The complete guide to employee productivity

42% of companies have increased their investment in cloud and unified communications.

And this trend has only grown stronger during the Covid pandemic. The virus has given unified communications a long-overdue seat at the table. 

It’s not hard to understand why. As companies grow larger and employees become more remote, keeping track of all your communication channels and devices is a challenge. And unified communications, especially as a service (UCaaS), solves this problem.  

Still, many companies are on the fence, with some not even familiar with this new approach. Instead of choosing the benefits of unified communications, they’re busy prioritizing other organizational needs. Big mistake! 

In this post, we’ll explore the top reasons why your company should invest in unified communications. Whether you want to learn more for yourself or get buy-in from other leaders in your company, the following list is exactly what you need.

Let’s dig in. 

What is Unified Communications?

Ensuring that workers can easily communicate, collaborate on projects, and share documents are critical to your business. 

Yet in most organizations, voicemail, email, fax, video calls, and live chats have all been on different systems so far. And managing these disparate platforms has been time-consuming and messy.

Even if it wasn’t, the solution may not have led to any improvement in collaboration and productivity. In fact, 69% of employees waste more than 5 hours each week switching between different communications devices and apps.

Enter Unified Communications. It means connecting instant messaging, video conferencing, data sharing, email, and more in a way that you can fetch data from one into the other. 

A solution based on unified communication integrates all your communication devices and apps in one central place. And when this solution is offered as a cloud-based service, it is known as UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service).

So instead of managing and switching between different places, employees need access to only one platform, streamlining communication and collaboration for everyone involved.  

Benefits of Unified Communications 

The definition alone should be enough to have you nodding in support of unified communications. Still, the following points will shed more light on why Unified Communications is important. 

1. Watertight IT

When you look at how your company communicates, you may discover a number of solutions, with each implementation needing dedicated support and vendor management. 

That means your IT department spends a lot of time troubleshooting, installing, updating, and providing support for these solutions. And every minute of time has a cost. 

Wouldn’t this time be better spent on innovating proactive strategies that grow your business and meet corporate goals?

A unified communications solution helps free up IT resources by consolidating all communication in one place. So there’s only one system to manage and troubleshoot instead of several.  

2. Reduced business costs 

Maintaining multiple units of hardware and software licenses adds to your cost and overhead. In fact, you don’t just pay for the different platforms, but also for a person or team to supervise the whole system. 

And don’t get us started on the time and budget you’ll need to allocate to train workers on how to use all the platforms. That’s a big waste of money — money that could have been used to grow the organization.  

In contrast, with a unified communications solution, you pay only for a single platform. So your overall cost is considerably low. 

3. Streamlined operations 

Unifying communications in one place makes it easy for employees to do their jobs regardless of where they are located while saving time on routine tasks. For example, with a UCaaS solution, you can:

• Route all incoming calls to a dedicated team member, app, or device
• Redirect fax or voicemail to an email inbox as a PDF or audio file

You can set up many other automations and workflows to make remote work easy for your workers. And you can do all this without any special support from the IT department. This makes it easy to derive call center analytics on peak load, minimum load, first call resolution rates, etc. which will help with streamlining operations further

4. Improved collaboration and productivity

A survey has shown that companies adopting UC, on average, see a 52% improvement in workplace productivity and a 25% boost in operating profit.

Wondering how? Let’s take an example. Imagine you have a team spread out in five countries, with members trying to share and collaborate on crucial documents. And picture how chaotic it can be. 

Now give the team members the ability to present via a virtual call and share documents through instant messaging after the call — all from the same system.

When your team knows exactly what communication platform to use for everything, they won’t spend countless hours searching emails and other apps. 

The verdict is clear. With unified communications, employees can communicate on both internal and external communication channels quickly and reliably. 

When your different systems can talk to each other, collaboration is a breeze, and you get things done fast.  

5. Better customer service 

Consumers of today are highly impatient. They expect quick and efficient support and services. If they don't get a response to their problem or question fast, they won’t think twice about switching to one of your competitors. 

In fact, 58% of customers will end their relationship with a brand that gives them mediocre customer service.  

So if you want to maintain an exceptional level of customer support, two things are essential:

• Your employees should have a fast way to communicate with customers
• Your employees should find it easy to share information among themselves 

But both these goals are almost impossible to achieve if you have different, standalone communication services scattered all over the place. With such an approach, you also run the risk of crucial messages slipping through the cracks.

A unified communication solution goes a long way in offering a stable and predictable experience to customers, increasing their satisfaction and loyalty to the brand. 

6. Improved security

Cybercrime costs businesses $2.9 million per minute, says research by RiskIQ. And the more disparity in your communication systems, the more vulnerable your organization will be. 

So another advantage of UCaaS is better security. A unified communications solution can ensure that all your calls and communications are encrypted and less susceptible to risk.  

7. Simplified remote work

Communication becomes even more important when your workforce is dispersed in several locations. And a unified communications system ensures that all the workers have proper access to your company’s network. 

This way, employees can answer emails, attend calls, and share files while on the move. This level of connectivity is what makes a UCaaS solution a must-have.

Final thoughts: 7 Unified Communications benefits

Over the last few years, there has been a massive shift in how companies operate and how employees get things done. For many businesses, the days of large office buildings with the majority of your employees are long gone. Instead, companies today have a diverse workforce across several locations.

This makes unified communications essential for modern businesses. From improving productivity to facilitating remote work, and from delighting customers to reducing security breaches, unified communication has the benefits that make it a necessity for today’s workplace.   

Switching to a UCaaS may seem like a big investment, but it can make a big difference in your organization’s future. Even so, if your boss and other senior managers are on the fence, show them this list! 

Invest in unified communications at the right time, and your business will reap the benefits for years to come. Request a free Blink demo today.

Meet our event marketing expert, Amelia!

Amelia has spent the last two years bringing energy, creativity, and a spark of marketing magic to Blink’s Boston office. As a Senior Marketing Associate, she’s helped shape our presence at events across the US, from high-profile conferences to intimate dinners — and even found time to turn our beloved mascot, Blinkie, into plush toys and Legos.

We sat down with Amelia to talk about what brought her to Blink, the milestones she’s proud of, and what makes the culture in Boston so special.

1. What is your role at Blink?

I am the Senior Marketing Associate at Blink and am based out of the Boston office. I have been here a little over two years.

2. What initially attracted you to join Blink?

I’ve always been drawn to the fast-paced, creative energy of tech startups, and when my former colleague Courtney Hayes joined Blink, she couldn’t stop talking about the mission, the buzz around the product, and how great the team was. That instantly piqued my interest.

At the time, I was still early in my career and looking for a place where I could grow — and Blink offered that in a really exciting way. It felt like a no-brainer. Once I learned more about the technology and how it was solving real problems for frontline teams, I knew I wanted to be part of it.

3. What's a project you are proud of during your time at Blink?

Because I run our events in the US, no two days ever look the same. Every event — whether it’s a major conference, a global webinar, or an intimate dinner — comes with its own unique set of challenges and rewards, so it’s hard to pick just one project. But I’m incredibly proud of how we’ve grown our event presence over the last couple of years. People now expect to see Blink at major industry shows, and they expect us to bring a level of excitement and creativity — and we’ve been delivering on that. From how we look to the quality of conversations we’re having, it’s been a huge leap forward.

On another note, I also somehow became a toy manufacturer on the side! Over the past year, I’ve worked with third-party partners to bring our mascot Blinkie to life as both plush toys and Legos. It’s been a long but fun process, from design to production, and now that they’re in our hands, it’s incredibly rewarding. They’re playful and memorable, and they bring so much joy to our customers, prospects, and the whole Blink team.

4. How would you describe the company culture at Blink in three words?

Supportive, upbeat, and collaborative.

The Boston office has such a special vibe. Everyone genuinely supports one another, no matter their title or role. We help each other grow, hold one another to high standards, and always find ways to bring energy and fun into the day. That kind of culture makes it easy to stay motivated and feel confident in the work you’re doing.

5. What's one thing you're excited about for the future of Blink?

Definitely our global growth. It’s exciting to see new customers coming on board — whether they’re small teams or massive enterprises. Even in just the few years we’ve been in the US market, we’ve seen incredible momentum. Every new logo is a reminder that there’s a real need for what we’re building.

I’m especially excited to see where we go in industries like EMS and retail. We’ve already made an impact, and I think there’s still so much opportunity. Some of the brands we’ve signed recently weren’t even on my radar when I first joined — and now they’re some of our biggest wins. It makes the next few years feel full of possibility.

6. Can you tell us about a recent initiative or program launched at Blink that you found particularly exciting?

I’m really excited about the new voice and video feature we launched. I’m someone who sends voice notes all the time and prefers face-to-face conversations, so this update felt like it was made for people like me. It’s not just convenient, it adds a whole new dimension to how people communicate on Blink. Sometimes a message just doesn’t capture tone or emotion the right way, and this makes interactions feel more human and real. I think it’s going to be a game-changer for our customers.

7. Why do you work for Blink?

The product, the mission, and the people. Blink is solving a real need connecting frontline workers who have been left out of digital transformation. That in itself is meaningful work. But what makes it special is the people behind it. Everyone here is passionate about the mission and genuinely wants to make a difference. 

There was actually a moment early on in my first year, during an all-hands meeting. Sean gave a really inspiring update about our progress, and I remember looking around the Boston office and seeing how proud people were. That was when it really hit me that I was part of something important.

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12 ideas to increase employee engagement

We can boil employee engagement down to two key employee attributes.

Attitude – how an employee feels about the company, their co-workers, their managers, and their role. And behavior – the effort that an employee is willing to invest in their work.

These two attributes have a huge impact on your business.

When an employee has a positive attitude and is willing (on most days) to give their all, they’re more energized and productive. They’re keen to learn and find solutions for workplace problems.

Engaged employees are also more loyal to your organization. Teams with high engagement have turnover rates 18% to 43% lower than those with low engagement. They have lower rates of absenteeism, too.

It’s easy to see how employee engagement can help to build a more effective and efficient organization. You reduce costs linked to recruitment, sick leave, and low productivity. And you get the very best from your workforce.

Understanding the importance of employee engagement is the first step. However, finding ways to improve employee engagement within your organization, is another - And that’s what we’ll be focusing on here.

We’re going to explore a range of employee engagement ideas that you can put into practice at your business to increase engagement. But first, let’s take a look at how employee engagement applies to frontline organizations.

Employee engagement in frontline organizations

Employee engagement is so often focused on those working remote or behind a desk, rather than your frontline employees. Common activities or ideas to increase employee engagement actually actively exclude frontline workers, as well. Think in-office lunches, social happy hours, or team building activities during the standard workday. 

But the truth is frontline employees want to feel engaged in the same way a desk-based team does. They benefit from a sense of belonging and connection. And your business benefits too.

Engaged employees working on the frontline provide a better service for customers or patients. Like their office-based co-workers, they take less time off sick and are less likely to look for another job.

All frontline organizations should be looking to improve employee engagement - and it’s easier than you might think. Below are our top ways to improve employee engagement across your entire organization - applicable to not only desk-based teams, but frontline organizations as well. 

12 ideas to improve employee engagement quickly

Employee engagement goes way beyond team building activities and the standard annual employee review. The most engaged organizations weave employee engagement activities into the fabric of their workplace.

Our tips to improve employee engagement:

1. Embrace technology
2. Promote two-way communication
3. Recognize and reward
4. Offer growth opportunities
5. Foster work-life balance
6. Gather feedback from employees
7. Set clear expectations
8. Give regular feedback
9. Promote team collaboration
10. Celebrate milestones
11. Lead by example
12. Measure and act on feedback

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1. Embrace technology

Today’s tech is intrinsically engaging, to the extent that people spend an average of 4.8 hours a day on mobile apps. That’s a third of their waking hours.

People leaders can take advantage of this fact by embracing mobile tools to increase employee engagement. Of course, embracing a clunky old intranet is going to do more harm than good. It won’t offer the user experience that employees now expect from their tech. But with cutting-edge software and apps, leaders make the cornerstones of engagement – communication, collaboration, and recognition – more appealing and accessible to employees.

For frontline organizations, this can revolutionize the way you work.

Employees no longer need a desktop or company email to access internal comms. With an employee engagement app like Blink, they can simply use the smartphone in their pocket, meaning everyone stays connected.

Teams can access chat functions, recognition features, and company tools and resources – all from the same interface.

Leaders can make the most of employee engagement surveys and analytics features. They can use data to understand employee engagement like never before, finding more effective ways to improve it.

When you put the very best tech tools at the heart of your employee engagement strategy, you connect your frontline to co-workers and management. You also make measuring and improving engagement a whole lot easier.   

2. Promote two-way communication

Good communication is the key to employee engagement. It’s a way to share information and company values and to include every member of your organization in company culture. But 80% of professionals rate their organization’s communication as poor or average.

If your company comms aren’t hitting the mark, it may be because communication only moves top-down. Your leadership team speaks and everyone else listens.

You’re much more likely to motivate employees when you create channels for two-way communication. (Like they did at Domino’s). When you give them a voice, encourage them to speak up, and listen to what they have to say, employees are much more engaged.

In fact, employees who say their voice is heard at work are 4.6x more likely to give their all.

Creating two-way communication is harder in large, hybrid, and frontline organizations. How do you connect co-workers, managers, and leadership when they don’t physically cross paths? And what do you do when frontline employees don’t have a company email account?

Again, it comes down to having the right tech tools. You need communication channels that are easy to access – from the office, at home, on the shop floor, and on the road. So everyone stays connected and updated wherever they’re working.

3. Recognize and reward

When employees feel that hard work goes unnoticed, there’s less incentive for them to bring their A-game. So if you’re looking to improve your employee engagement strategy, recognition and rewards are another key focus area.

Some organizations go all out with a points and rewards system. Employees earn points for good work and can then spend points to get gift cards, company merchandise, or even make a charitable donation.

But there are lots of other ways to show your appreciation for employees. An employee of the month program or a simple thank you goes a long way. And – as we’ll see in a moment – rewarding high performers with training and career progression opportunities may prove more meaningful than small monetary prizes.   

However you approach recognition and reward, the key is finding a strategy that works for all employees. 

Perhaps a frontline employee stays late to get a job done. Or receives positive feedback from a customer. These employees should enjoy the same level of manager and peer-to-peer recognition as their office-based co-workers.

With Blink’s recognition tool, it’s easy to create a culture of appreciation. Anyone can send personalized messages of appreciation, sharing posts with individuals, teams, or the whole organization. 

4. Offer growth opportunities

Employees who have a clear career path are more likely to stay working with your company. They’re also more engaged and productive in their work.

But too often, the focus is on the professional development of management and office-based employees. According to McKinsey research, many employers underestimate the value that frontline workers place on learning and career advancement opportunities.

Of the 2,100 frontline employees McKinsey surveyed, 70% said they had applied for a promotion or a job with more responsibility. But only 25% of those who applied were successful. And 65% said they were unsure how to achieve advancement.

As well as highlighting the lack of growth for frontline employees, McKinsey made several recommendations:

• Share professional development, mentorship, and promotion opportunities with every team member
• Give managers the training they need to help employees establish career growth goals – and support them to achieve them. 
• Where a promotion isn’t possible, consider a lateral move or the assignment of new challenges within an employee’s current role to satisfy their hunger for growth

Ultimately, when employees are given the support they need to thrive in their careers, it’s a win-win. An organization retains employees and improves performance. Employees get to enjoy the challenge and satisfaction of expanding their talents.

5. Foster work-life balance

Achieving work-life balance as a frontline worker isn’t always easy. Shifts tend to be long and unpredictable. And when employees are supporting customers or patients, it can be hard to even take scheduled breaks.

This has long been accepted as “the way things are”. But with a third of workers saying that work-life balance is a top priority when looking for jobs, frontline organizations looking to increase employee engagement have a real opportunity – to outshine other employers and better support their staff.

You could offer predictable shifts and – where that isn’t possible – communicate shifts in advance. Consider flexible working and fair overtime policies. Encourage employees to get enough downtime by addressing an always-on culture.

Another key consideration? We know that 70% of frontline employees have suffered from burnout or felt at risk of burnout. This is something that the Starbucks team has taken on board.

Starbucks employees get access to a mental health care platform and free therapy sessions. They also get 10 days of backup care for the children or adults they care for, helping them balance the competing responsibilities of work and caregiving with less stress.

By helping employees to plan and enjoy their time away from work, organizations can count on improved productivity and engagement each time workers arrive for a shift.

6. Gather feedback from employees

Frontline employees are your eyes and ears on the ground. They can provide valuable perspective on what is and isn’t working operationally and how you can improve the customer experience.

But if your organization – like many frontline firms – is suffering from a frontline connection gap, you struggle to access that insight. More often than not, frontline employees don’t have the access they need to provide this valuable feedback.

This means you miss out on all kinds of frontline employee feedback – including their thoughts on employee engagement. You find it much harder to identify and address engagement issues before they affect morale and retention.

The first step to fixing this issue is developing feedback channels for all employees. Tech tools can help. An app like Blink allows you to send a feedback request to a frontline worker’s smartphone, meaning they’re much more likely to see it and respond. 

Remember that different employees prefer different feedback methods so open up a variety of options.

Make pulse surveys, annual employee engagement surveys, and manager one-on-ones part of your feedback request schedule. And give employees the option to leave feedback anonymously so they feel comfortable being completely honest.

With up-to-date employee feedback, you can make your employee engagement strategy more relevant and effective. You get to the heart of how employees feel – and discover the areas where change is most needed.

7. Set clear expectations

Uncertainty and employee engagement don’t mix. Role ambiguity creates stress and it’s one of the leading causes of employee burnout.

Employees need to understand exactly what’s expected of them. They need to know what work to do, how to do it, and who to do it with. Even when a frontline role involves a lot of autonomy, employees need guidance on their remit to feel confident and motivated.

Managers are responsible for setting clear expectations. And it all comes down to good communication.

Frontline managers should clearly define the role and its responsibilities for new hires. They need to set key performance indicators (KPIs) so employees know what success looks like. And they need to give clear instructions when assigning new tasks.

Employees also need to know how their role fits into the bigger picture. How do their tasks relate to overarching company values and goals?

By giving employees clarity you improve employee engagement. But you also promote accountability and show employees that their work is valuable.

8. Give regular feedback

Picture an employee – let’s call him Jim – who hasn’t had any manager feedback in a while.

Jim keeps running into the same customer service problem. But he doesn’t feel comfortable approaching his manager about it. And he’s not due a one-to-one for months.

So Jim keeps at it, doubting that he’s doing a good enough job but unsure what to do about it. Without regular manager input Jim feels less confident in his abilities. His job satisfaction inevitably takes a hit.

Now let’s picture a different scene.

Jim’s manager – let’s call her Jane – understands how important feedback is to employee engagement. She sets up regular, informal one-to-ones, where both she and Jim can raise any issues.

Jim gets to hear that he’s doing a great job. And gets useful, actionable advice on what he could do better. He gets recognition where it’s due and a regular reminder of role expectations.

Feedback needs to move in both directions. And it’s as relevant to your longest-serving staff as it is to new hires. Feedback boosts the confidence of employees and increases their job satisfaction, which means better employee engagement.

Employees also stand to benefit most when feedback is constructive. This means managers focus on facts, not opinions. They talk about the actions of an employee, not their personality traits.

They also approach feedback as a two-way conversation, where employees get a chance to share their thoughts within an open and supportive environment.

9. Promote team collaboration

Two heads are always better than one. And employees who work well together are happier, more productive, and less stressed. Team collaboration can help to prevent loneliness, too.  

Glassdoor research shows that 60% of employees with less than five years of work experience feel lonely all or most of the time. But 89% of all workers say that a sense of belonging within their company is essential for workplace happiness.

Bringing teams together, including frontline employees who tend to work alone, is therefore crucial to employee engagement. And it starts with company culture.

You need a psychologically safe environment where everyone feels comfortable contributing their thoughts and ideas. Like a calendar of team building activities. Special consideration for new hires and team members who work in isolation. And praise for team successes as well as individual wins.

The right communication and collaboration tools are another important part of the puzzle. Project management software helps people to collaborate when they’re not working in the same location. And chat tools allow workers to share problems, ideas, and solutions with ease.

Elara Caring is one of the largest care providers in the US, with around 32,000 carers working on their frontline. The company found it hard to connect its carers and was experiencing a collaboration problem.

By making Blink their communication hub, they improved team collaboration dramatically. Now 95% of employees say they feel more connected to the organization and their co-workers.

10. Celebrate milestones

Mavis Mills, an ASDA supermarket employee, recently celebrated her 80^th birthday. And the whole team celebrated with her. They decorated her checkout with banners and balloons and gave her gifts, flowers, and a cake.

Celebrations like these bring teams together. They boost employee engagement for the person being celebrated and inspire other employees, too.

You can celebrate birthdays, work anniversaries, passing probation, or the successful conclusion of a company project. Anything that fits with your company values and culture.

Of course, it’s easier to plan a celebration for on-site teams. You can organize a gathering in the office or – as ASDA did – around the checkout where Mavis was working.

But that doesn’t mean hybrid and dispersed frontline teams have to forgo celebrations. You can still improve employee engagement by celebrating milestones via internal communication tools.

For example, with the Blink Feed, you can share meaningful milestones with a team or the whole organization – and encourage employees to join in the celebration. You can celebrate little and often to show appreciation for employees on a regular, informal basis.

11. Lead by example

The leaders of today do things differently. Good leaders understand that transparency, fairness, and emotional intelligence help to improve employee engagement.

Unlike workplace leaders of the past, they know that when everyone, at all levels of a company, sticks to the same rules and values people feel more invested in a company’s success.

As a leader, this means practicing what you preach.

You should demonstrate the same commitment to two-way communication, collaboration, and recognition that you want to see in employees. You should model work-life balance so workers find it easier to follow suit.

By living and breathing company values and culture, you inspire trust and respect in your workforce. And when you join them in using the same communication and employee engagement tools, you make it much more likely that people will follow your lead. 

12. Measure and act on feedback

Gathering feedback is an essential part of any employee engagement strategy. But simply getting employees to leave feedback isn’t enough. You have to measure and act upon employee feedback, too.

Research shows that people who say their employer takes meaningful action based on their feedback are 37% less likely to look for another job. And they’re also much more likely to take part in future surveys.

So mine employee feedback for data. Then create employee engagement KPIs so you can measure progress. You can base targets around metrics like:

• Absenteeism rate
• Employee retention rate
• Employee net promoter score (eNPS)

It then all comes down to good internal communication. Share your feedback findings and engagement progress with employees. It shows that you take their views seriously and are committed to making improvements.

Employee engagement: the next step

In thriving organizations, the drive to improve employee engagement is more than just an HR team initiative. It’s something that the whole organization embraces as part of its ethos.

Communication, feedback, and recognition become part of everyone’s every day. And the organization benefits from better staff retention, productivity, and satisfaction.

Your organization may not be at this point yet. But wherever you are in your employee engagement journey, the 12 ideas listed above will help you move forward. Weave these activities into your employee engagement strategy and you’ll encourage the employee attitudes and behaviors you want to see.

When it comes to frontline organizations, the right tech tools are a priority because they make employee engagement so much easier. They provide the vital line of connection between every member of your workforce, from new hires to stalwart staff, and frontline workers to your office-based team.

Blink’s mobile-first super-app helps every frontline employee to feel valued and heard. And with a news feed, secure chat, recognition features, surveys, analytics, and more, you have everything you need to transform internal communication and employee engagement for the better.

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Meet Theo Booth, our solutions engineer based in Boston. Theo has been an integral part of Blink for nearly 3 years, leaving his mark not only through his impactful work but also by introducing everyone in the office to Tony’s Chocolate bars, now a beloved staple.

When asked what drew him to Blink initially, Theo emphasized the appeal of being part of a small, flexible team dedicated to making a difference in people’s everyday lives. Describing Blink as an environment that is exciting, challenging, and rewarding, Theo likes the dynamic opportunities that Blink offers.

Now, let's dive deeper into Theo's journey at Blink.

Theo, what's a project you are proud of from your time at Blink?

One of my proudest achievements at Blink has been my involvement in enhancing our payslip management system. We now have multiple ways of consuming, generating and making them easily accessible to our users at the click of a button.

It's incredibly rewarding to know that our efforts directly improve user experience and operational efficiency.

What's one thing you're excited about for the future of Blink?

I'm particularly excited about Blink's growth trajectory. We're consistently taking on larger clients, which brings new complexities and challenges.

Can you tell us about a recent initiative or program launched at Blink that you found particularly exciting?

One initiative that stands out is "Blink for Everyone." This program underscores our commitment to making a positive impact beyond our immediate business objectives. It's great to see Blink contribute to initiatives that aim to make the world a better place.

Why Blink?

It’s fast paced, exciting and every day is different. With everyone moving towards the same goal and challenging each other at every step, it is an extremely interesting place to work and grow.

In conclusion, being part of Blink isn't just about a job—it's about being part of a community that values growth, impact, and collaboration. Theo is excited about the future and the opportunities ahead as we continue to evolve and innovate in the realm of technology solutions.

Join us in shaping the future of technology and impacting lives. Explore career opportunities at Blink today! https://www.joinblink.com/careers

Meet one of Blink’s earliest builders — Ryan McClarnon, London-based Android Developer and proud co-creator of the Blink app itself.

Nearly eight years ago, he joined a tiny team with a big vision. Since then, he’s helped bring that vision to life — architecting our Android experience from scratch and playing a key role in shaping the platform that now powers millions of frontline workers worldwide.

We caught up with him to talk about product pride, purpose-driven work, and what it’s like to grow alongside the app you helped create. Let’s get into it.

1. Which Blink office do you work out of?

London.

2. What is your position at Blink?

I’m an Android Developer.

3. How long have you been at Blink?

I’m about to hit my 8-year Blinkiversary!

4. What initially attracted you to join Blink?

When I interviewed, Blink was still in its infancy. The product looked very different — many of today’s features didn’t exist yet — but in my conversations with Sean I could clearly see where he wanted to take it. His vision of building something people genuinely benefit from, rather than just have to use, really resonated with me. Joining felt like an opportunity to help shape something meaningful from the ground up.

5. What’s a project you are proud of from your time at Blink?

Before I joined, there was no native Android app — only a web version you could load on a phone. My teammate Olly Fox and I built the Android app entirely from scratch and have maintained and grown it over the last eight years. Knowing that a stable, user-friendly app, which millions of people rely on every day, started as our blank canvas is easily what I’m most proud of.

6. How would you describe the company culture at Blink in three words?

I’d sum it up as innovative, collaborative, and driven.

We’re constantly evolving — whether that’s the app itself or the way we work together—so innovation is baked into everything we do.

Collaboration is equally core. Every success here is a team effort, and people genuinely lean on one another’s expertise.

And finally, we’re driven: The company sets clear goals and everyone rallies around them, pushing hard to make them a reality.

7. What’s one thing you’re excited about for the future of Blink?

I’m excited for the day Blink becomes a household name — when any frontline or office worker immediately thinks of our super-app (not the security camera!) the moment they hear “Blink.”

8. Can you tell us about a recent initiative or program launched at Blink that you found particularly exciting?

The Blink for Everyone initiative — the charitable arm of Blink that supports non-profit organizations everywhere — really inspires me. Hearing about the organizations signing up and the impact it can have on them shows how much difference our platform can make.

9. Why do you work for Blink?

Blink’s mission aligns with my own values: We build a product that genuinely helps people. On top of that, as one of the product owners, I have considerable responsibility and variety in my day-to-day work, which keeps things engaging and rewarding.

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Most intranet comparisons are written by people who've never had to get a nurse, a warehouse picker, or a hotel housekeeper to download an app. Blink. has. We've onboarded 87% of a 10,000-person workforce in 10 days, and we've watched the platforms that look great in a demo fall apart the moment they meet someone without a corporate email address. That's the lens this guide is written through.

Most intranet software was built for people who sit at desks all day. That's a problem when roughly 80% of the global workforce doesn't have a desk, a laptop, or a corporate email address (Emergence Capital, The Rise of the Deskless Workforce). This guide compares 15 intranet software providers for 2026, covering features, pricing, strengths, and where each platform falls short. Whether you're replacing SharePoint, consolidating tools, or reaching workers who've never had an intranet before, you'll find your shortlist here.

Last updated: May 2026.

The short answer

For organizations with significant frontline or deskless populations, the realistic shortlist is Blink., Staffbase, or Firstup, with Simpplr a strong choice if your workforce is mostly desk-based and you want AI-native search. SharePoint and Microsoft Viva remain the default if you're deeply standardized on Microsoft 365 and have IT capacity to configure them. Everything else fits a more specific use case.

Quick comparison: top intranet software at a glance

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What is intranet software?

Intranet software is a private digital platform that connects employees within an organization to company news, documents, tools, and each other. Unlike the public internet, an intranet is accessible only to authorized workers and serves as a central hub for internal communication, knowledge sharing, and day-to-day workflows.

Modern intranet platforms have moved far beyond the static page repositories of the early 2000s. Today's best intranet software includes AI-powered search, personalized content feeds, mobile apps, employee recognition, surveys, and integrations with tools like Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and HR systems. For a deeper look at what these platforms should do for distributed teams, see our guide to internal communication tools.

For organizations with frontline and deskless workers, mobile-first intranet software has become essential. See our complete guide to team communication tools for deskless teams for the wider category.

Which intranet platforms actually work for your team?

Not all intranet software serves the same audience. The biggest split in this market is between desk-first platforms (built for knowledge workers with laptops and corporate email) and whole-workforce platforms (built to reach every employee, including those on the shop floor, behind the wheel, or on a ward).

If your organization has a significant frontline or deskless population, this distinction matters more than any feature checklist. A platform that scores perfectly on Gartner's criteria but requires a corporate email to log in will fail for the workers who don't have one. For more on closing that gap, see frontline digital inclusion.

Here's how each platform stacks up.

1. Blink.

Best for: Organizations with frontline and deskless workers who need a mobile-first intranet. Works across SMB and enterprise.

Blink. was built from the ground up for workers who don't sit at desks. The mobile app is the primary experience, not an afterthought, and employees can join via phone number or QR code with no corporate email required. The platform combines a news feed, team chat, a searchable Hub, surveys, recognition, and digital forms in a single app.

Key strengths:

• Mobile-first architecture with offline access
• No email or IT setup needed for workers to join
• 87% adoption at JD Sports in 10 days, 20,000+ active employees at easyJet (Blink. customer stories)
• Native integrations with Microsoft 365, Salesforce, and major scheduling and HR systems (Blink. integrations)
• AI assistant on the Pro tier
• Recognized in Gartner's Market Guide for Employee Communications Applications

Where it's limited:

• Less suited for organizations that want a traditional document-heavy desktop intranet
• Pure knowledge management is not the lead use case

Pricing: Core at $3.75 per user per month (annual), Pro at $5.00 per user per month, Enterprise custom. Free trial across all tiers (Blink. pricing).

For head-to-head comparisons, see Blink. vs Microsoft Teams and Beekeeper vs Blink..

2. Simpplr

Best for: Desk-based organizations wanting an AI-powered intranet.

Simpplr has positioned itself as the AI-native intranet, earning Leader status across Gartner, Forrester, G2, and IDC reports. The platform focuses on personalized content delivery and automated governance for knowledge workers. Strong search capabilities and clean design make it popular with IT and comms teams at mid-to-large enterprises.

Key strengths:

• Leader across all four major analyst reports
• AI-powered search and content recommendations
• Clean, consumer-grade interface
• Strong governance and content lifecycle management

Where it's limited:

• Primarily designed for desk-based workers with corporate email
• Limited frontline-specific features (no QR-code sign-up, no offline mode)
• Rising fast in AI search visibility, which is making them more visible in buyer research

Pricing: Custom.

See Simpplr alternatives for competitive context.

3. Staffbase

Best for: Enterprise internal communications teams.

Staffbase is built for internal comms professionals who need to create, publish, and measure content across channels. The platform includes a branded mobile app, email newsletters, digital signage integration, and detailed analytics. Strong adoption in large European enterprises.

Key strengths:

• Purpose-built for IC teams with editorial workflows
• Branded mobile app with push notifications
• Email newsletter builder (no separate ESP needed)
• Detailed content performance analytics

Where it's limited:

• High complexity for smaller organizations
• Frontline features require additional configuration
• Pricing can be steep for mid-market

Pricing: Custom.

See Staffbase alternatives.

4. Workvivo (by Zoom)

Best for: Building company culture and social engagement.

Acquired by Zoom in 2023, Workvivo uses a social-media-style feed to drive engagement. The platform is strong on peer recognition, social features, and community building. Popular with organizations that prioritize culture and employee voice.

Key strengths:

• Social feed that feels familiar
• Strong recognition and shout-out features
• Zoom integration for video
• Mobile experience available for desk and frontline workers

Where it's limited:

• Mobile reviews on Google Play have flagged frontline usability issues
• Less focused on operational comms (shift scheduling, forms, workflows)
• Post-acquisition integration with Zoom's broader suite is still evolving

Pricing: Custom.

See top Workvivo alternatives.

5. Unily

Best for: Complex global enterprises with sophisticated requirements.

Unily serves some of the world's largest organizations. The platform offers deep customization, multi-language support, and enterprise-grade security. Strong on governance and compliance for regulated industries.

Key strengths:

• Handles complex, multi-region deployments
• Deep Microsoft 365 integration
• Advanced personalization and targeting
• Strong governance and compliance features

Where it's limited:

• Expensive and complex to implement
• Primarily desktop-oriented, mobile is a secondary experience
• Overkill for mid-market organizations

Pricing: Custom.

See Unily alternatives.

6. LumApps (with Beekeeper)

Best for: Organizations deeply embedded in Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 that also want frontline reach.

LumApps integrates natively with both Google Workspace and Microsoft 365. In July 2025, LumApps acquired Beekeeper in a deal valuing the combined company at more than $1 billion, backed by Bridgepoint, with a 12 to 24 month integration roadmap to deliver a combined "AI Employee Hub" (LumApps press release).

Key strengths:

• Deep Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 integration
• AI-powered content targeting
• Added Beekeeper's frontline features post-acquisition
• Strong in knowledge management and document search

Where it's limited:

• Beekeeper integration is still maturing, two-product complexity remains
• Less intuitive for non-technical users
• Frontline features are inherited, not native

Pricing: Custom.

See LumApps alternatives and Beekeeper vs Blink. for the post-acquisition buyer view.

7. Microsoft SharePoint and Viva

Best for: Organizations already committed to the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.

SharePoint remains the most widely deployed intranet platform globally, largely because it's bundled with Microsoft 365 licenses. Viva adds employee experience features (engagement surveys, learning, insights) on top. The combination is powerful for desk-based teams but requires significant IT investment to configure and maintain.

Key strengths:

• Included with existing Microsoft 365 licenses (no additional cost for basic functionality)
• Deep integration with Teams, Outlook, and the Microsoft ecosystem
• Massive partner ecosystem for customization
• Viva adds engagement, learning, and analytics layers

Where it's limited:

• Not designed for frontline workers, requires corporate email and Microsoft 365 license
• Heavy IT administration and governance overhead
• Mobile experience is functional but not mobile-first
• Configuration complexity means most deployments take 6 to 12 months

Pricing: Included with Microsoft 365 Business plans (from $6 per user per month). Viva suite is additional (Microsoft 365 pricing).

See SharePoint alternatives.

8. Interact

Best for: Mid-market organizations wanting an enterprise-grade intranet.

Interact offers a well-rounded intranet platform with strong content management, people directories, and analytics. Popular with mid-market organizations that want enterprise features without enterprise complexity.

Key strengths:

• Good balance of features and usability
• Strong people directory and org chart
• Content targeting and personalization
• Integrates with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace

Where it's limited:

• Mobile app is secondary to the desktop experience
• Less suited for large frontline populations
• Fewer AI features than newer competitors

Pricing: Custom.

See Interact alternatives.

9. Igloo

Best for: Knowledge management and document collaboration.

Igloo focuses on bringing together knowledge, documents, and conversations in a single platform. Strong for organizations where information findability is the primary challenge.

Key strengths:

• Document management and search
• Customizable digital workplace channels
• Good integration with existing file storage (SharePoint, Google Drive)

Where it's limited:

• UI feels dated compared to newer platforms
• Limited frontline and mobile capabilities
• Smaller market presence means fewer third-party integrations

Pricing: Custom.

10. Haiilo

Best for: Employee advocacy and social amplification.

Haiilo (formerly Smarp) combines an internal intranet with employee advocacy tools, enabling workers to share approved content on their personal social media channels. Strong with marketing and employer branding teams.

Key strengths:

• Built-in employee advocacy platform
• Content creation and curation tools
• Analytics for both internal engagement and social reach
• Multi-language support

Where it's limited:

• Advocacy features may be unnecessary for organizations focused purely on internal comms
• Less robust for operational workflows and frontline use cases

Pricing: Custom.

See Haiilo alternatives.

11. Firstup

Best for: Intelligent, personalized content delivery at scale across desk and frontline.

Firstup (formerly SocialChorus + Dynamic Signal) uses AI to deliver the right content to the right employee at the right time. The platform supports email, mobile app, SMS, and digital signage channels, making it viable for reaching workers across multiple touchpoints.

Key strengths:

• AI-powered content delivery and personalization
• Multi-channel reach (app, email, SMS, signage)
• Analytics and engagement measurement
• Designed to reach both desk and frontline workers

Where it's limited:

• More of a content delivery platform than a full intranet
• Less strong on two-way communication and collaboration

Pricing: Custom.

See Firstup alternatives.

12. Happeo

Best for: Google Workspace users wanting a social intranet.

Happeo is built specifically for organizations using Google Workspace. It adds an intranet, social feed, and knowledge base on top of Google's productivity tools.

Key strengths:

• Native Google Workspace integration
• Social channels for team and topic-based communication
• Clean, modern interface
• Pages and knowledge base features

Where it's limited:

• Google Workspace only (no Microsoft support)
• Desktop-first experience
• Smaller feature set than enterprise alternatives

Pricing: Public pricing typically starts in the $5 per user per month range. See Happeo alternatives.

13. Jostle

Best for: Simple, clean internal communications.

Jostle focuses on simplicity, offering a clean intranet experience for organizations that want to communicate without complexity. Refreshingly straightforward in a market full of feature bloat.

Key strengths:

• Very easy to set up and use
• Clean interface with low learning curve
• Good for organizations under 1,000 employees
• Transparent published pricing

Where it's limited:

• Limited customization and advanced features
• Not suited for complex enterprise requirements
• Basic mobile experience

Pricing: Public pricing typically starts in the $5 per user per month range. See Jostle alternatives.

14. MangoApps

Best for: Mid-market organizations wanting an all-in-one digital workplace.

MangoApps combines intranet, messaging, training, and workflow features in a single platform. Good value for organizations that want multiple capabilities without buying separate tools.

Key strengths:

• All-in-one platform (intranet + chat + training + workflows)
• Competitive pricing for mid-market
• Customizable modules
• Basic frontline features included

Where it's limited:

• Jack-of-all-trades means no single feature is best-in-class
• UI can feel cluttered with all modules activated
• Less polished than specialist platforms

Pricing: Public pricing typically starts in the $4 per user per month range. See MangoApps alternatives.

15. Axero

Best for: Knowledge sharing and community-driven organizations.

Axero focuses on creating internal communities and knowledge-sharing spaces. Good for organizations where peer-to-peer knowledge transfer is the primary goal.

Key strengths:

• Community and forum features
• Knowledge base and wiki capabilities
• Customizable spaces for teams and projects
• Competitive pricing

Where it's limited:

• Primarily desktop-oriented
• Less focused on news delivery and top-down communications
• Limited frontline and mobile capabilities

Pricing: Custom.

Why intranet software matters for frontline workers

Roughly 80% of the global workforce is deskless (Emergence Capital), yet most enterprise communication technology still targets the desk-based minority. That gap is why most intranet deployments fail to reach the people who need them most: the warehouse workers, nurses, retail associates, drivers, and hotel staff who keep organizations running but rarely touch a laptop.

Frontline disengagement has a measurable cost. Gallup's State of the Global Workplace consistently finds that disengaged workers leave at materially higher rates than engaged ones (Gallup State of the Global Workplace).

Modern mobile-first intranet platforms are closing this gap. At JD Sports, 87% of frontline workers adopted Blink. within 10 days. At easyJet, 20,000+ employees are active users. Stagecoach reported a 26% reduction in driver turnover after giving frontline staff access to a mobile intranet (Blink. customer stories). For more on the engagement levers, see our guide to deskless worker communication.

How to evaluate intranet software for your organization

Start with your workforce profile. What percentage of your employees are desk-based vs. frontline? If more than 30% of your workforce doesn't have a corporate email address, eliminate any platform that requires one.

Define your primary use case. Are you solving for internal communications, knowledge management, employee engagement, or all three? Platforms like Staffbase excel at comms, Igloo at knowledge, Workvivo at engagement. Blink. combines comms, engagement, and operational tools for frontline-heavy teams.

Test the mobile experience yourself. Download the app. Try to complete common tasks (read a news post, find a document, submit a form) on your phone. If it feels clunky, your frontline workers won't use it. Look for platforms where mobile is the primary experience, not a scaled-down desktop version.

Ask about time-to-value. Enterprise intranet deployments can take 6 to 12 months. Some mobile-first platforms can onboard teams in days.

Calculate total cost of ownership. The license fee is just the start. Factor in implementation costs, IT administration time, training, and the opportunity cost of low adoption. A cheaper platform with 20% adoption costs more per engaged user than an expensive one with 90%.