You can also find internal communication platforms that provide social-media-style tools. They allow you to post interactive content on the company news feed and give employees the chance to like and comment.

Whether your comms team wants to post a company-wide update, send out a survey, celebrate team success, or provide self-serve HR functions, it’s all possible with the right comms platform.

Finding the right tool to support your internal communications strategy

There are lots of similarities between internal and external communications — and lots of ways external comms can inspire more effective and engaging internal messaging.

So segment your audience, measure success, embrace two-way conversations, and create interactive, visual content.

Don’t underestimate the benefits better internal communications can bring to your organization. It has the power to improve employee engagement, customer experience, company culture, and employee retention.

Also, remember that embracing the principles of external communication for your internal comms strategy is easier when you use mobile-first, social-media-style, digital communication tools.

Blink is an employee super-app, with all the tools you need to deliver relevant and engaging comms to employees. With Blink you can:

• Create engaging, two-way communication with news feed and instant messaging channels
• Segment your audience so they only receive relevant communications
• Launch a content and HR hub, giving employees everything they need to do their jobs well
• Measure the success of your internal comms with analytics and employee surveys

Improve internal communications at your organization. Request a Blink demo to get started today.