How to Calculate Employee Retention Rate (With Examples)

C-suite leaders in the healthcare industry have long been interested in ways to improve their hospital performance. Now, studies show that one factor with a profound positive impact on meeting your business goals is increasing staff engagement in their jobs. HBR’s research showed that higher employee engagement levels can improve outcomes such as:

• Hospital costs (Any legal action taken by a patient against a hospital for negligent complications) 
• Treatment effectiveness and patient outcomes (Measured by the rate patients are readmitted) 
• The level of hospital acquired infections and conditions (Surgical complications, etc)

The research also found that just a small increase (1%) in employee engagement leads to a 3% reduction in hospital acquired complications and a 7% reduction in hospital readmissions. In addition to this, research supports that the quality and care with which their company leaders engage their healthcare employees influences key aspects of the care those employees go on to provide.

Simply put, employee engagement initiatives lead to better patient care. And if you treat your employees right, they'll in turn treat their patients right. The direct link between engagement and operational success is undeniable across all frontline sectors, from optimizing hospital outcomes to figuring out how to improve employee engagement in manufacturing. It's clear that C-suite leaders need to act now if they want to see improvements in hospital performance.

It's clear that C-suite leaders need to act now if they want to see improvements in hospital performance. But how can hospital leaders improve employee engagement among their staff? 

Well, there are a few key employee engagement trends in healthcare that organizations should keep an eye on, which our experts have delved into in this handy guide.

Trend 1: Moving towards consistent & clear communication

Our research has found that almost one-fifth of frontline workers state they don’t receive relevant communications from their employer organization. Our research also found that over one-third (34%) of workers can’t easily access workplace systems on their mobile, nearly 2 in 10 aren’t using their intranet, and of those, two-thirds don’t know how to.

But, so what? What does this downward trend in effective comms mean for leaders of healthcare organizations? Well, it turns out that ineffective communications can actually have a negative impact on patient safety, a critical concern for anyone in the healthcare sector. As NIMH states: 

"When health care professionals are not communicating effectively, patient safety is at risk for several reasons: lack of critical information, misinterpretation of information, unclear orders over the telephone, and overlooked changes in status."

On the flip side, consistent, clear and transparent communication within a healthcare organization creates highly engaged employees, which in turn improves the quality of care your employees provide their patients. 

So, if your paper announcement boards, sporadic emails and disparate communication tools are no longer working to effectively engage your staff, don’t just brush it under the carpet. With the pressure on for HR and IT leaders to digitize, a mobile-first, all-in-one approach to employee engagement can provide the perfect solution to both problems. 

When using mobile communication tools, you are able to easily and directly communicate with your frontline staff. Whether it’s instant company updates and news to the palm of their hands, simplified and secure document access at the drop of a hat, or direct and open two-way communication channels available 24/7, a mobile-first approach is a great way to engage and empower your healthcare employees – and improve patient safety. 

Trend 2: Actioning employee feedback

Whilst consistent communication will be vital to your employee engagement levels, you can’t simply provide workers with the means for communication and expect improved engagement. You have to use your communications channels to truly listen to, and action feedback from, your workforce in order to engage them.

Not only does this show your staff that their opinions matter, but it can also improve the overall work culture and job satisfaction within your healthcare organization, as they feel more autonomy over their work.

And the benefits don’t end there. Research from HR healthcare found that 60% of healthcare workers claim listening to employees drives changes for a more progressive business. Additionally highlighted in HR Healthcare's research, effective employee feedback has been found critical for improving patient employee environments.

As such, by perceiving employee engagement as an outcome-related effort in which patients themselves are directly affected by its success, healthcare leaders can better understand the impact that their engagement initiatives have on the overall patient experience.

Unfortunately, current trends in healthcare seem to be working away from these potential benefits. Our recent employee engagement statistics highlight that 87% of healthcare workers believe their employer should do more to listen to the needs of their workforce, and nearly 4 in 10 workers don’t feel that their feedback will be acted on. To combat this, leaders need to do more to ensure they are consistently making efforts to collect and act on direct employee feedback.

Finding the right employee engagement tools to facilitate clear communication around worker issues will be important, but one key feature you should look out for when it comes to worker feedback is Employee Surveys. By creating customized and targeted surveys for key demographics, departments and employees in your workforce, you can show them that their input is valued and taken into account when the big decisions are made.

Trend 3: Driving employee recognition 

According to research, recognition is a key driver for healthcare worker engagement.

However, our research shows that nearly 4 in 10 (37%) healthcare workers don’t feel as valued as their desk-based colleagues. This is a huge missed opportunity for healthcare organizations, as recognizing and rewarding your frontline staff not only boosts morale and job satisfaction, but can improve patient care as well.

A simple shout-out or a direct message goes a long way in showing your appreciation for your employees' hard work, but a one-on-one approach shows the organization is willing to go the extra mile to show they care about their team members. 

Ask your team questions about how they like to receive feedback. Do they prefer you shout it from the rooftops or keep it private? If your organization uses rewards, does your teammate prefer gift cards or meals? Asking these questions will provide you many options to meaningfully recognise employees.

Other ideas include:

• Recognition events (paid for team lunch or dinners etc)
• Providing development opportunities
• Personalized rewards
• Giving managers exposure to senior leaders.

At the end of the day, taking the time to recognize and appreciate your employees' efforts will go a long way in improving the overall employee experience – and your engagement levels will follow suit.

Trend 4: Understanding quiet quitting

While it's not a new concept to the healthcare sector, quiet quitting—where employees slowly disengage and eventually leave their job without giving notice—is a growing problem in the industry. 

Unfortunately, Gallup found that 32% of US employees were actively engaged at work in 2022 (compared with 34% in 2021) and that the largest decline in engagement was found among health care professionals, who realized a 9 point drop in engagement scores year-on-year. Some reasons cited for employees becoming disengaged include:

• They receive poor communication from management
• They don't believe management has their best interests in mind
• They feel a lack of autonomy and control 
• They do not have the resources needed to career out their role effectively
• They face little or no career advancement opportunities.

In addition to this, another recent survey found that 61% of physicians are currently experiencing burnout, and when asked about the cause, 62% of physicians blamed their current employer. The impact of this on the healthcare industry has been drastic.

The true impact of the quiet-quitting trend in healthcare

This phenomenon can have detrimental impacts to your healthcare organization, as it not only results in decreased productivity and higher turnover/low retention rates, but also requires additional resources—and costs—to recruit and train new staff members. 

Jeremy Sadlier, executive director of the American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration, commented on how this trend is playing out in hospitals all over the US:

“Ultimately, this trend has the potential to make a significant impact in the industry. Any lack of engagement on the part of staff ultimately impacts patient care, teamwork, safety and throughput, all of which impact the financial health of an organization and the patient experience. 

It's incredibly important for leaders to focus on engagement, growth opportunities, and to recognize and reward hard work. These are a few ways to focus on your employees to help them feel engaged with their work." 

In order to combat this growing trend, healthcare leaders should prioritize open communication with their staff to address any concerns or issues that may be causing employees to disengage in the first place. By understanding and addressing these issues with strong engagement initiatives, healthcare organizations can prevent quiet quitting and improve the entire employee experience.

Another way to tackle the quiet-quitting crisis, Forbes suggests, is that leaders humanize work. This could include offering flexibility and autonomy in the workplace, as well as recognizing and valuing employee contributions and investing in a mobile-first, intuitive solution to healthcare employee engagement.

Trend 5: Pushing diversity, equity & inclusion

One trend we're seeing in the healthcare industry is a greater focus on creating a diverse and inclusive workforce, as well as providing DEI training for employees.

And it's not only a recent trend. According to one study, the number of HR leaders identifying DEI efforts as a top priority was 1.8 times higher in 2020 than in 2019. In 2021 leaders indicated that “setting goals and tracking DEI progress through metrics” was one of their two top priorities for the year.

This trend is supported by further research from Deloitte, who surveyed 20 CEOs within the healthcare industry to find that addressing and improving health equity was one of their top goals. But why is that?

By promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace at every level, healthcare organizations can improve employee engagement levels by making all staff members feel valued and respected. In turn, this can lead to improved patient care and better overall organizational practices.

Rola Aamar, PhD, Senior Clinical Effectiveness Consultant at Relias states:

“Commitment to consistent DEI initiatives, especially training, not only is important for patient safety and better health outcomes, but also can be key for retaining qualified, engaged employees. Organizations that create and promote inclusive work environments and consistently let staff know that DEI is a priority are the ones that are most likely to reduce moral injury and burnout among staff.”

Research has also shown that diverse patients who see themselves in the healthcare workforce, are more likely to trust their healthcare provider. This in turn leads them to be able to communicate better about their condition, more likely to understand and follow treatment plans, and overall are more satisfied with their healthcare. 

It really does matter at every level.

DEI is important at every level, with CEOs recognizing and pushing it forward this trickles down into other levels of management right down to the frontline.

In their 2021 State of Healthcare Training and Staff Development Report Relias found that over half of respondents indicated that their organization was moving to actively address DEI-related issues. However, only 40% of those with DEI training require managers to participate.

With this in mind, healthcare business leaders need to take action now: review your organization's current DEI practices, set goals for improvement, and make a plan to implement them effectively.

And don't forget to regularly track and assess your progress along the way. Consider utilizing resources such as DEI training programs, diversity consulting services, and healthcare employee surveys to gather feedback and ensure your DEI efforts are truly making a positive impact.

Trend 6: Prioritizing mental health and wellbeing

The mental health and wellbeing of your healthcare workforce has to be a priority if you want to succeed as an organization. However, historically, the healthcare sector has seen elevated stress levels. 

As Frontier’s research states:

Numerous factors contribute to elevated stress among healthcare workers, including heavy workloads, long shifts, a high pace, lack of physical or psychological safety, chronicity of care, moral conflicts, perceived job security, and workplace related bullying or lack of social support.

And this elevated stress isn't without its challenges. Physician burnout and caregiver stress is a real issue and, according to Frontier's research, work-related stress can have a negative impact on health care providers' professionalism, quality of care delivery, efficiency, and overall quality of life.

As such, it is critical that leaders in the healthcare sector are prioritizing the mental health and wellbeing of their employees. This includes offering direct and easy access to communication solutions to allow employees to reach out for support when needed, support resources such as employee assistance programs and crisis resources, mindfulness/resilience training, and flexible work schedules.

Whilst mental health should be a key focus, you can’t neglect physical safety.

In the quote above, Frontier cited “lack of physical safety” as one of the factors that contribute to stress. This is supported by research from NSC which found 40% of people who reported feeling “very” unsafe at work reported having symptoms of depression all or most days, while only 1% of people who felt very safe at work reported the same.

From the research, there are 3 key ways frontline safety can impact mental health:

• Employees who feel unsafe at work are more likely to experience symptoms of depression and anxiety. 
• Employees who feel the most unsafe at work are also the most likely to meet the criteria for clinical diagnosis of mental illness. 
• Feeling unsafe at work impacts employees on and off the clock. The feelings they have at work can follow them home.

By prioritizing the mental health and wellbeing of healthcare workers, organizations can improve overall employee engagement levels and decrease burnout rates, in turn driving patient care success and overall organizational success.

So let's take action now and prioritize the mental health and wellbeing of our healthcare employees. It's time to put an end to burnout and promote a culture of support within our organizations. The benefits, for both our employees and our patients, are worth it.

Trend 7: Using people analytics tools

People analytics tools are gaining traction in the healthcare industry, as they offer a way to track and measure employee engagement levels, analyze performance data, and inform HR decision-making. With the rising trend of big data and analytics in the healthcare sector, these tools can offer valuable insights to organizational leaders.

Deloitte tells us that with people analytics, healthcare organizations can:

• Increase employee satisfaction.
• View employees as a critical and valuable asset in the supply chain; an asset that can be analyzed and optimized to benefit individuals and the company as a whole
• Uncover opportunities to transform HR practices and optimize talent-focused programs.

By utilizing people analytics tools, healthcare organizations can gather valuable insight to inform and improve their HR strategies, ultimately driving employee engagement and overall organizational success.

Healthcare firms are also using people analytics to increase profitability, as employee engagement has been proven to be a strong predictor of financial performance.

With Blink's Frontline Intelligence, healthcare organizations can analyze and track employee engagement, satisfaction, and other key metrics in real time, using them to guide their employee engagement initiatives and reach their goals.

Final Thoughts

Unfortunately, Healthcare networks can be complicated enough, without staff having to download and juggle a number of different employee systems. 

The Blink mobile-first employee app connects them to core industry apps in seconds, without requiring a password. From shift scheduling to PPE requests to Sharepoint, everything's ready for your staff in one (digital) dashboard.

By providing a platform to help you stay on top of the latest trends, facilitate communication, and track performance and satisfaction, we can help drive HR success within your organization. With Blink, you can achieve:

• 10X higher communication rate using an employee app
• 300% increase in feedback through survey responses
• Higher employee retention and engagement
• People analytics to focus on burnout and DE&I initiatives.

So why wait? As healthcare leaders, it’s vital that you keep up with the latest trends and take action to improve employee engagement within your organization. And we can help you do just that.

Book A Demo Now

Want to learn more? Check out one of our healthcare client testimonials below to see how we helped them.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/EB4EVQx04ak

Meet Isobel Sanders (fondly known in the office as Izzy), our business intelligence lead in the London office. After being a frontline employee in previous roles, such as retail and hospitality, Isobel was extremely interested in the work that Blink was doing and knew she wanted to be along for the ride!

Izzy has been with Blink for a year and a half where she helped launch Advanced Employee Intelligence, and has also worked on internal business analysis across various topics across the business. This includes marketing analytics, creating a customer health score, sales pipeline coverage, implementation tracking, and more. 

“Blink is a collaborative, challenging and fun work environment, where there is not just one direction to go in, but many different ones” says Izzy.  

We sat down and asked her some burning questions about what it's like working at Blink, what she's proud of, and things she's looking forward to most during her time at Blink.

So…over to the interview…

What's a project you are proud of from your time at Blink?

One project that stands out during my time at Blink is the development of customer-facing analytics. I helped create a dashboard that is seamlessly integrated into Blink's platform. What started as an internal tool quickly evolved into a product in its own right, showcasing how our work directly enhances the company's value proposition. I am excited to transform the frontline worker experience, an area that's often ignored.

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

Recently, I helped Blink launch an initiative called Advanced Employee Intelligence. Advanced Employee Intelligence allows us to influence all levels of the business, whether it's helping the internal comms team optimize the feed experience, connecting employees with their colleagues through channels or allowing employees to easily find what they need through hub analytics. We can also go above and beyond Blink usage and provide AI driven sentiment insights and turnover statistics, while retaining anonymity to create a culture of trust.This initiative promises to leverage data in unprecedented ways, offering insights that not only benefit our customers but also enhance their overall organizational effectiveness.

What are you excited about for the future of Blink?

Looking ahead, I'm enthusiastic about Blink's potential to revolutionize the frontline worker experience. By harnessing data insights, I aim to reduce turnover and foster a sense of belonging among employees, making an impact on workplace dynamics.

Why Blink?

Blink is not just the product itself, but the endless possibilities it presents. As a data person, I enjoy having access to a wide-ranging product. Blink doesn't offer a single path; instead, it encourages exploration and innovation across multiple fronts.

Working at Blink is about being part of a transformative journey. Every day, I strive to redefine how technology can enrich the lives of frontline workers, making work not only efficient but also meaningful.

You can join Isobel at Blink, where data meets purpose, and together, we shape the future of the frontline. Search for opportunities on our careers page: https://www.joinblink.com/careers

High rates of frontline employee churn have been a persistent challenge.

But after the period of job hopping that occurred around the Great Resignation, there was an unexpected period of workforce stability in 2025 and into 2026.

Many have interpreted this as cause for celebration. If retention figures are stabilizing — or even improving — it’s proof that your frontline turnover strategy has been successful, right?

Unfortunately, that’s not the whole story… In an era of job hugging and quiet staying, there’s an uncomfortable question that every organization should be asking. It’s this:

Are workers staying with us because they want to — or because they feel they have nowhere else to go?

That distinction makes a huge difference to employee engagement, employee input, and long-term loyalty. And it’s exactly what we’re going to be looking at through the course of this article.

The "job hugging" trend explained

Job huggers are employees who cling to their current role out of financial anxiety rather than genuine commitment. They’re choosing a steady paycheck and stability over change and growth.

According to one recent study, 75% of workers are planning to job hug their way through 2026 and 2027 — not because they’re thriving, but because economic uncertainty has made moving feel too risky.

Let’s be clear. These employees are not engaged. They’re not loyal in any meaningful sense. They’re simply staying put because the cost-of-living squeeze, a cooling labor market, and an uncertain economic outlook have raised the personal risk of leaving.

Why low turnover isn't an automatic win

Low turnover figures can feel like a validation of your frontline turnover strategy. But on their own, they fail to tell you whether workers are actually engaged — or simply stuck.

It’s important to find out where your employees stand because disengaged workers, those who stay purely for the paycheck, create a specific and underappreciated set of problems:

• They drain productivity. An employee who is present but not invested is unlikely to bring discretionary effort. They do the minimum required and no more. Across a large frontline workforce, this has a significant impact on productivity.
  
  
• They infect team morale. Disengagement is contagious. When a significant proportion of workers are going through the motions — without enthusiasm, initiative, or investment in the work — it pulls down the performance and morale of colleagues around them.
  
  
• They deliver worse customer experiences. Customers experience your brand through your frontline teams. Employees who are checked out deliver a sub-par service — and that harms customer satisfaction scores, repeat business, and brand perception.
  
  
• They leave the moment conditions change. When the jobs market improves, when a too-good-to-miss opportunity appears, or when the economic pressure eases, job huggers leave. Retention figures fall rapidly when external conditions shift.

This is the difference between job hugging and genuine frontline employee retention. While the headcount looks the same, employee engagement metrics tell a very different story.

How to tell the difference between job hugging and genuine engagement

Frontline employee retention rates tell you who’s still on the payroll. This can be a useful metric. But only when viewed alongside other KPIs.

Here are the employee engagement metrics you should be tracking alongside frontline turnover data.

Low eNPS. Employee Net Promoter Score — the measure of how likely employees are to recommend your organization as a place to work — is a direct indicator of engagement. Job huggers will score their employer poorly because they’re tolerating, rather than enjoying, being part of your organization. 

High absenteeism. Disengaged employees take more sick days. They're less resilient under pressure and less invested in showing up consistently. Rising absenteeism — particularly in specific teams or locations — often signals disengagement before it shows up in exit data.

Low survey participation. Employees who feel connected to their organization participate in feedback processes because they believe their input matters. Job huggers don't. And if your survey response rates are low, you're not getting an accurate picture of engagement. You're hearing from the committed minority.

Low internal comms engagement. Open rates, content interactions, and platform activity levels are all signs of engagement. Employees who are invested read company updates, react to recognition posts, and participate in communities. A gap between headcount and comms engagement is another indicator of fragile retention.

What job huggers actually need: Five drivers of frontline employee engagement

The answer to job hugging isn’t a pizza party or a one-off recognition event. Employee engagement on the frontline requires targeted engagement strategies, built around the realities of shift-based, deskless work.

Here’s what will really move the dial.

1. Visibility into growth opportunities

Job huggers often stay because they can’t see a better option elsewhere. So why not show them one within your organization? Clear development pathways and regular career conversations signal there’s a future worth staying for.

You can also deliver training that meets frontline employees where they are — on their smartphones and in the time between shifts.

2. A sense of connection to the team and mission

Employees who understand how their work contributes to the organization’s goals — and who feel connected to their immediate team — are significantly more resilient through periods of uncertainty.

You can achieve this with the help of mobile-first chat tools and co-worker communities — channels that enable interaction and connection. 

3. Consistent communication

Frontline employees sometimes check out because they feel peripheral — uninformed about what's happening in the organization and unclear on how decisions are being made.

Regular, relevant, mobile-first communication via an interactive news feed reaches every frontline worker directly. It removes that sense of exclusion and keeps team members in the loop.

4. A voice

Job huggers are often employees whose feedback has gone unheard for so long that they’ve stopped offering it.

Two-way communication channels — like surveys, polls, and leadership Q&As — give frontline workers a route to raise concerns, ask questions, and influence decisions. They help to rebuild the trust that drives engagement.

5. Recognition

Consistent, visible recognition is another important driver of frontline engagement. Employees who feel seen and appreciated are significantly less likely to be counting the days until they can jump ship.

If recognition isn’t currently a big part of the frontline experience at your organization, provide channels for peer-to-peer and manager-led praise. Aim to build appreciation into company culture, so it’s a daily, not once-a-year event.

Turning “quiet staying” into lasting loyalty with Blink

The good news is that job huggers aren’t lost causes. They may be disengaged. But they’re still there, working for your organization.

That means there’s still an opportunity to build the connection and recognition that turns reluctant retention into genuine loyalty.

Making that shift requires insight and infrastructure. Insight into which employees are actively engaged and which are quietly staying. And the infrastructure to deliver a better frontline employee experience.

Blink is built to provide both:

• Analytics and reports that reveal who’s engaged and where engagement is dropping, segmented by team, manager, and location.
• A consolidated mobile-first platform that gives every frontline worker — regardless of their role or shift — access to company communication, peer connection, recognition, and self-serve tools.

With software to track and improve frontline engagement, you can start turning job huggers into loyal company advocates. Now, that’s real cause for celebration.

Blink. And find out what’s really driving your frontline employee retention figures.

It’s time for another Life at Blink feature! This week, we’re shining the spotlight on Maggie MacKay-Dunn, our Senior Customer Success Manager based at the London office. Maggie works closely with clients to ensure they get the most out of Blink’s platform, driving success across the board.

Curious about her journey and what makes Blink a great place to work? Read on to find out more about Maggie’s role and her experience with us!

How long have you been at Blink? 

I’ve been at Blink since July 2020 — 4 years and 3 months to be exact. I started in the Customer Success team — in fact, I was CS employee #1 after Florence Hunter. It was just the two of us for a while before we began expanding the CS team. Initially, we oversaw a combination of Customer Success and Implementation, but as the company grew, we separated the departments and expanded both teams.

What initially attracted you to join Blink?

I’m originally from Vancouver, Canada, and I relocated to London in 2018. After some time, I discovered Blink and thought the product was really great — but honestly, meeting the people at Blink was one of the best parts too.

I love that the platform empowers frontline workers through innovative technology. Having worked in frontline roles in hospitality myself, and with both my parents being frontline workers — my dad was a police officer, and my mom was a nurse for many years — this mission really resonated with me.

Blink’s fast-paced company culture, which values both employees and customers, also influenced my decision to join. When I started, I believe I was employee #25, so the company was still quite small back then.

What's a project you are proud of from your time at Blink?

There are so many! Since I work closely with customers, I can really see the impact Blink has on their organizations.

I love collaborating on key initiatives, whether it’s improving employee survey response rates, communicating a new campaign or strategy, helping with management communication, or optimizing processes. My favorite part is definitely working on projects, building strong relationships with customers, and being able to measure their success and demonstrate the value Blink brings.

Another great aspect is meeting people in person, attending launches, and seeing customers’ faces light up when they realize how Blink can make their jobs easier — it’s like a lightbulb moment.

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

Innovative, collaborative and passionate.

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

I look forward to seeing Blink’s continued role in transforming workplace culture through better communication tools and enhancing employee happiness and engagement on a large scale. I’m really passionate about recognizing good work across organizations and highlighting those small stories that might otherwise go unnoticed without an app like Blink. Even if something small happens at one site, you can post it on the feed and have more than ten thousand people see it. It makes employees feel valued and engaged.

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

Yes! The launch of advanced employee intelligence was a major milestone and a gamechanger for our customers. It also made a huge impact within customer success, allowing us to gain insights into how the workforce is using Blink. 

This deeper level of understanding helps teams make better decisions and improvements across all areas of the organization. It allows us to identify specific areas to boost engagement, share tips or trends on how to communicate more effectively with employees, and ultimately understand how employees are interacting with the platform.

This knowledge is key to optimizing the experience and creating a more supportive and productive work environment.

Why do you work for Blink?

I think I strongly align with Blink’s mission, and I’m passionate about helping people. I believe Blink fosters a positive environment and a mission-driven culture, which makes it feel like a meaningful place to work.

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Looking for a modern comms tool for your modern workforce? Unlike traditional internal communication methods — like a static intranet or email — an employee communication app is engaging and user-friendly. 

It supports the distribution of relevant and personalized content to every employee. And it goes beyond the desktop experience, to give remote and frontline employees access to company comms via a mobile device.  

It goes without saying that an employee app can help you improve internal communications. But the impact of the best apps is much wider-reaching. They give you the tools you need to transform employee productivity, engagement, and retention, too. 

Here, we’ve put together a list of the best employee communication apps for 2025. We look at the primary features, potential drawbacks, and customer ratings associated with each app to help you find the right platform for your organization.

Best employee communication apps for 2025

These workplace communication apps help you get the right messages to the right employees, without adding unnecessary noise.

Our top employee communication apps for this year are:

Blink: best app for large enterprises with a mix of frontline and desk-based employees

Slack: best app for dispersed desk-based teams in need of real-time collaboration tools 

Staffbase: best app for companies with a large, distributed workforce

Beekeeper: best for frontline organizations in highly operational environments

Haiilo: best app for mid to large businesses looking to boost employer branding and advocacy

Workvivo: best app for building community and culture within hybrid and remote teams

Here, we take a detailed look at each app in turn.

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1. Blink 

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Best for: large enterprises with a mix of frontline and desk-based employees

Blink is an all-in-one employee communication app designed for organizations that have both desk-based and frontline employees. Both segments of your workforce get the same high-quality, two-way communication tools via a simple, intuitive platform.  

Via the Blink app — available on both smartphone and desktop computers — employees can access a company news feed, real-time messaging, shift schedules, digital forms, employee surveys, and a content hub. Thanks to deep integrations, workers also get one-click access to your other workplace software.

One of Blink’s best features is its user-friendly social-media style interface. Our company communication app enjoys high levels of adoption and usage because there’s virtually no learning curve. Employees can download and start using the app with ease.

Key features/strengths

Social-media style news feed: Employees can stay up-to-date with company news via the news feed, which is populated with engaging posts, photos, videos, and stories. Depending on the settings you choose, employees have the option to like, comment, and create their own posts.

Audience segmentation tools: Wave goodbye to information overload. With Blink, you can segment employees based on their role, team, location, tenure, and interests to ensure they only receive relevant messages.

Knowledge library: A content hub where admins can create or upload documents, policies, FAQs, and resources. Workers can access this hub anytime and from any device with an internet connection.

Instant messaging: Employees can launch secure, one-to-one live chats — or create groups to organize conversations around a specific team, topic, or project.

Mandatory reads: To ensure essential internal communications are read, admins can require employee acknowledgment. They can also use push notifications and in-app reminders to highlight critical messages.

Employee journeys: Admins can automate employee communications, ensuring that workers get the right information at key points in the employee lifecycle.

Employee surveys: Blink has all the tools you need for two-way internal communication, including polls and surveys.

Communities: Support employees to find like-minded coworkers. The Communities feature supports the creation of coworker groups based on hobbies or interests.

Digital forms: You can use Blink to digitize paper processes, creating and distributing digital forms to gather employee information. Popular options include leave request forms, absence management forms, and near-miss reporting forms.

Platform analytics: With powerful analytics, admins can track internal communication metrics and find areas for improvement. They can see which content is most effective — and identify employees who aren’t engaging with company comms.

Single sign-on: All Blink tools are available via mobile app using single sign-on technology. Deskless workers can access the same employee communication tools as their desk-based peers, without needing a company email address.

Potential downsides

• Some users say that the app’s search function could be better. They’d like to see more search management tools and refiners.

Pricing

Pricing is available on request.

Ratings

• Capterra: 4.7/5
• G2: 4.7/5

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2. Slack

Best for: dispersed desk-based teams that need real-time collaboration tools  

Slack is one of the most popular workplace communication apps, especially for organizations that have employees working from home. This software is known for its intuitive interface and variety of third-party integrations. Its supported platforms include web, iOS, and Android.

Key features/strengths

Instant messaging: Employees can chat one-to-one via text, audio, or video call. Screen-sharing and file-sharing are supported. A worker can also initiate a conference with up to 15 members.

Channels: Workers can create separate channels for individual projects, topics, or teams. Channels can be private, with only a few team members, or available to everyone in the company.

Knowledge sharing: The files you share on the chat are saved online and are searchable through the platform.

Integrations: Slack connects with common office applications like Google Drive, Zapier, and Trello.

Workflow builder: Workers can automate routine tasks that need inputs and approvals from team members.

Potential downsides

• You need an email address to use Slack, making it an impractical solution for frontline workers.
• Some users complain that the platform can feel overwhelming and that there are too many notifications.
• Users say it’s easy to miss messages because there are so many channels and because search functionality is lacking.

Pricing

• Pro: $8.75 per user per month
• Business+: $15 per user per month

There is an enterprise plan, with pricing available on request — and a free plan with limited features.

Ratings

• Capterra: 4.7/5
• G2: 4.5/5

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3. Staffbase

Best for: enterprise companies with a big, distributed workforce

Staffbase is a company intranet that provides a mobile app for frontline employees. It gives big organizations all the tools they need to plan, create, send, and measure the impact of internal communications.

Key features/strengths

Content publishing: Staffbase lets admins create, publish, and measure the impact of content. It’s easy to create compelling communications across a range of channels and editors can publish posts under company leaders’ names.

News feed: An interactive social feed, with clear layouts and a user-friendly experience, available on both desktop and mobile app versions of the platform.

Live chat: Employees can initiate or participate in one-to-one and group chats for fast and secure communication.

Employee directory: An employee database makes it easy for employees to find and communicate with coworkers.  

Analytics: Admins can get data-driven reporting on employee activity, adoption, and engagement with internal messages.

Integrations: Integration with popular workplace applications such as Google Workspace, Salesforce, and Slack are available.

Potential downsides

• Some add-ons and integrations come at an additional cost.
• Admins complain that there is limited customization. 
• There are few out-of-the-box features for frontline workers.

Pricing

Pricing is available on request. 

Ratings

• Capterra: 4.7/5
• G2: 4.6/5

How does Staffbase compare to Blink? View a platform comparison: Staffbase vs. Blink.

4. Beekeeper 

Best for: frontline organizations in highly operational environments

Beekeeper is an app for employee communication, designed specifically to connect deskless employees with company HQ. Initially focused on retail employees, Beekeeper has expanded its reach to include other frontline industries.  

This platform helps frontline organizations to replace paper processes with digital ones — and it’s a popular choice in fast-paced, operational environments. 

Key features/strengths

Real-time communication: Workers can communicate on the go via “streams” and secure chats. You can also use digital surveys to gather frontline feedback. 

Content hub: A file library allows quick access to vital documents and resources. Files can be uploaded from a device or imported from Microsoft SharePoint.

Instant translations: For multilingual organizations, Beekeeper provides automatic inline translations to ensure everyone understands your employee messages.

Analytics: Built-in analytics reporting allows admins to view metrics on engagement, popular content, and readership.

Single sign-on: Employees can access the app and other connected apps without an email address, phone number, or password.

Potential downsides

• Some users have found the app difficult to use.  
• With a focus on the mobile and frontline experience, this app isn’t the best option for desk-based employees.

Pricing

Pricing is available on request. There’s a 14-day free trial available.

Ratings

• Capterra: 4.6/5
• G2: 4.8/5

Find out how Beekeeper compares to Blink.

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5. Haiilo 

Best for: mid to large businesses looking to boost employer branding and advocacy

Haiilo is another top employee communications app in 2025. This company was born from a merger between COYO (which specialized in social intranets), Smarp (which was known for its employee advocacy tools), and Jubiwee (which focused on employee surveys).

This app is available on three payment plans. There are also additional modules available if you want to incorporate an employee intranet, surveys, or multichannel communication.

Key features/strengths

Email builder: An email template builder and automatically created delivery lists help you reach desk-based employees with engagement internal newsletters.

Content creation: With the help of AI, co-creation tools, and a content calendar, Haiilo makes content creation easy.

Analytics: Platform analytics help leaders make data-driven decisions. You can also set up alerts for critical developments and get automated reports.

People directory: User profiles and a list of coworkers make it easy to find the teammates you’re looking for.

Live streams, podcasts, and digital signage: Haiilo supports a variety of communication methods, including via TV screens displayed at your office locations.

Employee advocacy: Employees can link their personal social media accounts to the Haiilo platform, then share content directly using the Haiilo interface.  

Potential downsides

• Some internal communication features are only available as add-ons and come at an additional cost.
• There are limited integrations with other workplace tools.
• Admins report issues with bulk content control, multi-language features, and app customization.  

Pricing

Pricing is available on request.

Ratings

• Capterra: 4.3/5
• G2: 4.6/5

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6. Workvivo

Best for: building community and culture within hybrid and remote teams

Workvivo, owned by Zoom, is a workplace communication tool with a familiar news-feed-style interface so there’s a minimal learning curve. It combines the features of an intranet, internal communication software, and a mobile employee app.

The mobile app makes the platform accessible to remote, office-based, and frontline employees. Supported formats include online, Android, and iOS.

Key features/strengths

Activity feed: Workers from across the company can post updates and keep others informed about the latest workplace news. Posts can also be scheduled for later.

Instant messaging: A chat function is available through integrations with tools like Slack, MS Teams, and Zoom meetings.

Live video streaming: Executives can stream town hall sessions via live video or podcasting for people who cannot attend in person.

People directory: A searchable directory of workers with profile information allows workers to get to know each other better.

Internal articles: Admins can publish and manage articles with rich content such as photos, tables, and video clips.

Potential downsides

• Integrations with third-party systems can feel a little light.
• Admins say they want better customization options — there is limited out-of-the-box functionality for customization.
• The search experience on mobile isn’t as robust as on the desktop app.  

Pricing

Pricing is available on request.

Ratings

• Capterra: 4.7/5
• G2: 4.8/5

Read more: Workvivo vs. Blink: How do these platforms stack up?

Final thoughts: best employee communication apps in 2025

An internal communication app can help you improve employee communications within your organization. It goes beyond paper processes, email, or an outdated intranet to deliver essential comms to every employee smartphone.

As you can see from this list, there are lots of employee communication apps to choose from, each with its own set of features and use cases. You need to consider the size of your organization and the composition of your workforce when deciding between them.

Across most apps, you’ll find a variety of communication channels. The best apps provide access to multimedia news feeds, instant messaging, and surveys. They also give you tools to segment your audience, promote two-way communication, and analyze your comms performance.

But — when choosing an employee communication app for your organization — it pays to think beyond internal comms. To avoid app overload and ensure a streamlined digital employee experience, a platform that helps you achieve multiple workplace goals is ideal.

Blink’s employee app supports internal communication, employee engagement, and employee listening. It provides a home for HR resources and self-serve tools. It also offers deep integration with other workplace software to create a one-stop digital hub for your organization.  

Discover what an employee app like Blink can do. Watch our on-demand webinar: Putting a frontline employee app to the test.

Looking for remote employee engagement strategies that take your company culture to the next level? Here are our best tips to engage virtual teams.

Consultants, freelancers, frontline workers, and full-time staff across time zones – they all have one thing in common. And that thing is – no points for guessing – remote work. They're 'WFH' or at a client site. 

It’s no secret that remote work offers many benefits to both employees and employers. Employers get access to a global talent pool, and employees get the freedom to work from a convenient location.  

No wonder remote employees are happier than office-based workers. A recent PwC study found that only 8% of remote workers want to work from their employer’s office. On top of that, 83% of employers and 71% of employees view the shift to remote work as a success.

But remote work isn’t all a bed of roses. It has its own challenges, one of which is to engage remote employees. You want to ensure that your employees are dedicated and emotionally invested in your company. 

This is easier said than done, since remote teams are physically distant from the company’s main hub of activity. More often than not, they miss out on social events such as birthdays, small talks, and team lunches. Without these opportunities, remote employees can lose their sense of belonging and feel like something is amiss. The result?

Widespread disengagement. 

Now as a senior leader in your organization, you can’t afford to let that happen, can you? So in this post, we’ll show you several effective strategies you can use to boost remote employee engagement.

Engaging remote employees 101

Employee engagement: remote working challenges

When looking to engage remote workers and combat this issue, senior leaders must turn to innovative strategies for boosting engagement in the virtual world such as creating meaningful connections through various channels and gathering feedback consistently - something not always possible using traditional methods such as notice boards, phone notifications, and emails due to low reach and effectiveness.

Common blockers to engagement in remote employees include:

• Loss of information due to a mix of channels
• Noticeboards, letters, and other tools are inefficient
• Low reach and effectiveness
• No clear way or consistent way to gather feedback.

Why engage remote employees?

While employee engagement may feel like something that doesn't need to be a business priority, it can actually help to improve both employee morale and productivity. And in today’s competitive landscape, these two things are key to success.

In fact, research shows that highly engaged organizations achieve a 23% improvement in profitability, 10% higher customer ratings and 18% higher sales.

In fact, there are a number of reasons why it’s important to engage remote employees:

• Increased job satisfaction and employee retention
• Improved collaboration between teams
• Better productivity, thanks to improved communication and feedback loops
• Boosted innovation as a result of cross-functional initiatives
• Easier onboarding due to increased visibility into the culture and processes.

So, how can you keep remote employees engaged? Let’s take a look at some of the most effective employee engagement tactics for boosting engagement amongst your remote workers and direct reports.

12 practical tips to engage remote workers 

Keeping remote workers engaged should be one of your top priorities. Communication gaps in remote teams lead to disengagement, damaging productivity and morale in the long run. Failure to get your remote employees to work inclusively can also hurt your business’s bottom line.  

In contrast, employees who feel engaged are more loyal and motivated. Not to mention 87% less likely to leave their company than unengaged employees. Follow the below best practices to engage remote teams. 

1. Keep remote meetings as short as possible. 

Remote workers attend more meetings every week as compared to on-site employees. The 2019 State of Remote Work found that 14% of remote employees are giving time to over 10 meetings per week (vs. just 3% of those on-site).

While there’s no denying that team meetings are necessary and beneficial to keep employees aligned, too long and frequent meetings can be frustrating. So much so that this phenomenon has led to the coining of a new term - Zoom Fatigue.

Call a meeting only when it’s absolutely necessary, and try to keep it as short as possible. Consider that a best practice for employee engagement.

Have a clear agenda before every meeting and don’t let a team member prolong it with discussions outside of this agenda. 

Another way to reduce the frequency of your Zoom meetings is to provide instant, accessible company updates directly to your workers’ phones. Short, important messages can be delivered via an employee app to minimize wasted time on pointless meetings, which can help both remote and deskless teams stay in-the-know without eating up too much of their valuable time.

2. Make ‘social’ events structured. 

Since remote workers don’t have impromptu opportunities to connect with each other, providing those opportunities intentionally is crucial. And a great way to get started is hosting virtual social events that are not related to work. 

The social event could be a cocktail-making class, a virtual concert, or a biweekly trivia game. 

But here’s the biggest mistake with company-wide social activities — not structuring them. When you host a social event in a way that the talkers keep talking and the quieter ones stay quiet, it’s safe to say that the event has failed its objective.  

So make sure to have rules that encourage everyone to participate. For example, a cocktail-making class with a kit will get more engagement from everyone than a simple virtual drinks session. 

3. Host informal virtual all-hands. 

A transparent culture fosters trust throughout an organization. And since remote teams are physically disconnected from the workplace, they need even more transparency. 

To facilitate the same, you can conduct virtual all-hands from time to time. This event will encourage remote workers to showcase their projects across the company. 

The project could be a product update, a new marketing campaign, or a transition to a new business partner. A different team will demonstrate what they are working on each week, ensuring that everyone’s in the loop. Plus, the workers can ask questions and share their thoughts with the presenting team, igniting a sense of inclusiveness. 

We get it. Putting your work in front of the entire organization may not be easy. But this little discomfort is a small price to pay for virtual employee engagement, and a warm, better-connected workplace. 

4. Say goodbye to email. 

Email has its place for simple communication. But it’s not suitable for a lot of quick, back and forth conversations. Your organization should have a dedicated tool in place for real-time instant messaging (also known as live chat). 

An employee chat app allows you to facilitate flexible, informal communication that helps remote workers build relationships and get the information they need to do their jobs, wherever they are based.

Communication is a key driver of employee engagement. So whether you have remote teams, frontline employees or in-office workers, you can keep your staff connected and engaged.

Blink, for example, offers a world-class chat feature to bring your company together with groups and one-to-one chats. And it lets your employees share not just text, but also photos, documents, videos, spreadsheets, PDFs, and more without the hassle of email. 

5. Create a remote working resources library. 

49% of US workers face difficulty in finding documents, as per a Nintex survey. If employees can’t access crucial information at the right time, you can’t blame them for getting disengaged. While this is a key problem for remote workers, this issue is currently plaguing the frontline workforce, too. With workers constantly on the move, they need intuitive, easy-to-access resources that can move with them.

The solution is easy. All of your company’s key information should be saved and accessible from a central hub. This information would include your policies, process manuals, onboarding checklists, and other materials. 

The ability to publish content on this portal will not be limited to senior management or the IT department. Every department should be able to access, publish, and share knowledge through this hub.  

Sharing their knowledge will help employees feel empowered and realize the value they are adding to the organization. 

So by building such a knowledge base, you’ll be able to reduce silos between in-office, remote and deskless departments, improve information sharing, and improve collaboration. 

For example, with Hub as a central feature of Blink, remote workers can instantly access policies, procedures, and guides in a single convenient location — leading to a more engaged remote workforce.

On top of that, our built-in text editor gives every employee an effortless way to create, edit, and distribute articles.

6. Make all org-wide updates digital. 

Nearly 20% of remote workers feel disconnected from peers due to a lack of communication.

While communication is the key to better remote employee engagement, any type of communication will not solve the problem. It has to have the right channels and the right frequency. 

You can’t constantly bombard remote employees with emails, notice board announcements, unnecessary meetings, and expect them to stay engaged. 

The best way to conduct effective company-wide communication is to use a single, unobtrusive, digital communication tool. This will help establish expectations and norms without isolating or overwhelming remote workers. 

Even if you’re worried about whether key information is reaching your workers, sharing the information repeatedly using multiple channels isn’t the solution. Using the right technology is. 

For instance, you can use an employee app that allows you to ‘pin’ information to the top of people’s newsfeed, or has a ‘mandatory read’ option as Blink does. 

7. Record all (important) meetings.

When you have multiple remote team members across different time zones, web conferencing can go a long way in reducing geographic limitations and engaging workers virtually. 

But even a virtual meeting can’t solve all your problems. Employees can’t attend multiple meetings at the same time, for example. Getting the right folks together for a meeting can still prove to be a bottleneck for a project. 

With an increasingly varied workforce seeing a mixture of remote, in-office and frontline workers, the battle to keep everybody on the same page is on.

So a better solution is to conduct a meeting with the people who can attend, and record it for those who couldn’t. Then keep all these recordings in one place for anyone interested in catching up. 

Recording video of virtual meetings ensures that no one misses out on an important discussion, along with the visuals presented during the session.

8. Use polls and feed posts. 

Most company-wide communication is static, which means that workers simply consume the content by reading, listening, or watching.  

The opposite of that is interactive content. It’s a type of content that allows employees to engage and participate. 

Using interactive communication from time to time is another step you can take towards remote employee engagement by helping reduce the sense of isolation.

The interactive content could be as simple as a quick poll, a short employee survey, or social media type posts that allow workers to like, comment, and tag their team members. Luckily, all these features are an integral part of Blink.

9. Celebrate employee accomplishments. 

Employee Recognition can be implemented in many ways, but remote work makes it hard to carry them out. That’s why you need to put in the extra effort to celebrate contributions and achievements.  

An employee recognition program can increase remote employee engagement, productivity, and performance by 14%, according to Deloitte.

Here are some great ways to acknowledge and appreciate remote workers for their hard work:

• Giving regular greetings and check-ins on shared communication channels
• Conducting employee of the month programs
• Thanking workers during a web conferencing session 
• Acknowledging personal events such as birthdays and anniversaries
• Sending thoughtful notes or signed cards from managers and peers

All these activities help remote employee engagement by making workers feel valued. And contributing to everyone’s understanding of what’s happening in different teams and departments. This helps ensure the employee digital experience is a good one.

10. Understand feedback to make improvements. 

Most remote employees are hesitant to share feedback, because they’re worried about how it might be perceived. That’s why you need to invest in technology that will make it easier for your workers to share their thoughts, feelings, and opinions in a safe environment. 

Digital tools like Blink offer anonymous feedback surveys, which help employees share their thoughts and ideas without fear of judgment. You can use this feedback to modify processes and policies to ensure everyone is engaged and motivated. And this means productive employees.

By understanding the feedback, you’ll be able to make necessary improvements in areas like communication, collaboration, productivity, etc. By showing your virtual team that you value their input, you’ll be able to create a culture of engagement, trust and collaboration, fostering more engagement in future initiatives.

11. Make sure everyone is included in the conversation. 

Ensuring that everyone is included in the conversation is an important part of remote employee engagement. Since your workers don’t have the option to physically join meetings and work on projects, they can easily feel left out or ignored.

To make sure no one is ever excluded from a discussion, use employee engagement tools like Blink which come with features like audio-video conferencing, screen sharing and file/group chats.

These features allow your workers to interact with one another in a more meaningful way, making them feel included even when they’re not physically present. Employers should also take part in the conversation regularly, so that employees can understand their objectives and goals better as a team.

12. Provide ample opportunities for team members to network and connect remotely. 

When you’re working remotely or on the frontline, it’s easy to feel disconnected from your colleagues and the business in general. So it’s important that employers create the opportunity for employees to network with their peers - without the scrutiny of management’s presence.

Network building activities like virtual happy hours, ice breaker games and mini-conferences can help boost relationships between team members. Employee Resource Groups are also a great way to help the business towards ESG goals while fostering a safe place for under-represented employee groups. 

These activities will help your workers build relationships, foster trust, and empower the team to work better together, even when they’re not in the same physical space.

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A quick summary of best practices for remote employee engagement…

1. Keep remote meetings as short as possible. 
2. Make ‘social’ events structured. 
3. Host informal virtual all-hands. 
4. Say goodbye to email.
5. Create a remote working resources library. 
6. Make all org-wide updates digital.
7. Record all (important) meetings.
8. Use polls and feed posts.
9. Celebrate employee accomplishments.

Final thoughts

If you look at the above strategies carefully, you’ll realize that they all boil down to one simple thing — trying to give remote workers the same communication opportunities they would have had if they were working from an office. 

Remote or office-based – the best way to engage remote employees is by giving them a voice. After all, 46% of remote workers believe the best managers are the ones who check in – really frequently. 

Making time for employees’ thoughts and concerns, whether through informal small talk or structured feedback, is the golden thread that separates a good organization from a great one.

As long as you keep this basic principle in mind, you’ll not just find it easy to implement these remote employee engagement tactics, but also to generate your own ideas to engage remote workers. 

So, give them the opportunity to voice their needs without the added concern of reaching out at an inopportune moment, and see your remote employee engagement levels rise at a steady rate. 

And while you’re at it, remember that the right technology can make a world of difference. Blink is an internal communications tool that does everything your intranet does, but better. 

Request a free demo to get started.

Final thoughts: best practice for remote employee engagement

If you look at the above strategies carefully, you’ll realize that they all boil down to one simple thing — trying to give remote workers the same communication opportunities they would have had if they were working from an office. 

Remote or office-based – the best way to engage remote employees is by giving them a voice. After all, 46% of remote workers believe the best managers are the ones who check in – really frequently. 

Making time for employees’ thoughts and concerns, whether through informal small talk or structured feedback, is the golden thread that separates a good organization from a great one.

As long as you keep this basic principle in mind, you’ll not just find it easy to implement these remote employee engagement tactics, but also to generate your own ideas to engage remote workers. 

So, give them the opportunity to voice their needs without the added concern of reaching out at an inopportune moment, and see your remote employee engagement levels rise at a steady rate. 

And while you’re at it, remember that the right technology can make a world of difference. Blink is an internal communications tool that does everything your intranet does, but better. Request a free demo to get started.