Blink earns ClearBox’s highest possible score for mobile and frontline support in 2026

Connecting your team, whether they're remote, in-office, or frontline, requires seamless communication and engagement.

Team communication apps centralize your team chats, updates, engagement, and experience, unifying your workforce by enabling everyone to stay aligned, regardless of location.

Our list reviews the best internal communication tools for small businesses with under 500 employees and the best internal comms app for large enterprises. 

Telling you what each one does best, who it's for, and what you'll pay. 

Let's see what the 9 best team communication apps for 2026 offer and which one suits your business. 

How to choose the best team communication app 

Clear, real-time communication is mission-critical for every team, regardless of industry or organization size. The 2025 International Employee Communication Impact Study found that a whopping 61% of employees felt that communication at their organization had broken down to a point that they considered leaving. 

When poor communication affects employees, there’s a trickle-down effect that leads to missed deadlines, unhappy clients, and concerned stakeholders —  all of which impact your bottom line. 

So what’s the best solution? Team communication apps. 

These apps provide key functions and features to help your team — whether remote, in-office, or frontline — stay connected and in sync. Using team chat, video calls, file sharing, and other vital workflow integrations, team communication apps have everything you need to keep your team aligned.

Highlights

• The right team communication app aligns with how your team works, not the other way around. Prioritize tools that support your team’s size, location, and communication style (chat, video, file sharing, etc.).
• Top apps for 2026 include Blink, Connecteam, Troop Messenger, Slack, Staffbase, Flock, Sling, Workvivo, and Simpplr, each tailored for different business types — from small, mobile-first teams to large global enterprises.
• Key features to look for include real-time messaging, file sharing, video calls, admin tools, integrations (with HR, CRM, and project management software), mobile accessibility, and security compliance.
• To find the best fit, run a short pilot with real tasks, validate usability and adoption, and ensure the platform enhances collaboration, engagement, and company culture, especially in hybrid or remote work environments.

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Here's how you choose the best team communication app

The goal, as Blink emphasizes, is to choose a team communication app that fits your team's way of working, not the other way around.

First, let’s consider the following when choosing a new communication tool. 

1. Assess your team's needs

• Decide on your team's communication style: Is it instant messaging, video, or file sharing? 
• Consider your team's location (are they remote, hybrid, or on-site?) 
• Think about your team's size, growth plans, and any data-related rules you need to follow 

2. Lock in those core features

• Ensure your team can communicate using tools such as instant messaging, threads, calls, file sharing, and organized channels. Note: Only 26% of people use online chat tools to communicate with co-workers, while 17% use project management tools, and 9% use other tools, including Microsoft Teams and WhatsApp (source: Project.co).
• Confirm your tools' admin controls (user management, permissions, guest access) to ensure they align with your setup

3. Confirm integrations

• Prioritize project management, CRM, calendar, file storage, HR, and payroll to check that the app integrates seamlessly and doesn't fragment workflows

4. Check usability and adoption

• Look for reliable desktop and mobile apps with intuitive user integration, fast onboarding, and strong search/navigation/notification features. Because if your team doesn't (or can't) use the app, the features won't matter

5. Validate security and compliance

• If your business handles private information, confirm the app's encryption, user access controls, storage policies, and certifications

6. Model scale and total cost

• Plan at least 12–24 months ahead, considering licenses, storage, add-ons, mobile usage, training, and support/SLAs (like support responsiveness and uptime) to ensure pricing and user licensing scale smoothly

7. Fit your culture

• Choose a tool that aligns with how your brand works (consider updates and teamwork), and ensure it includes user rules for guests and sharing outside the company

Handy tip 

Try out your new team communication app with real tasks to see how well your team communicates and works together.

And if you're choosing team communication tools for SMBs, shortlist two options and run a two-week pilot following the advice above.

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The 9 best team communication apps

1. Blink
2. Connecteam
3. Troop Messenger
4. Slack
5. Staffbase
6. Flock
7. Sling
8. Workvivo
9. Simpplr

Quick comparison: Best team communication apps

Blink

Blink's mobile-first employee experience platform connects and engages every worker (especially frontline and deskless employees) through a single digital hub by unifying internal comms with video calling and chat, news feeds, recognition, digital forms, and analytics. 

Making it one of the best internal communication tools for small businesses with under 500 employees that rely on mobile staff.

Best suited for:

Startups, SMBs, and larger companies, with a significant number of non-desk employees (such as retail, manufacturing, logistics, hospitality, and field projects).

Blink pros:

• Combines chat, news feed, forms, recognition, and analytics in one app
• High engagement potential, Blink claims to reach 95% of the workforce
• Built for mobile/deskless workers, ensuring inclusion and access
• Enhances your team's alignment, recognition, and connection

Blink cons:

• Blink's strengths are communication and engagement, rather than scheduling or shift management
• Businesses with large frontline teams can find the per-user pricing setup expensive

Integrations:

• Blink works with single sign-on/identity providers (including Okta and Active Directory Federation Services)
• It integrates with HR systems like Workday, ServiceNow, and UKG 
• Blink connects to various cloud tools and knowledge bases

Blink key features:

• Analytics and insights on team engagement and content impact
• Recognition and employee contribution features (e.g., Kudos) 
• Records employee journeys to provide onboarding support
• Live streaming/events for broadcast-style communication
• Knowledge base for policies and procedures
• Mobile-first chat and secure messaging
• Digital forms and survey tools
• Social-style news feed

Blink pricing:

• Free: Blinks offers a 30-day free trial. 
• Business plan: $4.50/user/month (up to 1,000 users)
• Enterprise plan: Custom pricing for larger organizations

Connecteam

Connecteam is an all-in-one employee management app for mobile, deskless, and shift-based workforces. 

It combines scheduling, time tracking, task lists, forms, HR, and skills in one platform, and is ideal for frontline and remote teams that need more than chat.

Best suited for:

Businesses from startups to SMBs and mid-market with mixed desk and non-desk workers. Organizations in retail, hospitality, field services, and logistics will find the app especially useful when they need to upgrade their scheduling, tracking, and communication.

Connecteam pros:

• Combines scheduling, time tracking, communication, forms, and task management
• Free small business plan for up to 10 employees with full feature access
• Designed for non-desk and operational teams
• Includes HR and skills tracking tools

Connecteam cons:

• Some advanced features (like GPS tracking or automation) are only available in higher tiers
• Complex to set up and use because of its many features
• Pricing can increase as your business grows

Integrations:

• Connecteam’s Application Programming Interface (API) enables simple automation and syncing
• Company chat/communications connect with existing tools
• Handy time tracking, HR systems, and payroll features 

Connecteam key features:

• Mobile communication/chat and knowledge feed
• Shift management and scheduling
• Task and checklist management
• Onboarding and training tools
• HR and skills tracking module
• GPS tracking and time clock
• Forms and reporting

Connecteam pricing:

• Free plan: Up to 10 employees, then $0.50/user/month per user. 
• Basic: $29/month for up to 30 users (annual billing); additional users beyond 30 are $0.80/user/month
• Advanced: $49/month for 30 users (annual)
• Expert: $99/month for 30 users (annual)

Troop Messenger

Troop Messenger is a secure team collaboration and communication tool with chat, audio messaging, video chat, file sharing, and enterprise-grade options. Perfect for teams that want real-time messaging without the overhead of a large platform and that don’t need HR or scheduling modules.

Best suited for:

Small to medium teams (SMBs) that need real-time communication, chat, calls, and sharing, especially where cost matters, and complete workforce management modules aren`t essential.

Troop Messenger pros:

• Includes chat, audio/video, screen sharing, guest access, searchable history
• Scalable with enterprise-level options
• Affordable entry-level pricing

Troop Messenger cons:

• Limited integrations and fewer advanced operations/workflow modules than other, more expensive team communication apps
• Whilst giving you control over the settings, its on-premise/custom deployments can complicate the pricing

Integrations:

• APIs for enterprise or custom deployment to partners and external developers
• Dropbox, Google Drive, Jira, and Zapier

Troop Messenger key features:

• Identity and authentication management systems, LDAP/Active Directory, and SSO
• Collaboration tools: Including code editor, meeting notes, and tasks
• File/document sharing with searchable history
• One-to-one and group messaging

Troop Messenger pricing:

• Premium plan: From $2.50/user/month
• Enterprise plan: $5/user/month
• Superior plan: Up to $9/user/month

Slack 

A leading team communication platform with direct messaging (DMS), file sharing, fast integrations, and workflow automation, Slack is built for knowledge-based and distributed teams that rely on multiple apps.

Best suited for:

Medium to large outfits, especially knowledge workers and remote teams, depending on integrations, automation, and real-time collaboration.

Slack pros:

• Strong messaging, channels, automation, and search
• Free tier available for small teams
• Thousands of integrations

Slack cons:

• Overpowering for teams with simple communication needs
• For large companies, the per-user pricing adds up quickly 
• No optimization for frontline and non-desk workers

Integrations:

• Too many to mention, with integration available for thousands of apps, bots, custom integrations, workflow automations, and APIs

Slack key features:

• App integrations, including but not limited to HR, CRM, and DevOps
• Multi-platform support (web, desktop, mobile)
• Direct and public/private channel messaging
• File sharing and message search 
• Workflow automation and bots

Slack pricing:

• Free plan: Available
• Pro plan: $7.25/user/month (annual billing)
• Business+ plan: $15/user/month
• Enterprise+ plan: Custom pricing

Staffbase

Staffbase is a mobile-first internal communications platform for large, distributed teams, offering branded employee apps, targeted messaging, and analytics to reach the right people at the right time. A solid solution for large enterprises needing strategic internal comms at scale.

Best suited for:

Large companies with frontline/deskless workforces in multiple sites/countries that require a strategic internal comms platform with deep targeting and analytics.

Staffbase pros:

• Strong targeting and engagement analytics
• Made for mobile and deskless workers
• Scales well for large enterprises

Staffbase cons:

• Set-up and management require significant internal communication
• Custom pricing is high (see pricing below)  

Integrations:

• Analytics platforms, HR/CRM systems, and mobile app frameworks
• APIs for custom modules and branded experiences

Staffbase key features:

• Content management/feed/news stream 
• Multi-location and multi-language support
• Analytics/dashboards on engagement
• Branded employee mobile app/hub
• Targeted messaging/segmentation

Staffbase pricing:

Custom pricing depending on size and modules. An estimated starting cost is $30,000/year for 1,000 employees.

Flock

Teams looking for a budget-friendly, lightweight alternative to Slack will find their perfect fit in Flock. It's easy to use and offers most of the features you'd want in a team communication app. 

Best suited for:

Smaller teams and start-ups that need a comprehensive yet affordable team communication tool with task management and messaging that integrates with apps like GitHub and Google Drive.

Flock pros:

• Easy onboarding and a layman-friendly interface
• More affordable than its premium competitors
• Flock has a free starter tier

Flock cons:

• Has fewer integrations and advanced features than its pricier competitors
• It doesn't suit larger or complex organizations
• Caps some features in lower tiers

Integrations:

• Flock offers standard integrations with productivity tools, bots, video call apps, and task management systems

Flock key features:

• File sharing and search capabilities
• Task management/integrations
• Chat and direct messaging
• Video calls/meetings
• Channels/groups

Flock pricing:

• Free plan: Available for up to 20 users
• Pro plan: $6.00/user/month (annual)
• Enterprise plan: Comes with custom pricing 

Sling

Designed specifically for local hospitality businesses (think hotels and restaurants), Sling is a scheduling and shift-planning tool with built-in communication. 

Best suited for:

SMBs with hourly/shift workers who need scheduling and simple communication between team members.

Sling pros:

• Combines scheduling with announcements and chat for real-time updates
• The free tier has core scheduling and shift management features 
• Cost-effective for small businesses

Sling cons:

• Besides scheduling, the app has limited internal communication features
• Basic analytic options compared to more expensive team apps
• Large or complex operations may find it unscalable

Integrations:

• Basic chat/announcements module
• Payroll/time-clock systems

Sling key features:

• Time clock/attendance tracking
• Shift scheduling and planning
• Task and shift management
• Team chat/announcements
• Simple reporting

Sling pricing:

• Free plan: Up to 30 users
• Premium: $1.70/user/month (annual) or $2.00 monthly
• Business: $3.40/user/month (annual) or $4 monthly

Workvivo

Workvivo's employee experience platform (EXP) combines internal communications, recognition, engagement, analytics, intranet features, and a social-style feed into one platform, helping large organizations communicate, connect and engage with their employees.

Best suited for:

Mid-to large-sized organizations with distributed, hybrid, or multi-location teams that require a mobile-first platform that promotes culture, engagement, and unified communication.

Workvivo pros:

• Mobile-first helps remote employees stay connected, access information, and join company-wide conversations
• Fosters a sense of community to improve workplace culture
• User-friendly, intuitive, and engaging social-media interface 
• Ideal for distributed, hybrid, or multi-location teams
• Strong focus on community engagement 

Workvivo cons:

• Not a set-and-forget platform, it requires ongoing engagement and content management
• Small teams might find the implementation too complex
• Pricing doesn't work for most SMBs 

Integrations:

• Over 40 HR/engagement tools (like BambooHR, Workday, and Gusto) and analytic platforms
• Mobile-first employee hub with custom branding and workflows

Workvivo key features:

• Employee communications feed and social engagement
• Analytics and reporting on engagement
• Multi-location and multi-device support
• Mobile-first access (desk and frontline)
• Recognition and rewards

Workvivo pricing:

Custom pricing. Example benchmark: $20,000/year for 200+ employees.

Simpplr

Simpplr is an AI-powered employee experience and intranet platform (EXP) that combines multiple tools and analytics into a single solution to improve internal engagement, communication, and productivity. 

Best suited for:

Large organizations that use Microsoft Teams and need a digital workplace hub that combines a business's communication platform with chat, knowledge sharing, analytics, and personalization across a global workforce. 

Simpplr pros:

• Mobile app allowing employees to access their digital workplace anywhere and anytime
• Provides automated workflows and integrates with other workplace apps
• Supports personalization, content management, and knowledge sharing
• Advanced intranet and employee experience features
• Scalable for large organizations
• AI search feature

Simpplr cons:

• Requires ongoing management and content maintenance
• Too heavy for teams seeking simple chat
• Expensive custom-based pricing model

Integrations:

• Knowledge management systems (including SharePoint, Google Drive, Confluence, Dropbox, and Salesforce), content management, and analytic platforms
• AI-powered personalization and intranet modules

Simpplr key features:

• Knowledge management and content distribution, including social newsfeeds and newsletters
• AI-powered tools for communication and personalized content
• Content engagement analytics and insights
• Employee recognition and survey tools
• Mobile accessibility for employees
• Intranet and digital workplace hub

Simpplr pricing:

Custom quotes by size and complexity. Starts at $12/user/month for full EX functionality.

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Final thoughts: Choosing the right team communication app 

When choosing communication tools for small businesses with fewer than 500 employees, prioritize easy-to-use, mobile-friendly options. 

Choose a platform that reflects how your team works, not just what shines on a features page.

For a large company’s internal communications app, ensure it includes strong governance, audience targeting, data tracking, and deployment assistance. 

Start with a short pilot, measure adoption, grow from there, and remember:

Blink meets 95% of the workforce where they are and provides the solutions for the team communication problems they face today. So, if you’re ready to start communicating on a whole new level…

Blink. And start your free trial now.

Pop quiz: Are your working parents set up for success?

Class is back in session for many students across the globe — and working parents are feeling the squeeze.

As kids rush back to their schools and classrooms, so do their parents for a variety of school-related events. School drop-offs and pick-ups. Meet-the-teacher nights and parent-teacher conferences. Kid sick days. Extended school vacations. The list is endless — and for working parents, finding a winning balance between work and family obligations can feel impossible.

Without the right support systems, parent employees are left in an unfair lurch. Half of working parents say that working makes it hard to be a good parent — with 1 in 4 feeling that they’ve been treated unfairly due to having children and half reporting that they’ve reduced their work hours to accommodate their children’s needs.

Just last week, the U.S. surgeon general named parent stress a public health challenge, issuing a public health advisory calling on businesses to put in place training programs for managers of working parents about stress management and work-life balance.

With parents making up nearly half of the workforce, creating a workplace culture where parent employees feel included and valued isn’t just a nice to have — it’s a necessity for personal well-being and long-term engagement and retention.

5 lessons for lightening the load on parents in the workplace

More than ever before, organizations have a moral imperative to support and engage their working parents.

Here are 5 strategies that internal communications leaders can use during this time of transition — and all year long — to support the parents who work at their organization.

#1. Create a parent-centric resource hub on your intranet

The modern company intranet should serve as the one-stop shop for all employee tools and resources — and your parent employees should be no exception.

A good partnership between internal comms, HR, and IT teams will be crucial in bringing a digital hub for working parents to life. By building a dedicated back-to-school section on the intranet, internal comms teams can point working parents to a content hub of resources like parenting guides, school-year planning tools, local childcare options, and educational materials.

To make sure this content gets in the hands of every employee, be sure to use a mobile-friendly hub so it’s easily accessible for employees who work on the frontline.

In addition to creating a digital hub for tools and resources, train and encourage managers to get more involved by empowering their teams with relevant content, from flexible work schedules to mental health resources. Consider why your parent employees would be visiting the intranet and tailor the content fit their needs. Think parenting resources, local school calendars, tips for balancing work and family, and even discounts on school supplies.

#2. Launch a back-to-school communication campaign

Following the quiet downtime of summer, many internal comms teams are now revisiting their communications calendar.

As part of the planning process, identify opportunities to create and distribute content that aligns with the school year and considers the needs of parent employees during the back-to-school season and beyond. Keep your communications engaging and reach every employee by sharing a combination of informative and inspirational content across different internal channels:

• Send weekly emails or messages with helpful guidance or company benefits relating to work-life balance, flexible working options, and time-off policies.
• Highlight stories from parents in the organization on your internal news feed to build a sense of community and shared experience.
• Share tips that parent employees can use at home, like handling back-to-school stress, navigating school events, or managing homework.

And don’t be afraid to get creative! The most important thing to keep in mind is the makeup and needs of your unique workforce. Consider developing interactive content like quizzes, polls, or Q&A sessions to address common challenges or concerns of working parents at your organization, and build personalized advice or resources based on their responses.

#3. Offer flexible work options that meet parents’ needs

Flexibility is the key to helping employees mitigate burnout and better balance their work and personal lives — especially for working parents who are juggling family obligations.

And it isn’t just good for culture, it’s good for business: When working parents are free from burnout, they are 35x more likely to recommend their employer and 20x more likely to intend to stay.

Company policies around flexible hours, remote work, and time off should be well-communicated and easily accessible. Hosting these documents on mobile-friendly work platforms, like employee apps and intranets, makes it easy for parents to review this information and request adjustments while on the go.

Making changes to these policies, such as rolling out a new scheduling platform or updating expectations around working hours? Have an open town hall to share the news and answer questions. Bonus points for hosting and posting the session on a virtual platform so employees can tune in from anywhere or watch later if they can’t attend it live.

Consider leveraging an employee communication platform that includes or integrates with existing digital scheduling tools. This can make it easier for parents to view and adjust their work day around school drop-offs, pick-ups, and other unexpected schedule changes.

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#4. Foster parent-to-parent social networking

For the broader parent community, social media isn’t just a networking tool — it’s a lifeline.

For parents who regularly use social media, 3 in 4 are getting support from their friends on these apps and more than a third rate social media as very useful for making them feel like they’re not alone.

Internal comms can harness the power of social media to create a digital workspace where their working parents feel supported and connected.

If you haven’t already, start by creating a “Company Parents” community or group, designed specifically for your parent employees. This can serve as a dedicated virtual space where parents can connect with each other, share their favorite parenting articles or resources, offer advice, and build their own internal support system.

Within this group, explore different social features — like specialized chat groups for parents with children in a certain age range or in a particular school system — to allow for more personalized and granular employee connection.

Additionally, internal workshops are a great way to facilitate interactive community-building. Host regular sessions on topics like “How to Finally Get Your Work-Life Balance Right” or “Managing Your Time as a Working Parent,” featuring guest speakers who are experts in these areas. Even better if these are recorded and made available as on-demand content.

#5. Recognize and celebrate work-life balance wins

Recognition isn’t just nice to have — it’s becoming a game-changer when it comes to engagement and retention.

Research shows that employees who regularly receive recognition are 2.2 times more likely to go above and beyond their regular duties, and 1 in 3 employees said that more personal recognition would encourage them to produce better work more often.

For working parents, many of whom struggle with burnout and disengagement, a small act of recognition can make a big difference.

Back-to-school season is the perfect time to refresh your approach to employee recognition. Take this opportunity to take a close look at the digital platforms in your virtual workspace and establish a recognition strategy that contributes to a culture of appreciation and support. Post virtual shout-outs on your internal news feed recognizing parents who are putting in the extra effort, particularly during this busy time of year.

By posting spotlights on digital platforms as an internal “Wall of Fame,” other team members and colleagues can interact with the posts and comment their own messages of appreciation — creating a ripple effect of recognition throughout the organization.

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Turn your workplace into an A+ environment for parents

Don’t let the back-to-school blues get your employees down.

By creating a parent-focused communications stream and creating social spaces for parents on digital workplace platforms, internal comms teams can support working parents during the back-to-school season and beyond.

Extra credit for employers who are proactive, empathetic, and inclusive in their internal communications strategies, ensuring that all employees — whether on the frontline or in the front office — feel supported during this time of transition.

When executives at Nokia Bell Labs brought engineers and scientists together from separate teams, their experiments led to the invention that we know as the vacuum tube.

Since then, the product has transformed hundreds of industries and solidified Nokia’s place in the telecommunications technology space.

The global revenue of their network infrastructure has been increasing by 22% year after year, and for the quarter ending March 31, 2021, it was €1.7B.

That’s the power of cross-functional collaboration. Many of the problems organizations face today need not one, but multiple teams or departments to work with one another. And in a survey of more than 2000 professionals, LinkedIn has identified cross-functional collaboration as a key leadership skill.

That’s why in this post, we’ll take a look at the meaning of cross-functional collaboration, its advantages, and best practices to facilitate cross-functional collaboration at work.

What is cross-functional collaboration?

Cross-functional collaboration refers to the concept of employees from different operational areas of a company working together as a team to complete a project or solve a problem. For example:

• Ecommerce website designers, developers, and copywriters may join forces to deliver a cohesive user experience.
• Sales, customer support, and marketing teams may engage in cross-team collaboration to create a uniform customer journey.
• Manufacturing floor staff and procurement managers may collaborate to reduce excess inventory and ensure stock availability.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Cross-functional collaboration has endless applications and possibilities depending on the business requirements.

Importance of cross-functional collaboration

So why would you want different departments to collaborate? The future belongs to cross-team collaboration. According to Deloitte, “We’re seeing a shift from hierarchies to cross-functional teams. Adopting team structures can improve organizational performance, while not doing so puts you at the risk of falling behind.”

We’ve covered some use cases above but the benefits of cross-functional collaboration go beyond that. These include:

Increased innovation

When you involve people from different parts of the business, you get different points of view. The combination of these unique perspectives can lead to creative ideas for solving problems and lifting production.

Better efficiency

Cross-functional collaboration can make your business operations more efficient. The more different departments collaborate, the more their workflows will evolve and improve.

For example, if a manufacturing company suddenly loses its regular supplier, sales representatives, the ordering department, and the warehouse manager can unite to find a new vendor.

With this cross-team collaboration, they have a high chance of quickly finding a new supplier that satisfies the criteria established by all three of them.

Faster acceptance and implementation of change

When you involve people from different spheres in a change initiative from the beginning, you also get their empathy, buy-in, and trust. And they spread this acceptance to other people in their respective teams.

The result? Everyone’s on the same page, and there are fewer delays in execution. For example, some companies have orientation programs where a new employee is required to spend some time in each department.

This leads to a better understanding of the challenges and decision-making processes in different parts of the business. So whatever team the employee ends up with, he’d still be able to welcome changes introduced by other teams. 

Enhanced organizational knowledge

This one’s a pretty obvious benefit of cross-team collaboration. When you collaborate with other departments, you also get to know the tools, processes, and best practices they are using.

The inner workings of a different department help you learn lessons that you can implement in your own team. For example, they might be using a better tool for data visualization which is also cheaper than yours.

Plus, you get a better sense of how your work and the other team’s work fits into the bigger picture.

Ways to streamline cross-functional collaboration

As you can see, solving problems that affect multiple teams or departments goes a long way in giving you an edge against the competition.

You may think that bringing people together from different teams would be easy, since they’re all part of the same company. But that’s often not the case, especially in medium and large-sized businesses.

Different departments may have conflicting agendas, values, goals, and priorities. And these differences prevent them from progressing on cross-functional projects.

So let’s see the core steps you can take to improve cross-functional collaboration in your business.

Have a clear vision

30% of employees worldwide cite inadequate vision as the reason for the failure of projects in their companies.

Image Source: PMI

If that’s the case for regular projects, you can imagine how high it would be for cross-functional projects.

When you don’t share a concrete reason for the existence of a cross-functional project, why would anyone prioritize it over the tasks within their own team?

Be transparent with the teams involved about why you started the project. Tell them why they were chosen for it. And clarify what’s the end goal.

For example, if you are launching an onboarding program with a mentor from each department, the vision could be to quickly transform new hires into long-term assets.

The more open your communication, the more invested different departments will be in the project’s success.

Gather the right team members

How you build your cross-functional team plays a big role in your project’s success.

For example, having a finance expert in the team will be crucial for a cross-functional project that involves cutting energy costs and becoming a more eco-friendly company. Plus, you’ll also need PR experts that can spread the story in news outlets and give the whole thing a positive spin.

When putting together a cross-functional team, also consider the diversity and influence exerted by every member within the organization. People who are well-liked and respected even outside their immediate departments make perfect candidates for cross-functional initiatives.

Clarify roles and responsibilities

Do any of these ring a bell?

“I thought he/she was going to do it.”

“I keep butting heads with someone in the other team doing my job.”

“I am reporting to two managers from different teams with different ideas on what my job is.”

If you don’t clear up the expectations from each cross-functional team member, your team will remain confused about what exactly they should do, and who will carry out each task.

Remember, employees with clarity on their roles report a high level of satisfaction (75%), effectiveness (86%), and productivity (83%).

Image Source: Effectory

So when engaging in cross-team collaboration, make sure to clearly organize both individual and collective tasks for your workers. Every employee should know what tasks they are supposed to do on their own, and what is to be done in collaboration with other team members.

Put up roles for everyone else to see

A study of American workers across many industries found that 20% end up duplicating the work of others. The reason? Not being able to reach the concerned coworker.

Image Source: Panopto

So while it’s good to clarify roles and responsibilities for each team member, they must also know what everyone else is doing and responsible for. This will help you in two ways:

• There will be no repeat or duplicate work. If someone is already handling a task, another person will not take it up.
• When a team member runs into a problem or needs some information, they’ll know who to reach out to.

The basic information you should openly display for each team member includes:

• Full name
• Department name and job title
• Role within the cross-functional project
• Contact information

‍ A great way to streamline this process is to use an employee directory. Blink, for example, is an internal communication app that offers this feature.

It lets you create a directory where information about each worker can be displayed. Plus, employees can search or reach anyone in the directory via instant messaging. 

Ensure clear and regular communication

The ability to communicate the goals, status, and outcome of your team's work is crucial for cross-functional collaboration. When cross-functional teams don’t discuss project updates and requirements with one another, they cannot realize their full potential.

But cross-functional communication can be tricky. People are occupied with projects within their immediate teams, and no one may be willing to go the extra mile to communicate with other departments.

A great way to make communication easy for everyone is by implementing simple communication channels. Even better if you can provide a designated space for employees to share updates, exchange messages, and share documents.

That way, you make it easy for different departments to share information without switching between multiple apps.

Another thing you should do is to create a concrete communication strategy for your cross-functional project. The communication strategy will clarify how and when to send updates, and set communication expectations for the teams involved.

Create comprehensive documentation

Cross-functional projects are usually big, and big projects are scary. There are many moving parts that can overwhelm the teams involved. They may not know where to begin, how to carry out a task, or whom to ask.

In such a situation, documenting every aspect of the project can be a huge help. It clarifies processes and boosts productivity in both the short and long term.

Documenting involves writing down details about the project goals, baseline measurements, ongoing tasks, expected results, and more. Then making all this information available to the departments that have a stake in the cross-functional project.

You can begin by creating a project timeline to set and communicate the main tasks and a schedule based on when they should be completed as well as establish a project baseline.

Take construction projects, for example. These are typically complex cross-functional ventures because they require the design, procurement, and construction teams to collaborate deeply with one another.

And they have many tasks and subtasks to be managed on a strict timeline, as delays can lead to increased costs. Here’s what a project timeline might look like for such a project.

Image Source: GanttPRO

This level of detail in your documentation goes a long way in showing both the big-picture view and small tasks associated with the project, making the project vision easy to digest for all the team members.

Conclusion: how to streamline cross-functional collaboration

Cross-functional collaboration can be daunting, but its potential for your business can’t be ignored. It’s an opportunity to leverage the leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills from all corners of your company and use them to drive powerful results.

So use these strategies to set a solid foundation for cross-functional success. As your teams start collaborating, encourage them to keep adjusting and learning from the experience. Because these lessons will help you improve your organization’s ability to facilitate cross-functional collaboration even further.

And if you’re looking for a tool that can help enhance cross-functional collaboration at work, look no further than Blink. Request a free demo today.

Employee retention is the art of holding onto your staff once you’ve hired them.

And, in 202w, it’s more important than ever.

Why?

Because companies are finally waking up to the competitive advantages of being a "people" company. A "churn and burn" approach to hiring results in poor customer service.

This is an issue, because customers are placing increasing value on good service. With smartphones, it’s easier than ever to find a competitor company to buy from. Or in the case of consumer goods, to avoid the shop altogether and order online.

Before we start.

You can hold onto employees (more or less) by treating them well. Listening to their concerns, and providing them with a few incentives to stay put.

If you’re an HR professional or a CEO, you don’t need us to tell you that.
What you might find useful is an in-depth guide to employee retention in the modern workforce.

How to maximize your employee engagement efforts. And make sure there were no stones left unturned in creating the most comprehensive guide... we asked some industry-leading experts to contribute.
We’ll cover:

• Detail on the importance of employee retention today.
• How to build effective employee retention strategies.
• The exit interview, and how to turn it into your secret employee retention weapon.

Let’s begin...

Why is employee retention important?

Employee retention means "treating your employees right"; it’s an end in itself, not just the means.

From an ethical standpoint, no company should mistreat their employees. Meeting your colleagues’ basic needs and providing them with a safe and stimulating workplace? It's the right thing to do for its own sake.

But it’s more than that.

Attracting talent to your company—and keeping it once you’ve found it—has so many advantages. According to Herzberg's famous Two-Factory Theory, employee retention and employee motivation are interdependent. You can find out more about this in the Vantage Circle HR blog. A strong employee retention strategy will:

• Reduce operating costs.
• Improve customer service levels.
• Allow you to out-compete your competitors for the best people.

The cost of high employee turnover

Hiring and firing is expensive.

Eye-wateringly expensive, to be precise. Think six to nine months salary as a conservative estimate.

Then you need to consider the impact of not having someone there to do that person’s work. That could slow down a massive project. Cause higher overtime costs as existing staff pick up their work. Or just lead to a reduction in staff morale as they struggle with increased workloads.

Companies tend to get the importance of this for salaried positions and execs. but there’s often a bit of a blind spot when it comes to their non-desk workforce and the real cost of losing an employee.

Sure, replacing a senior-level manager is more expensive than replacing a bus driver. But what happens if your bus drivers’ morale becomes so low that two or three quit per month?

It all adds up.

"Losing talented staff can also have emotional consequences on those who stay. Effectively reducing productivity by decreasing morality and motivation," says Rochelle van Rensburg of the Ezzely Blog.

"Maintaining essential talent is therefore mission-critical to organizational effectiveness for all these reasons. Staff retention puts companies ahead of their competitors, by reducing recruiting and re-skilling costs. But more importantly, by keeping the top performers, which results in all of their specialized knowledge and expertise remaining in-house."

Your mobile workforce interacts most with customers. They are the public face of your company. So, their happiness will reflect in the level of service they give your customers.

Happier, more engaged employees deliver better customer service. They also build up a bank of operational knowledge over time. This helps them respond to queries quicker and more effectively than a steady stream of new hires ever could.

The importance of employee retention in 2020

An active employee retention strategy is more important than ever.
There are two key reasons for this:

Firstly, it's never been easier for customers to look elsewhere if they feel that your levels of service don’t match their expectations. We live in an age where any information you want is available via a few taps of a smartphone screen.

Dissatisfied with a hotel stay? Booking.com can recommend thousands of others.

Bad experience in a taxi? A quick Google gets you all the phone numbers of other local firms.

Poor customer experience at a theme park? TripAdvisor lists other attractions.

You get the idea.

Despite this, customers still want to be loyal. Millennials want to stick around if your brand fits in with their personal values. Don’t throw away this loyal market.

Secondly, it's never been easier to browse jobs via online jobs boards. If your workforce isn’t happy they will move. Don’t assume that they will sit in their job miserable because there aren’t any other options.

Reasons why employees leave and reasons why managers leave aren't always the same.

Your competitors may be waking up to the benefits of being a "people company." They'll more than happily snap up the staff you can't keep.

The best employee retention strategies

A strong employee retention rate is crucial to remain competitive. How you go about doing this is worth examining in some depth.

Remember - you are an employee too! As you create your employee retention strategies, keep asking yourself, "would I be happy with this?" or, "does this seem reasonable to me?"

Here are a few points you’ll need to cover when creating an employee engagement plan. Remember, the employee experience starts before the first day at the interviewing stage. To set each new starter up for success, getting the onboarding right is crucial. Want to learn more? Check out the Definitive Guide to Onboarding.

Let's quickly touch on the foundation of any working relationship: trust. As Kayla Lopez from the recruitment firm Viqtory.com reminds us. "If your employees trust you and the organization they tend to embrace the workplace; this begins before the employee is even hired. Transparency is something that we need to willingly support to gain trust. A workforce that trusts you will be engaged, a workforce that is engaged will retain. Trust is the foundation of all strong partnerships."

Now for the details...

Pay well

We’ll start with the basics.

If your pay rates don’t match with your competitors’, you’re going to have a bad time keeping hold of your high achievers.

Take a quick look at what your competitors pay for equal positions. Try and build a league table of what similar companies to you pay, and where you rank. Glassdoor is a good starting point.

Aiming for the absolute top is ideal if you can afford it, but you don’t have to offer the best salary offer out there. There are plenty of other ways to encourage your staff to stay put (more on that below), as long as you can land in the middle of the table. For someone working in a frontline job, it is difficult to give your best at work knowing you could get $5.00 per hour more for the same job elsewhere. (Even if there’s free pizza every Friday).

It’s also worth noting that even a generous wage packet won’t persuade your employees to stay if you’re otherwise a nightmare to work for.
Consider this step the cornerstone of all your employee engagement efforts. Not enough by itself, but essential in building something lasting and meaningful.

Give competitive benefits

You might not be able to take it to Silicon Valley levels. (Free three-course meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner, unlimited holidays, and puppy creches).

You can offer a benefits package or a performance bonus scheme tailored to the size of your business, your budget, and your business objectives. The key is to prioritize benefits that would have a tangible difference to the lives of your employees. Add the fancy stuff on if you have money to spare.

Think about:

• Childcare vouchers: we’re all aware of the struggle to find affordable childcare. Help your workforce with their work-life balance (and keep it diverse—most of the people who end up quitting jobs for childcare reasons tend to be women) by offering vouchers to help with the cost.

• Health cover for employees and dependents: an absolute must if you're US-based, although even if you live in a country which has some form of universal health care, giving employees the opportunity to go private is very appealing.

• Flexible working: if the type of work you do accommodates it, flexible working is like gold dust to your staff. A "work your hours however you want" policy helps people manage childcare commitments, fit in dentist appointments, and reduce the stress of trying to juggle work and life commitments.

• Lunch program: Most of the lunch break is spent buying, prepping or reheating food. Offering a tasty and healthy in-house solution, such as the online canteen Smunch, allows your employees to capitalize on their break time and share a meal together. Ultimately, this will improve your company culture and cross-departmental communication as well.

Once you’ve got the basics sorted, some nice-to-have options include:

• Above average PTO allowances
• Free gym memberships and cycle to work programs
• Personal development funds

Develop a feedback culture to empower employees

Your employees know their workplace better than anyone else. Make the most of it.

If your employees feel involved in shaping their workplace and consulted on major decisions then they will be reluctant to leave it.

The key to this is to carry regular, easy-to-complete employee engagement surveys so you know exactly what the mood on the ground is and how to improve it.

Employees will hold an enormous amount of goodwill towards a workplace that listens to their concerns and acts on them. Equally, they will reserve a special sort of resentment for those that send out survey after survey, only to ignore the results.

It’s essential to have a solid plan in place for your employee engagement surveys, or they will backfire spectacularly.

Key pointers

• Small, regular surveys are better than long, annual ones. Only giving your employees one chance per year to raise issues will result in bottled up frustrations spewing out come survey time. Not only does this result in surveys that skew unhelpfully negative, but it also means that your HR team will face an uphill struggle
• Another point about designing surveys that you can respond to effectively: keep it targeted. Focus each of your quick-answer surveys on a specific area—facilities onsite, for example, or about relationships with line managers.
• Use short answer questions: "yes/no" or "on a scale of 1-5" formats make it easier for people to respond immediately. Long-form feedback can be helpful, but having lots of long-answer text boxes on your survey will put people off completing it. A good compromise is to have an optional "any specific comments" box at the end of the survey.

When you’ve processed the surveys, share the results and shout about what you’re doing to act on feedback. Employees will appreciate the transparency, and it’s important to signpost what you’re doing to address the concerns they raise—or they won’t bother to participate in future surveys.

Try and create a "feedback culture" in your company by encouraging people to come forward with suggestions for improvements any time they want. Surveys highlight pain points as they are reactive; an anonymous suggestions box (either digital or real-life), on the other hand, will bring out the more innovative side of your workforce.

These suggestions might be small—a new way of organizing the break room fridge, or the introduction of free coffee Mondays—but the opportunity to improve the workplace in this way will work wonders for your wider staff’s sense of allegiance to it.

Make your workplace a fun place to work

If your coworkers are your friends, spending time at work doesn’t seem so taxing.

This is where the fun stuff comes in—the away days, lunchtime yoga, the free breakfast bar, the Christmas party...

If you have a mobile workforce, don’t forget to include them, too! They might not be in the office that often, so having regular get-togethers or breakfast clubs when shifts change is a great way to build a sense of belonging.

Obviously, base these activities on what your own workforce would like, but some ideas include:

• Regular lunchtime sports clubs (running, yoga, five-a-side, badminton are good starting points)
• Away days and team-building weekends.
• Semi-regular opportunities for free food. Depending on the size of your team, you could offer lunch on the company each Friday, pizza parties when teams hit their targets or just because
• Big events like Christmas parties and family fun days. If you run awareness weeks for things like diversity, mental health and stress, why not run some exciting events for these too?
• Recognition of key milestones. If there are particularly busy periods throughout the year (like the Christmas rush for anyone working in retail or hospitality), put on an event to recognize the hard work your employees put in. This could be a full-on party, or simply just giving your staff the nod to take off after lunch on a quiet day.

This step does, however, come with a big flashing warning sign that says: don’t bother doing any of these without doing the steps listed above first.

Because these are fun and exciting, and sound super trendy when you put them on your Careers page, people often use them in place of paying a decent wage, or offering flexible working hours, or acting on employee feedback.

The exit interview - your employee retention secret weapon

One of the best ways of figuring out what’s going wrong with your employee retention efforts is asking your colleagues when they leave.

Seems counter-intuitive, and rather frustrating, doesn’t it?

And in some ways, it is. No amount of collecting and aggregating exit interview data, tweaking your employee engagement plan and making changes in your company to reduce employee turnover will change the fact that, for that particular employee, your efforts weren’t enough. For HR people and line managers, that stings sometimes.

Still, if you can take your losses on the chin, this is a real opportunity to do better for your colleagues, and identify and fix any major issues that push people to leave.

There are three main reasons why exit interviews are so effective at flagging up things that need to change:

The employee is leaving so won't hold back

Regardless of how many times you reassure your colleagues that your pulse surveys are anonymous and that helpful suggestions are encouraged, they will still be a little suspicious.

The worry that surveys aren’t really anonymous, or that speaking out about a key workplace bugbear will get them labelled as a troublemaker, will be a constant thorn in the side of your employee retention efforts.

(As a side note, if this attitude is pervasive then it might be time to take a look at your workplace culture. A little reticence is natural. An all-encompassing dread of speaking up might indicate something a little more sinister).

The exit interview is a different kettle of fish. They’re leaving. There are no raises or opportunities for promotion in the pipeline. This is their opportunity to "tell it like it really is."

Listen, even if you think they’re being unfair and bitter.

Problems brought up during exit interviews tend to have weighed heavily on an employee’s decision to leave. In other words, they’re big issues you need to address urgently.

Get the whole picture

Multiple exit interviews help build up a better picture of life on the ground.

Of course, there’s always the chance that one particular employee just, for whatever reason, didn’t have a good time.

That’s where keeping data from previous exit interviews comes in.

For example, if an employee complains about their line manager being unbearable, it might just be a clash of personalities. Equally it could be because that line manager is difficult to work for and too demanding. It’s difficult to say without further info.

So. Run some analytics.

How many other employees from that line manager’s team have left over the past year?

Did they say anything in their exit interviews?

Have they been flagged to HR for anything previously?

If so, you might want to investigate further.

This is why it’s important to conduct an exit interview for every single person that leaves the business. If you restrict it to management positions, people based in HQ, or full-time workers, you’re missing key sets of data that could be useful in improving your employee retention strategy.

Find out what went wrong

An exit interview, conducted well, helps you identify wrong turns in your employee journey map.

You’ll probably have some sort of employee journey map already.

You might call it something different. We’re referring to the plan you make that starts at the hire phase and ends with the offboarding phase when the employee leaves. This normally includes guidelines for each stage they go through with your company. For example:

Hiring:

• Offer letter and contract sent
• Start date agreed two weeks in advance

Onboarding:

• First day: tour of premises, fire safety, welcome coffee or lunch
• First six weeks: all e-learning to be completed

You get the idea. Here's a basic template you could expand on:

(Source: Trends in Employee Journey Maps)

The exit interview provides an excellent opportunity to ask your employees about various stages in this plan, to see whether they’ve been carried out to your expectations.

Ask specifically, and don’t be afraid to go right back to the start of their employment. Whether they felt welcomed in their first weeks, for example. If they were given clear and regular feedback on their performance, and compare that to your notes on how your employee journey should pan out.

It could be that, despite your meticulous efforts in planning it, your employee journey map isn’t being adhered to by managers in the wider organisation. This could be why your employees are leaving - this map provides guidelines on how to make sure people feel safe, supported and included at work. If people don’t follow it you’re going to have problems.

Your employee journey map is important. If it isn’t being followed, you need to correct that as soon as you can. Exit interviews are the best way to do this.

How to conduct an employee retention interview

Be flexible around your employees needs

If a lot of your workforce are remote or mobile, don’t insist on a face-to-face interview at HQ.

There are several free video calling apps available, so why not make use of them? An employee is more likely to feel comfortable talking to you if you’ve made accommodations for their situation.

If they’re more comfortable talking to you, they’re more likely to be honest with you, and that’s exactly what you want.

Don’t make it overly formal

Go for a relaxed vibe. Making things too formal will only stifle conversation.

If you’re conducting a face-to-face interview, it’s a nice touch to provide some sort of refreshments; hot drinks and a pastry, maybe. The employee will appreciate the gesture, and it will encourage a more conversational feel, which is exactly what will get them to open up.

Identify the specifics to touch on

You will know, from previous exit interviews if there are any particular pain points in your employee experience.

Ask about them. You’ll then be able to establish:

• Whether these are still issues
• What progress you’ve made on them, and how effective your efforts to tackle them have been.

...But allow them to express their opinion too

If the structure of the interview is entirely created by you, you could miss something important.

By allowing employees space to expand on their own concerns, you give yourself the opportunity to pick up on potential issues that aren’t on your radar. Sure, a lot of this could be specific to that particular individual, but you should investigate nonetheless—otherwise you’ll never know whether it’s the iceberg tip of something bigger.

Remember: your relationship with the employee isn't over

People leave for all sorts of reasons—not all of them negative.

You might want to leave the door open for talented employees, in case they want to return at some point. Also consider that talented former employees can be great source of referrals.

These can be your company’s cheerleaders, even after they’ve left. A good exit interview can make this relationship. A poor one can ruin it.

Of course, there’s also the possibility that the employee leaving has been less than stellar. In this case you should see the exit interview as a chance to smooth things over, and divert potentially negative Glassdoor reviews or social media mentions.

Final thoughts

To summarize:

• An employee retention strategy is important because it makes your employees happier. Happier, more engaged employees perform better in general, and deliver better customer service.
• The cost of employee turnover is measured in increased operational costs and decreased institutional knowledge.

Bearing this in mind, the question you should be asking yourself isn’t "can we afford to expand our employee retention efforts?"

It’s "can we afford not to?"

An engaged, happy workforce with a low churn rate isn’t just a nice thing to have.

It’s not just something you can boast about on your Careers page.

It’s a competitive advantage—and people are only just waking up to this fact. Because now more than ever, people value good customer service. If you can provide that, you’ll have a serious head start on your competitors.

Blink is an internal communications tool that’s does everything your intranet does, but better. Try it out today! Request a free demo to get started.

As companies rethink how they connect with employees in a hybrid, mobile, and fast-moving world, many are looking beyond traditional intranet platforms like LumApps. While LumApps is a solid option for knowledge management and Microsoft/Google integrations, it can fall short when it comes to usability, real-time communication, and mobile performance.

Whether you’re rolling out internal comms globally, trying to unify systems into one employee app, or simply seeking a more flexible and modern intranet experience, there are better options out there.

What to look for in a LumApps alternative

When evaluating alternatives to LumApps, here are five key factors to consider:

#1. Mobile usability

Your employee experience platform should be just as powerful on mobile as it is on desktop — especially with today’s hybrid, frontline, and remote workforces.

#2. Ease of use

A modern intranet or communications tool must be intuitive for both admins and end users. Platforms with steep learning curves or clunky interfaces will see low adoption.

#3. Real-time communication

Timely communication is essential — whether it's leadership announcements, crisis updates, or team alerts. Look for platforms that offer native chat, push notifications, or news feeds.

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#4. Integration ecosystem

You shouldn’t have to cobble together multiple tools. The right platform integrates with your HRIS, LMS, scheduling, payroll, file storage, and more.

#5. Analytics & insights

Data matters. Choose a solution with actionable dashboards that help you measure what’s working, what’s being read, and where to improve.

The top 12 LumApps alternatives

Now that you know what to look for — and why LumApps might not be the best long-term fit — here are the best alternatives, starting with the standout:

#1. Blink – The #1 LumApps alternative for unified employee experience

Blink is an employee experience platform designed to bring communications, resources, and tools into a single, easy-to-access app. With a strong focus on usability, real-time engagement, and seamless integrations, Blink empowers companies to connect with their entire workforce—whether they’re on mobile, desktop, or a shared device.

Why Blink is the best LumApps alternative:

• All-in-one communications hub: Combines chat, news, content, HR tools, recognition, and surveys into one streamlined platform.
• Mobile + desktop parity: Offers full functionality on any device, with no reliance on corporate email.
• Powerful analytics: Gives real-time insights into usage, engagement, and sentiment to help you optimize comms strategies.
• Integrations-first approach: Blink integrates with HRIS, LMS, payroll, scheduling, and document systems to centralize everything your workforce needs.
• Top-rated platform: 4.8★ average on Gartner Peer Insights and a leader in G2 for internal communications and employee apps.

Pros:

• Unified digital workplace accessible from anywhere
• Highly intuitive UI with rapid user adoption
• Dedicated support and success teams for onboarding and beyond
• Transparent pricing and strong ROI

Cons:

• May require customization for highly complex intranet needs
• Some advanced analytics features are part of higher-tier plans

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#2. Simpplr

Simpplr is an intranet platform designed to streamline internal communication, content distribution, and knowledge sharing. It includes personalization features, integrations with HR tools, and prebuilt templates to simplify setup. The platform is geared toward companies looking for a structured, branded experience.

‍Pros: Great personalization, modern interface
Cons: Limited customization, costly at scale
Pricing: Custom
Gartner: 4.7★

#3. Staffbase

Staffbase supports internal communications across multiple channels, including email, mobile apps, and digital signage. It offers features for content scheduling, targeting, and employee surveys. Often used by global enterprises, the platform emphasizes scalability and branding consistency.‍

Pros: Email, mobile, signage comms; powerful targeting
Cons: Less flexible for content management or smaller teams
Pricing: Custom
Gartner: 4.1★

#4. Interact Software

Interact Software delivers an intranet platform with features for content publishing, employee engagement, and search. It includes integrations with Microsoft products and offers tools like blogging, forums, and document sharing. The platform is designed for medium to large organizations.‍

Pros: Social features, easy setup
Cons: Limited analytics and design flexibility
Pricing: Custom
Gartner: 4.6★

#5. Haiilo

Haiilo combines intranet functionality with features for social advocacy and personalized content delivery. The platform includes analytics, customizable pages, and AI-based search to help surface relevant information. It is commonly adopted by organizations prioritizing internal engagement and branding.‍

Pros: Strong search, personalization, advocacy tools
Cons: Steep learning curve for admins
Pricing: Custom
Gartner: 4.1★

#6. Unily

Unily provides a cloud-based intranet designed for enterprise use, with features for knowledge management, internal communications, and collaboration. It integrates with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and other enterprise tools. The platform is known for its flexible content management and multilingual support.‍

Pros: Rich design options, integrations
Cons: Expensive and complex setup
Pricing: Custom
Gartner: 4.4★

#7. MangoApps

MangoApps offers a unified platform that combines intranet, collaboration, learning management, and document storage. It supports both desktop and mobile access and is used by a variety of industries. The platform is modular, allowing organizations to deploy only the tools they need.‍

Pros: Feature-rich; good for training-heavy orgs
Cons: Dated interface; inconsistent UX
Pricing: Custom
Gartner: 4.4★

#8. Workvivo by Zoom

Workvivo is a social intranet platform that combines internal communications with engagement tools like activity feeds, shout-outs, and surveys. It offers a familiar social media-style experience and integrates with Zoom and Microsoft 365. The platform is primarily used by mid-size to large organizations.‍

Pros: Engaging UX, employee advocacy tools
Cons: Lacks unified mobile-desktop parity and deep analytics
Pricing: Custom pricing
Gartner: 4.7★

#9. Firstup

Firstup is a communications platform focused on personalization, automation, and real-time analytics. It supports targeted messaging and integrates with a range of enterprise systems. Firstup is commonly used by large organizations with distributed workforces.‍

Pros: Powerful targeting, personalization, and analytics
Cons: High cost; not ideal for smaller teams
Pricing: Custom
Gartner: 4.8★

#10. Connecteam

Connecteam is a mobile-first platform designed for managing non-desk workforces. It includes scheduling, task management, chat, and time tracking tools. The platform is often used in industries like retail, logistics, and hospitality.‍

Pros: Ideal for dispersed teams; affordable tiers
Cons: Lacks deep intranet functionality
Pricing: Free tier available; paid starts around $29/month
Gartner: 4.7★

#11. ThoughtFarmer

ThoughtFarmer focuses on knowledge sharing and collaboration within hybrid and remote teams. It provides customizable intranet pages, wiki functionality, and employee directories. The platform is suited for organizations seeking structured documentation and internal search tools.‍

Pros: Excellent for documentation and wikis
Cons: Setup can be time-intensive
Pricing: Custom
G2: 4.8★

#12. Bitrix24

Bitrix24 is a collaboration suite that includes intranet features alongside tools for CRM, task management, and chat. It offers free and paid tiers, making it accessible to a wide range of teams. The platform is modular but can be complex to navigate.‍

Pros: Wide feature set for budget-conscious teams
Cons: Overwhelming interface; some tools feel outdated
Pricing: Free plan available; paid starts ~$24/user/month
G2: 4.2★

Final thoughts: Blink vs. LumApps

While LumApps remains a strong player — especially for companies tightly integrated with Google Workspace or Microsoft — Blink stands out for teams that value ease of use, real-time communication, data-driven insights, and a single place for everything work-related. It offers a more unified experience across devices, better analytics for employee engagement, and faster time to value.

If you’re looking for an employee experience platform that’s as intuitive as it is powerful, Blink is your best bet.

A practical guide to cutting through the noise and making your messages matter

#1. Navigating modern internal comms

Writing internal comms can feel a lot like packing for vacation. At first, it’s tempting to bring everything — just in case.

That extra pair of shoes? Might need them.

A backup raincoat? Better safe than sorry.

Before you know it, your suitcase is way too heavy, can barely zip up, and becomes a disorganized mess the moment you arrive at your destination.

The same thing happens with internal communications. Overwriting is like overpacking — it makes everything more stressful and less effective. When we overload messages with too much information, jargon, or unnecessary details, they become cluttered, overwhelming, and easy to ignore. Employees don’t have time to sift through paragraphs of content to find what’s important.

The power of “less is more”

Great communicators know that less is more. Just like an experienced traveler packs only the essentials — choosing versatile outfits and rolling clothes for maximum efficiency — strong internal comms should be:

1. Focused: Stick to the essentials. What does the reader really need to know?
2. Compact: Cut the fluff. Every word should earn its place.
3. Easy to navigate: Use structure, formatting, and clear takeaways to help employees skim and understand instantly.

By applying the “pack light” mindset to your internal communications, you ensure that your message is clear, effective, and memorable — without the baggage.

Now, let’s unpack the key principles of writing internal comms that actually stick.

What you’ll learn in this guide:

1. Techniques to write concise, high-impact messages
2. Examples of great internal comms writing
3. Visual tips to make content more digestible

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#2. The science behind shorter messages

Our attention span is shrinking. If your key message isn’t immediate, it’s lost.

You’re competing with overflowing inboxes, endless notifications, and workplace distractions — so if your message isn’t short, structured, and engaging, it’s simply ignored. The way we consume information has changed, and your internal comms need to adapt.

The psychology of information retention

• Cognitive overload: Employees process over 120 emails a day, plus chats, notifications, and meetings. Too much information leads to decision fatigue, stress, and disengagement.

• The rule of processing fluency: Our brains prefer simple, easy-to-digest information. When content is clear and structured well, it feels more credible, persuasive, and memorable.

• The serial position effect: People remember the first and last things they read — but forget the middle. If your key message is buried, it won’t stick.

If your message takes more than a few seconds to process, employees will move on.

Over 90% of people read their text messages within 3 minutes of receiving them — while it takes 90 minutes for emails to get read.

Flimp

Why concise, well-structured messages increase engagement

• Less text = more readership: When messages are brief and scannable, employees are more likely to engage and act. We see this in our personal lives, too: Over 30,000 field experiments with The Washington Post and Upworthy showed that readers prefer simpler headlines over more complex ones.

• More clarity = more trust: Research shows that simpler language increases credibility. Employees trust and engage with messages that get to the point.

• Skimmable = actionable: Well-structured messages increase retention because they mirror how the brain processes information. Using features like headings, bolding, and bullet points improves readability.

TLDR: Welcome to the era of Insta-grade comms

Shorter, well-structured internal comms don’t just respect employees’ time — they actually drive higher engagement and action. If your message can be read and understood in under 10 seconds, you’re doing it right.

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#3. The 8-second rule of internal comms

Picture this: Your employees are glancing at their phone between tasks, skimming their inbox, or checking messages on the go. In those few seconds, they see a new email or internal feed post alert pop up, and they have to decide whether to engage with your message — or ignore it.

While the idea that humans have an actual 8-second attention span has been debunked, the reality is that attention is fleeting, and distractions are everywhere. If your key message isn’t clear immediately, it gets lost in the noise.

So, how do you write like every second counts?

Write a snack rather than a meal

Employees don’t sit down to consume internal messages like a three-course meal — they graze. They snack on bits of information throughout the day, picking up what interests them and moving on.

Employees only read 28% of words on a screen, and 55% of emails are skimmed for under 10 seconds.

Nielsen Norman Group

Assume employees will only glance at your message. If they can’t understand the point in a few seconds, they’ll move on.

Craft strong subject lines and headlines

Your subject line or headline is the first thing employees see — and often, the only thing they read. It needs to grab attention and deliver instant value.

• Be specific: Instead of “Important update,” say "New PTO policy: What you need to know.”
• Use action words: “Action required: Complete your training by Friday!”
• Keep it short: 6-8 words is the sweet spot.

Use plain language & action-oriented writing

To drive engagement and action, make your messages effortless to read. Aim for an 8th-grade reading level or below — this ensures clarity and accessibility for everyone, including non-native English speakers.

Keep it simple and direct:

• Choose familiar words: Say “use” instead of “utilize,” “help” instead of “assist,” or “fix” instead of “rectify.”
• Make actions clear: Swap “We hope you take advantage of this opportunity” for “Sign up now!”

When employees can quickly read, understand, and act, your communications become more effective — and more inclusive.

TLDR: What can you say in 8 seconds?

Next time you write an internal message, set a timer for 8 seconds and read it out loud. If you can’t get to the main point in that time, revise.

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#4. When in doubt, keep it BRIEF

You’ve probably heard the old saying KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid.

While it’s memorable, internal comms teams deserve a smarter, more practical approach — one that reflects the fast-paced, message-saturated reality of today’s workplace.

When employees are flooded with messages, clarity isn’t just nice to have — it’s necessary. That’s where the BRIEF method comes in: A simple, effective framework to ensure your internal communications are concise, engaging, and actionable.

Bottom-line first

Remove fluff

Include essentials

Embrace formatting

Feature one action

If you can apply these five steps, your messages will cut through the noise and actually stick.

B: Bottom-line first

Employees don’t have time to hunt for the key message. Lead with what matters most:

• Start with the “so what?” If they read only the first sentence, they should know the takeaway.
• Use BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front): Instead of building up to the key point, start with it.

R: Remove fluff

Every extra word makes your message weaker, not stronger:

• Cut jargon, filler words, and redundant phrases (“at this point in time” → “now”).
• Write for clarity, not formality (“utilize” → “use,” “commence” → “start”).
• Stick to one key idea per message — if you’re cramming in multiple topics, break it up.

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Quick tip: Before you send it, read your message out loud. If you wouldn’t say it that way in conversation, change it.

I: Include essentials

Employees will only remember one or two things from your message — make them count:

• Stick to the who, what, when, and why — cut the rest.
• If details are necessary, link to a resource instead of cramming everything in.
• Use bullet points to highlight the must-know facts.

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Quick tip: If you can remove a sentence and the message still makes sense, delete it.

E: Embrace formatting

Employees skim before they read — help them find key info fast:

• Use bolding, bullet points, and spacing for readability.
• Avoid long paragraphs — stick to 1-2 sentences per block.
• Use emojis or icons (sparingly!) to draw attention in digital comms.

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Quick tip: Design your message like a social media post — scannable, engaging, and to the point.

F: Feature one action

If you ask employees to do multiple things, they’ll do none:

• Every message should drive one clear action.
• Place the call to action (CTA) at the end — make it specific and easy to follow.
• Lead action verbs: For example, “Update your profile by Friday” is a lot more compelling than “If you could update your profile before the end of the week, that would be great.”

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Quick tip: If your message has more than one action, split it into separate comms.

TLDR: BRIEF is better

Employees don’t need more communication — they need better communication. Applying the BRIEF method will help your internal comms stand out, be remembered, and most importantly — be acted upon.

Now, try this: Take a recent internal email or message and apply the BRIEF method. Can you make it 50% shorter without losing meaning?

#5. The evolving role of visuals

A well-placed image, GIF, or micro-video can convey information faster and more effectively than a wall of text. Employees are bombarded with messages daily — so making your comms visually engaging isn’t just nice to have, it’s a must.

Images, icons, emojis

• To simplify complex information… Incorporate charts or infographics.
• To add personality and emotion… Throw in a GIF or emoji — especially for executive communications, these can make a message feel more human.
• To direct attention… Use a well-placed arrows highlight, or icon
• To reinforce brand and culture… Include team photos, event snapshots, and user-generated content

Try this: Instead of sending a long email about a new policy, post a 30-second video from leadership or an animated explainer — it’s faster, more engaging, and easier to remember.

75% of employees prefer visual aids, like videos or infographics, over text-based internal communications.

Ragan Communications

Micro-videos & interactive elements

Employees are used to short-form content — think TikTok videos and Instagram stories and reels. Wherever possible, internal comms should embrace this quick, visual format to create an engaging employee experience that rivals social media platforms.

Good use cases for micro-videos include:

• Leadership updates: A quick 1-minute message from the CEO beats a long email.
• Policy changes: An animated explainer and visual aids can make complex information much easier to digest.
• Employee recognition: A fun, shareable shoutout video is more engaging than a text announcement.

TLDR: Show, don’t tell

If a picture’s worth 1,000 words, then a well-placed image, GIF, or video can save your employees a whole lot of reading.

Next time you craft a message, ask yourself: Could this be a visual instead? If so, make the switch — your employees will thank you.

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#6. Right message, right place

You wouldn’t send a virtual meeting invite via a printed flyer. So why would you rely on a one-size-fits-all approach to your internal comms strategy?

Different messages belong in different places — and using the right channel can mean the difference between being seen and being ignored.

Match the message to the medium

Consider the best-fit channel for the message or content you’re planning to share. What channels do you have at your disposal — and where do you think employees are most likely to engage with you?

• Short-form, high-impact updates? Post them in your internal news feed or Stories.
• Team-specific reminders? Drop them in a group message.
• Company-wide announcements? Send via a scannable email — or, even better, a video or recorded live stream!
• Need engagement or feedback? Use interactive polls or quick emoji reactions.

As a general rule of thumb, the shorter the message, the more dynamic the format should be.

80% of the global workforce does not sit behind a desk to do their jobs.

O.C. Tanner

Why multi-channel comms matter

• Employees consume content differently: Some prefer mobile updates, others check email. And beyond preferences, content engagement will likely vary based on where, when, and how they work. Your workers on the frontline will see your messages in a much different way than your remote employees or office-based staff.

• Repetition increases retention: Seeing a message in multiple places boosts awareness. Dismiss a “one and done” mindset — get creative sharing the same update or information in different ways across multiple channels!

• Urgency varies: A chat notification or message marked as a Mandatory Read may get an instant response, while an email detailing a policy update or new benefit might sit unread.

TLDR: Even the best message will be ignored if it’s in the wrong place

Your workforce isn’t sitting at a desk refreshing email all day. The more you adapt your message to the right channel, the more likely it is to be seen, understood, and acted on.

Next time you send an update, ask yourself: Am I using the right channel for this message?

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#7. Measuring your success

Writing concise, scannable internal comms is only half the battle — the real test is whether employees read, understand, and act on your messages. Here’s how to track the impact of a “less is more” approach and continuously refine your strategy.

(Keep in mind: Not all internal comms platforms are made the same. Take a close look at which insights you’re able to glean from your tool of choice. If your platform can’t capture helpful internal comms insights, it may be time to make a change!)

#1. Open rates: Are employees clicking?

What to measure:

• Email open rates: Are employees even opening your messages?
• Push notification click-through rates: Do mobile alerts drive engagement?
• Intranet post views: Are employees interested in your intranet content?

Try this: Compare open rates for long-winded subject lines vs. punchy, action-driven ones (e.g., “All-staff meeting agenda” vs. “🚀 Big updates: Here’s what’s next”). Track whether shorter, clearer emails lead to higher engagement.

9 in 10 employees want weekly communication from their company — and 1 in 3 want daily communication.

Harvard Business Review

#2. Engagement: Are employees interacting?

What to measure:

• Read time: Are employees skimming or fully reading?
• Likes, comments, shares: Do they engage with the content?
• Survey completion rates: Are they responding to quick polls or feedback requests

Try this: Post two versions of the same message — one long, one short — to see how it impacts engagement. And be sure to keep all other factors (such as publishing time, day, and channel) the same in order to compare your messages in a true A/B test format.

#3. Feedback loops: Are messages hitting the mark?

What to measure:

• Employee feedback surveys: Do employees feel well-informed?
• Pulse checks: Send a one-question poll (e.g., “Was this message clear?” 👍👎)
• Manager check-ins: Are teams receiving and acting on important updates?

Try this: Make it interactive by adding a quick emoji reaction option to messages to gauge sentiment. Or create a “Too long? Too short? Just right?” poll to see what format employees prefer.

TLDR: If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it

The best internal comms strategies evolve. Keep testing, measuring, and refining. If engagement improves, double down on what works — if it doesn’t, adjust and experiment.

Remember: The goal isn’t just to send messages — it’s to make sure they’re read, understood, and acted on.

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#8. Final thought: Less is more, every time

TLDR: It’s time to TLDR your own content

You’ve learned that less really is more when it comes to internal comms. Whether it’s writing scannable messages, using visuals to replace dense paragraphs, or crafting bite-sized, memorable updates, the goal remains the same: Make it easy for employees to read, understand, and act.

Great internal comms aren’t about saying more — they’re about saying the right things, in the right way. The next time you write a message, ask yourself:

• Would I actually read this?
• Is this eye-catching enough?
• What can I cut without losing meaning?

Now, it’s your turn to put these strategies into action.

Your challenge: Try this in your next message

The next time you write an internal communication, challenge yourself to:

1. Give it a headline of 6 words or less
2. Include a relevant image, GIF, or video
3. Try shortening the message by 30%

Mastering concise, high-impact internal comms won’t just make your messages better — it’ll make your workplace more connected, engaged, and informed.