Mohammad Ramzan is one of Scotland’s longest-serving bus drivers. He began his journey with Tayside Passenger Transport in 1978 and continues to serve the Dundee community with unwavering dedication.
In addition to his regular duties, Mr. Ramzan has played a key role in Xplore Dundee’s “Did It for Me” recruitment campaign, emphasizing the supportive and friendly environment created by his colleagues. He credits this camaraderie for his long-standing tenure with the company.
Mr. Ramzan — most commonly known to his colleagues as Uncle Ramzan — has been a dedicated Xplore Dundee bus driver for over 46 years, and was even awarded the esteemed title of Frontline Employee of the Year at the Scottish Transport Awards 2024.
How has Blink helped in their role?
Blink has empowered Mohammad Ramzan to interact with his colleagues and provide them with additional support.
What do they want to do next?
Despite being past retirement age, Mr. Ramzan would love to continue his service to contribute to the McGill’s Bus Group.
Nominated by: Bethan Dooley, Marketing Team Leader
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How you complete that sentence could speak volumes about your leadership skills.
Good leadership in the workplace is crucial for the long-term success of your business and superb employee experience.
In fact, there's a 1674% chance of an employee having a strong perception about your leadership when you connect them to their purpose, accomplishments, or each other.
Great leaders inspire and motivate their team members. But it's easier said than done.
Being a good leader can be challenging. It takes a lot of practice and focus. But like any other skill, you can learn to be an effective leader.
If you don't know how to be a good leader, you're in luck. We'll explore 10 qualities of a good leader to give you tips to become a strong leader at work.
What makes a good leader in the workplace?
A good leader engages in open communication, motivates their team members, leads by example, listens to feedback, and is open to new ideas in an ever-changing workplace.
Anyone can sit in a corner office and boss people around, but there's more to effective leadership than that.
Learning the traits of a good leader will help you significantly impact your company's success.
With that in mind, here are 10 attributes of a good leader and how to use them effectively to your advantage.
1. Good leaders engage in open communication.
Employees want to be heard — whether it's an issue that needs resolving or ideas they believe would improve the business or better serve clients.
When you don’t communicate well with your team, they may feel discouraged, resulting in poor morale and lower production. Project.co shared that 35% of businesses have lost an employee due to poor communication.
The best leaders customize their communication styles to suit each situation and team members' preferences — which means they take the time to learn which communication mode each team member prefers.
Do your employees prefer email or phone conversations? Or maybe face-to-face?
You can also use a straightforward mobile app like Blink to turn your employees into a close-knit group by enabling communications between them.
Effective communication decreases misunderstandings and employee errors, builds trust among team members, and improves morale. Pumble backs that up, stating that effective communication can increase a team's productivity by 25%.
As long as it's done respectfully, you should maintain a work environment that promotes honest communication.
Promoting a judgment-free environment sinceyour employees are likely to give their opinions more often when they don’t fear discrimination.
Giving undivided attention to your team members when they’re speaking.
Asking your employees for suggestions to increase their engagement. You'll aim to implement employee engagement strategies that work.
Asking (not demanding) your employees to do stuff for you.
2. Great leaders encourage professional and personal development.
One of the most critical leadership qualities you can have is nurturing your staff by giving them personal development opportunities.
That can include anything from leadership training or teaching them a new skill to encouraging them to pursue a passion that inspires them in and out of the workplace.
In 2021, Lorman shared that 70% of employees are likely to leave their current job to work for an organization that invests in employee growth and development.
Employees value learning opportunities, so it's no surprise that companies with successful training programs typically see a significant increase in employee retention.
Picture a company culture where every team member receives training according to their interests. In such a case, every employee will feel you care about their goals, dreams, and overall well-being.
When that happens, your employees will go above and beyond to help you achieve your goals and vision.
Here are four strategies you can use to encourage professional and personal development in the workplace:
Encourage mentoring and coaching between managers and employees.
Identify and develop soft skills such as time management, active listening, and delegation.
Implement cross-departmental training programs to increase the efficiency of your entire company.
3. Successful leaders lead their employees by example.
One of the characteristics of a good leader is their ability to ‘walk the talk.’
Here’s an instance of a true leader leading by example:
Jane is a manager at a local bank with a team of seven employees (you can pretend that’s Jane and her team in the above picture). She shows up to work a few minutes early to plan her schedule.
When her team starts to arrive, she greets them warmly and inquires about their families.
She then calls her team members into a morning meeting. And instead of leading with her plan, she gives each person a chance to voice their ideas. She appreciates their input and asks them to create proposals to bring their ideas to life.
When it’s time to start working, Jane attends to clients like the rest of the team.
As a result, Jane gets high levels of employee engagement since she demonstrates that she’s invested in her team's initiatives and business.
Leading by example means guiding your employees through actions instead of words. The saying ‘do as I say, not as I do’ has no place in today’s world.
Nowadays, employees want to see your actions match what you say. That means showing them what’s required instead of just telling them.
Here are four ways to lead by example:
Be a role model to your employees by walking the talk.
Give clear instructions to your staff.
Avail yourself to answer questions your employees might have.
Make employees feel part of the team by letting them know why you're giving them specific instructions.
Use respectful words like ‘please’ when giving instructions to your team members.
4. Strong leaders give constructive feedback to employees about their performance.
Employee feedback is an incredibly effective tool. Offered well, it can grow your employees, strengthen bonds between staff and managers, and improve trust levels.
“We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.” — Bill Gates
Direct, honest feedback is the best way to steer your team in the right direction.
Don’t wait for monthly or quarterly assessments to give your employees feedback. Give them right after an event has occurred. It will have the most significant impact on their performance.
Here are four tips to help you give employees effective feedback that gets the results you need:
Give individual feedback privately.
Avoid sandwiching corrective feedback between two positive feedbacks. It will create confusion, undermine the feedback, and decrease trust levels.
Focus on your employees' behaviors (what they do) rather than their personality traits (what they’re like).
5. Secure leaders ask for feedback from employees about their leadership style.
The saying goes: there’s always room for improvement. That’s especially true when you're a good leader.
Who can point out these growth opportunities better than your employees?
After all, they work with you every day, so they know your strengths and weaknesses.
“Feedback is the Breakfast of Champions.” — Ken Blanchard
However, getting honest feedback isn’t always easy.
Employees may feel awkward revealing their true thoughts. They may not want to offend anyone's feelings or face future consequences for harsh criticism. That may cause them to give you fluffy feedback or avoid the request.
Use these tips to ask your employees for feedback and increase the likelihood that they give honest, actionable feedback:
Ask your employees specific questions instead of vague questions such as, “What do you think?”
Tell your staff not to hold back on their feedback and make them feel they’re doing you a favor by being honest.
Give them time to think about your questions and develop helpful answers.
Ask employees about what you can do better in the future rather than what you did wrong in the past.
6. Transformational leaders are open to change and new ideas.
Change is hard — even if the change is for the better. Successful leaders are aware of this and don't pretend otherwise.
They also understand that embracing change with the right mindset is critical to creating an environment where change is integral to their company's DNA.
A great leader never wants to be the smartest person in the room. They surround themselves with a team of experts with more ideas and experience without feeling threatened.
And when these experts are led well, they can be a powerful force in driving strategy, making changes, and enhancing the company's bottom line. They’ll perform at a high level with little oversight and push you to grow continually.
“It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.” — Steve Jobs
Whether you're leading a team of two or five thousand, below are four ways to embrace new ideas and get your employees on the ‘change-wagon’ faster:
Surround yourself with a committed team of experts.
Understand why you need the change and clearly express the desired outcome.
Include your employees in decision-making from the get-go to strengthen their commitment to change.
Make sure your beliefs and behaviors support the change. Be resilient, persistent, and willing to step outside your comfort zone.
7. Effective leaders set clear employee goals and delegate work.
A good leader makes sure their employees are doing what they’ve assigned them to do to achieve the company's mission and goals.
The instructions you give should be measurable and quantifiable. Use existing data to develop a baseline for employees to do their best work.
Moreover, 2021 research by Bi Worldwide showed that 31% of employees said their manager set attainable goals for them, but they weren’t challenging. So be sure to have goal-setting discussions with your employees to set goals that will challenge them to grow.
An effective leader also knows what tasks to delegate. They know they can’t accomplish everything alone, so they assign tasks to team members they’re confident will complete them.
As a result, they empower and boost their employees’ morale. And in the process, they free up their time to focus on what will yield the highest returns and grow the business.
Here are three tips to help you delegate tasks to your team members:
Look for opportunities to delegate tasks based on your teams' strengths and weaknesses.
Walk your employees through the project you're delegating and clarify when you need it done.
Give continuous feedback and be specific on what they did well and what they need to improve on.
A good leader has the right motivation and passion. They’re not driven by money or prestige but genuinely want to inspire others to do their best.
Passionate leaders increase productivity and make sure workers are committed to the company's values, mission, and vision.
“A great leader's courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position.” — John C. Maxwell
Most successful leaders have a passion (not a job) and know how to rally others around that passion.
In short, passionate leaders lead with heart.
Here are seven qualities that set passionate leaders apart from the crowd:
They're open-minded and respect differing opinions.
They have a positive attitude and superb problem-solving skills.
They’re great communicators and listen with the intent of genuinely understanding rather than advancing their agenda.
They're future-focused and capable of engaging others to achieve their goals.
They look at the big picture and embrace challenges.
They're risk-takers and put in the hard work to execute ideas.
They're self-aware, surround themselves with like-minded people, and sustain collaborative relationships.
Your ability to inspire, motivate, and create a magnetic vision needs commitment and perseverance. But it’s worth the effort, whether your goal is productivity, employee retention, or project management.
9. Successful leaders have a positive attitude even when things go south.
Most people tend to associate good leadership with smooth sailing.
After all, what can go wrong if you build and nurture a great team and generate excellent ideas?
…. a lot.
But whether it's a minor misunderstanding or a significant error, how you handle a negative situation reveals a lot about your emotional intelligence and leadership abilities.
“Great leadership usually starts with a willing heart, a positive attitude, and a desire to make a difference.” — Mac Anderson
When things go south, your words and actions as a leader are critical. Here’s what you can do during those times:
Take time to evaluate the situation and know what the problem is.
Face the problem with positivity and look for solutions.
Be flexible and adaptable and make adjustments along the way.
Remain persistent and determined to solve the issues.
10. Good leaders are always learning.
All successful leaders have one trait in common — a hunger for learning. They enroll in relevant online courses, read great books, use the best tools, and constantly improve.
Great leaders have an innate sense of curiosity that often drives them to learn more, which helps them perform better for their businesses and provide personal fulfillment.
“Leadership is not an expertise. Leadership is a constant education.” — Simon Sinek
Learning helps great leaders challenge their assumptions and bring clear understanding to the table.
In contrast, failure to keep learning means you won't adapt to the ever-changing work environment. And depending on your industry's competition, this can be a significant issue that spells the death of your company.
Here are three ways to keep learning and become a better leader:
Embrace an open mind to see things from different perspectives.
Read relevant books, industry publications, and blogs.
Take advantage of consultants, personal networks, industry events, and other organizations and learn from them.
How to be a good leader at work: your checklist
Openly communicate: Make sure your team always know what's going on and what is expected of them.
Develop your team: Push each team member in their personal development. Make sure you each team member has a clear and robust personal development plan.
Lead by example: Easier said than done, but be the example your team can learn from. Show them the type of employee you want them to be.
Give constructive feedback: Don't be afraid to give constructive feedback. 1-1's are normally the place for this.
Ask for feedback: You won't always get things right, and not everyone will agree with you. Ask for feedback from your team on your management style and how you can improve.
Be open to change and new ideas: If a team member has an idea or a new way of doing things, be open to it. Don't stick to the way things are just because "that's how it's always been".
Set goals & delegate: You can't do everything on your own, give your team responsibility and delegate tasks appropriately. This can help with point 2 as well.
Show your passion: If you love your job, show it. This passion can be infectious and help motivate your team.
Keep positive: Things won't always go to plan, but you can weather the storm. Keep positive and let your team know you have their back with whatever road bumps you hit.
Don't stop learning: Your development also doesn't stop. If you want to lead by example you need to make sure you are up to date with the latest techniques and strategies for your role.
Wrapping up: What makes a good leader in the workplace?
Most people aren’t born with the ability to get things done and inspire others every day. And that’s okay — you don’t have to be born with that ability to succeed.
Although it takes time to be a good leader, you can learn strong leadership skills. But like any other skill, it takes a lot of practice and focus.
Just keep in mind it also requires you to grow and engage your team. Blink’s Employee Engagement App can help you keep employees engaged and connected. Try it out today.
Blink and Workvivo have a lot of similar features. So how do these employee communication platforms stack up against each other? And which is the best choice for your organization?
With so many employee communications platforms out there, finding the right fit for your team can be a daunting task.
Today, we’ll take a closer look at two industry frontrunners: Blink and Workvivo. Both of these platforms are designed to enhance collaboration, streamline communication, and foster a sense of community within organizations. They also act as a digital hub, giving employees access to all of the tools and resources they need to do their jobs well.
But which of these modern intranet solutions best supports your business to meet its needs and goals? Let’s take a closer look at key features, functionalities, and more to help you make an informed decision.
What is Blink?
Blink is the leading mobile-first employee experience platform, designed for frontline organizations. It’s a modern intranet, where employees can access company comms and essential workplace resources from their smartphones.
Chatting with colleagues. Signing up for shifts. Responding to the latest poll. Viewing pay stubs. Celebrating a coworker’s company anniversary. Employees can do all this and more with Blink’s comprehensive employee app.
With a range of communication, recognition, engagement, and social features — all available via a user-friendly interface — Blink helps employees feel closer to company culture and one another.
What is Workvivo?
Like Blink, Workvivo is an employee communications app. The company was established in 2017 and was acquired by Zoom in 2023.
Workvivo is an all-in-one tool for workplace communication and collaboration. Social media-style functionalities, such as podcasting, keeps employees engaged.
Blink vs. Workvivo: What are the similarities?
Internal communications
Communication channels
Both Blink and Workvivo help to streamline company communications. Messages from management. Co-worker conversations. Leadership updates. All types of communication are supported thanks to a variety of channels, including a newsfeed, mobile notifications, videos, and livestreams. Workvivo customers can also create articles, newsletters, and podcasts from within the platform.
News feed
A news feed is another thing these platforms have in common. Admins can personalize Blink’s News Feed, which serves as users’ homepage, based on each employee’s team, interests, and role. This ensures employees only see relevant comms. Because employees can also filter the news feed, it’s easy for them to find the information they’re looking for.
Chat functions
Both platforms have similar chat features that are useful for teamwork and project management. Employees can chat and share files, GIFs, images, and videos. In Blink, chat functions are a core pillar of the platform. Workvivo, on the other hand, relies on integrations with Microsoft Teams and Slack. A chat add-on is available but this comes at an additional cost.
Video conferencing
When only face-to-face communication will do, Blink and Workvivo both provide useful video conferencing tools. Teams working on either platform can start a video call right from their chat group. Workvivo does this through its Zoom video app. Blink integrates with Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, giving customers the option to use their preferred video conferencing software.
AI comms support
With Blink Assist, users get AI support when creating and sharing content. Your AI assistant can automatically generate and improve posts, helping you to better connect with your audience. Users can also use AI to summarize posts that have appeared in the news feed. This means you can stay up to date without having to read every single post. Workvivo, working with Zoom, is beginning to introduce generative AI features.
Blink and Workvivo both support employee engagement. They provide two-way communication tools and support employee recognition with milestone celebrations and appreciation shout-outs. Both platforms also aid the onboarding process, with employee directories, a resource hub, and new starter video introductions.
These solutions provide tools for feedback collection, like pulse survey check-ins and employee NPS (net promoter score) surveys. Blink, in particular, provides rich survey functionality. Compared to Workvivo, Blink provides a greater variety of surveys and question types. This allows you to collect in-depth data and then use feedback analysis tools to examine that data on a granular level.
When it comes to encouraging employee engagement on the Blink platform, Blink’s customer success managers (CSMs) are on hand. Clients work with a dedicated CSM to optimize adoption and engagement.
A digital hub
Workvivo serves as a digital hub where companies can store and share documents and resources. This hub integrates with other tools in an organization’s tech stack. It’s possible to create wiki pages for collaboration and to launch other apps from within the platform.
Similarly, Blink offers a modern intranet, accessible on both desktop and mobile. Users can access important tools, documents, forms, and information, directly from the app. They can also launch other apps from within the platform thanks to a secure single sign-on. This encourages user adoption of existing software and streamlines the employee experience (EX).
Blink was purpose-built from the ground up to enhance internal communications and improve the employee experience, and that has always been our sole mission.
For companies impacted by Meta’s recent decision to sunset Workplace, this is a crucial distinction. Meta’s shift in focus away from Workplace to other business areas highlights the risk of relying on platforms that are not core to a company’s strategic direction.
Organizations partnering with Blink are choosing a vendor whose entire focus is dedicated to success in employee engagement and communication. We continuously invest in our platform, ensuring that it remains a leading solution for internal comms and employee experience.
Unlike Workvivo, which — like Workplace — is just one part of a much larger parent company’s diverse offerings, Blink’s platform isn’t just a feature among many — it’s the heartbeat of our business.
Frontline-first
Both Blink and Workvivo have a mobile app that employees can access from their smartphones. These are user-friendly spaces that employees find easy to navigate. And these apps are comprehensive, offering many of the same features on desktop and mobile versions of the platform.
However, Blink offers some features and services that particularly benefit a frontline workforce. These frontline-focused features and services include the following:
Feeds and chats are cached for offline reading so a poor or non-existent internet connection doesn’t prevent employees from engaging with the app
Workers can select a “do not disturb” setting so they’re not bothered by notifications when they’re at home or trying to rest after a night shift
Blink’s Open Shifts micro-app allows managers to advertise empty shifts and employees to volunteer for them
Blink’s rollout team offers unparalleled support during the launch period, providing branded materials and visiting sites to help people gain access to the app
While Workvivo may be a better fit for a desk-based organization, Blink’s deep understanding of frontline teams and their needs makes this platform an excellent choice for frontline businesses.
Analytics
Workvivo offers robust analytics capabilities to track and measure employee usage data. Organizations can gain insight into platform usage and then make data-driven decisions to manage platform performance. This functionality is available for an additional fee.
Like Workvivo, Blink’s enhanced workforce analytics feature provides comprehensive usage data. But Blink goes beyond usage.
Blink analytics collate and correlate from multiple data points to provide a breadth of insight into your workforce. You can drill down into the data, examining results by department, manager, and location to get deeper, actionable insight.
Your dedicated CSM can then help you turn actionable insights into action plans. These can be distributed automatically via Blink comms channels, helping you to implement your plan and track results.
Customization
Both Blink and Workvivo allow you to add your own branding to the platform. But Blink offers more in terms of customization.
Blink provides a white-label app for full brand personalization. For larger, multinational organizations, you can also create a federated platform, with personalized branding for each region. You can compartmentalize other features, like the news feed and user directory, too. In Workvivo, colors, icons, and logos are set globally.
While the offering of out-of-the-box integrations is comparable across both products, Blink also provides deeper integrations through customized micro-apps scoped and built for each customer.
These micro-apps allow you to add functionality to the platform as you need it. You can use Blink’s pre-built digital forms to digitize and streamline processes for employees. For example, employees can use the app to request leave, view their pay stubs, or report an incident. And if you don’t see a form that quite fits your needs, you can count on the Blink team to custom-make one.
Content management
Both Workvivo and Blink offer useful content management features. It’s easy for admins to set permissions and for content creators to create and publish new content. On Blink’s app, creators can protect sensitive content so readers have to authenticate before accessing it. Blink can also integrate with design tools like Canva, which helps users create effective page layouts.
In comparison, Workvivo offers a variety of content management tools. For example, users can auto-archive content by setting an expiration date for each type of content. Publishers can also opt to receive notifications when content has expired.
Translation capabilities are also a little more robust on Workvivo. In Blink, users can set their language and choose to auto-translate comments, posts, and pages so that other users can read them in their native language. In Workvivo, content creators can take this a step further by writing content in their own language and then select the languages it should be automatically translated into. This can come in particularly handy for large, multilingual teams.
Blink and Workvivo both support organizations in their internal communication and employee engagement efforts. They act as a modern intranet, with both desktop and mobile app versions that help companies reach all members of the workforce, no matter where they’re based.
Workvivo has the edge when it comes to certain capabilities, like translation. But Blink makes a great Workvivo alternative, particularly when it comes to personalization, analytics, and custom functionality.
Blink is also the go-to platform for frontline organizations. Built specifically to improve the work lives of deskless employees, Blink makes it easy for companies to encourage app adoption and engagement. It helps frontline workers feel more connected to their coworkers and company culture. It also puts all essential tools at their fingertips, improving efficiency and safety.
Want to find out what Blink could do for your frontline organization? Book your free demo today to see for yourself.
If you’re exploring alternatives to All Gravy, you’re likely looking for a platform that offers more flexibility, deeper integrations, or broader functionality for workforce engagement and management. All Gravy is known for its financial wellness and shift management tools, but it may not provide the full set of capabilities needed for growing organizations.
This guide reviews the best All Gravy alternatives in 2025—starting with Blink, our top recommendation—and includes pricing, reviews, and pros and cons for each.
What to look for in an All Gravy alternative
Before making a decision, it’s important to assess which features matter most to your organization.
Comprehensive Communication Tools – Look for platforms that combine messaging, news feeds, and surveys in one place to reduce tool fatigue.
Integrations – Seamless connections to HRIS, payroll, scheduling, and collaboration tools save time and reduce manual work.
Ease of Use – A clean, mobile-first design ensures both frontline and desk-based staff can use the platform without lengthy training.
Scalability – Choose a solution that can grow with your business without requiring a platform switch in a few years.
Analytics & Insights – Data-driven decision-making starts with robust reporting on engagement, adoption, and performance.
The 10 top All Gravy alternatives in 2025
#1. Blink – The #1 alternative to All Gravy
Blink is an all-in-one employee engagement, communication, and productivity platform designed for both frontline and office-based teams. It replaces multiple disconnected apps by bringing secure messaging, company news, task management, surveys, file access, and HR integrations together in one easy-to-use interface.
Its mobile-first design ensures high adoption rates, while advanced analytics give leaders actionable insights into engagement trends. Blink integrates with major tools like Workday, UKG, Microsoft 365, and Google Workspace, meaning it fits seamlessly into existing workflows. Organizations praise Blink for its intuitive user experience, enterprise-grade security, and rapid onboarding process.
Connecteam offers a modular platform that combines chat, scheduling, onboarding, task tracking, and time management. Its mobile app is designed for easy navigation, making it a good choice for organizations that want a straightforward, customizable tool. The built-in training and knowledge base features help teams onboard quickly, while its scheduling tools ensure shift coordination without external apps.
Pricing: Free plan for up to 10 users; paid plans from $29/month for 30 users.
Cons: Limited advanced analytics compared to enterprise-focused platforms.
#3. Workvivo
Workvivo focuses on employee connection and culture-building through a social-media-like interface. Employees can post updates, recognize peers, share wins, and engage with company news in a familiar, engaging way. Workvivo integrates with productivity tools like Slack, Zoom, and Teams, and offers a customizable interface for branding.
Pricing: Custom pricing based on company size.
G2 Rating: 4.7/5
Gartner Rating: 4.6/5
Pros: Strong focus on culture, intuitive social-style interface.
Cons: Less suited for task or operations-heavy use cases.
#4. Leapsome
Leapsome blends engagement, performance management, and learning into a single platform. It enables continuous feedback loops, performance reviews, 1:1 meetings, and learning paths to help employees grow. While it’s less operations-focused than All Gravy, it’s a strong choice for organizations prioritizing employee development.
Pricing: From $8/user/month.
G2 Rating: 4.8/5
Gartner Rating: 4.6/5
Pros: Excellent for performance and development, customizable workflows.
Cons: Not designed for frontline scheduling or shift management.
#5. Dayforce
Dayforce is a full HCM solution covering payroll, workforce management, benefits, and employee engagement. It goes far beyond All Gravy’s scope, offering compliance features and deep analytics. The unified approach makes it ideal for organizations wanting HR, scheduling, and payroll under one roof.
Staffbase is an internal communications platform that supports branded employee apps, intranets, and targeted messaging. It excels at reaching distributed teams with segmented communications and integrates with enterprise systems for analytics. While less focused on shift management, it offers superior content distribution capabilities compared to All Gravy.
Beekeeper is built for frontline workers, offering secure messaging, document sharing, and workflow automation. Its integrations with scheduling and HR platforms make it a practical alternative for shift-based teams. Compared to All Gravy, it offers broader communication features but fewer financial wellness tools.
Pricing: Custom pricing
G2 Rating: 4.4/5
Gartner Rating: 4.3/5
Pros: Designed for frontline teams, good integration options
Cons: Smaller app marketplace than some competitors
#8. Monday.com
Monday.com is a highly flexible work management tool with modules for projects, tasks, CRM, and operations. It can be customized for shift management, though it’s not a native feature. The platform’s visual boards and automation features make it ideal for cross-functional visibility.
Pricing: From $9/user/month
G2 Rating: 4.7/5
Gartner Rating: 4.4/5
Pros: Highly customizable, broad use cases
Cons: Requires setup to suit shift-based teams
#9. LumApps
LumApps is a digital workplace and intranet platform with strong personalization and knowledge management tools. It integrates with Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 for seamless document access and collaboration. While not built for shift scheduling, its focus on personalized content delivery helps keep employees informed.
Zoho People offers HR management tools for leave, attendance, onboarding, and performance. It integrates with payroll systems and supports custom workflows. While less engagement-focused than Blink, it’s a cost-effective way to centralize HR operations.
Pricing: From $1.50/user/month
G2 Rating: 4.4/5
Gartner Rating: 4.3/5
Pros: Affordable, broad HR features
Cons: Lacks rich employee engagement tools
Final thoughts
While All Gravy offers solid functionality for financial wellness and scheduling, it may not meet the full range of communication, engagement, and operational needs for every organization. Blink leads this list for its ability to centralize tools, improve adoption, and deliver measurable results—backed by excellent user reviews and enterprise-ready features.
Why teams choose Blink over All Gravy
All Gravy is focused on flexible and gig-style workforce management, which is a narrower use case than full employee communication and engagement. Blink is built to be the single, mobile-first home for your entire frontline workforce — no corporate email required — and is used daily by teams at McDonald's, Domino's, and Chick-fil-A. See how Blink compares.
While the Great Resignation seems to have subsided, talent retention is still a pressing issue — and it can make all the difference to your business. Holding onto your best people, with all their skills and knowledge, means better productivity, customer service, and profitability.
In this quick guide, we explain what talent retention is and why it’s important. We also share what you can do to inspire employee loyalty in 2025 — from a connected workplace culture to the perks that matter most.
Ready to turn retention into a competitive advantage? Let’s get started.
What is talent retention and why is it so important?
Talent retention is your ability to hold onto your employees once you’ve hired them.
If you have an effective talent retention plan, employees stick around for long, stable, and productive careers within your organization.
So why does talent retention matter?
Talent retention is important because replacing employees is expensive. Gallup estimates that replacing a frontline employee costs 40% of their salary. This rises to 80% for employees in technical roles and 200% for leaders and managers.
By improving staff loyalty, you reduce costs associated with recruitment and onboarding. But there are other benefits of employee retention to bear in mind:
Improved productivity. Your organization is more productive because a high proportion of employees are fully trained and know how to do their jobs.
An expert workforce. You retain knowledge and skills within the business, which means you achieve your goals faster.
A positive company culture. Because workers are able to build strong and lasting relationships with co-workers, you raise satisfaction and loyalty.
One final benefit of staff retention is a better customer experience. And that deserves a section all of its own...
The link between employee retention and customer experience
“The customer's perceptions and related feelings caused by the one-off and cumulative effect of interactions with a supplier's employees, systems, channels or products.”
The snappier version? It’s the degree to which interactions with your brand spark joy in customers.
It’s easy to delight customers when employees are informed, happy, and engaged. And it’s very easy to do the opposite if staff are new to the job — or looking for a role elsewhere.
According to PwC research, 46% of customers will abandon a brand if employees aren’t knowledgeable and don’t know how to meet their needs.
Employee retention, employee experience, and customer experience are closely linked. Do right by your employees and they’re more likely to stay working for your company.
They continue to build their knowledge and skills, which means they’re more likely to provide an industry-leading experience for your customers.
Talent retention: why now?
52% of employees say they’re watching for or actively seeking a new job. And turnover rates for frontline industries remain high: 73.8% in hospitality, 56.7% in transportation, and 21.9% in professional and business services.
There’s another, stealthier problem at play too. Glassdoor has revealed that nearly 2 in 3 employees feel stuck in their roles. And Gallup says that we’ve moved beyond the Great Resignation into the Great Detachment, where employees are staying in roles they have little interest in.
In 2025, some employees are quitting. Others are sticking around for lack of a better option. In either case, the business suffers. But a focus on talent retention can help to combat both of these issues.
Talent retention strategies revolve around improving the employee experience. You make your workplace a better, more fulfilling, and more inspiring place to be. So both employee engagement and retention improve.
The first hurdle: identifying talent retention issues
How is your company doing in terms of talent retention?
To truly understand your performance, you need to know — and keep track of — your employee retention rate. You can use this number to set a baseline and establish targets. But while this figure tells you how many employees are leaving your organization, it doesn’t tell you why.
For that, you need to dig deeper. Exit surveys and interviews can reveal trends and problems with the employee experience. They can help you understand why employees are choosing to leave. Some of the most common culprits in 2025 include:
Work-life balance: a lack of flexibility in the workplace is leading staff — including frontline employees — to look for jobs elsewhere.
Career progression: lack of career or professional development opportunities is one of the most cited reasons for leaving a job.
Recognition: when you don’t show regular and authentic appreciation for employee efforts, they become demotivated and more likely to jump ship.
Workplace culture: a sense of connection and belonging have a big impact on employee satisfaction, so issues with managers and co-workers, or feelings of loneliness can raise employee turnover.
Salary and benefits: sometimes, it’s simply about the money — it’s difficult to keep employees if competitors are offering better rates of pay.
Convince employees to stay with these 6 talent retention strategies
Staff retention rates not where you’d like them to be? Reduce employee turnover with the help of these practical strategies.
Keep your finger on the pulse
Exit interviews are a useful talent retention tool. But wouldn’t it be better if you could prevent employees from handing in their notice in the first place? To do this, you need to understand the state of employee morale and engagement in your organization at any given moment.
There are some signs a manager may be able to spot. Drop-offs in productivity, refusal to commit to long-term projects, and a lack of enthusiasm are all signs that an employee sees their future elsewhere.
But you can go beyond manager observations to take the pulse of your entire organization. Use employee surveys to gauge sentiment on a range of retention-related topics. For example, job satisfaction, internal communications, benefits packages, and recognition.
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You can then act on any major bugbears to prevent employee experience issues from translating into higher employee turnover.
This feedback process has another talent retention benefit. When you show employees that their input is prompting real change in the workplace they feel heard and valued — and become more invested in your organization.
Help them achieve their goals
According to recent Randstad research, 31% of employees have quit a job because of a lack of career progression opportunities. Employees want to feel that they’re making progress toward their learning and career goals.
Investing time and money in professional development sends a strong signal that you’re supporting your employees over the long term. Build in career development plans, coaching, and one-on-one time as soon as a new member of staff joins your workforce — and sustain these initiatives throughout the entire employee journey.
Emphasizing that you see this as a long-term partnership rather than a transactional exchange of services (“you work, we pay”) lays the foundations for future success.
Offer regular recognition
Retaining employees is easier when they feel valued and appreciated. Workers are five times more likely to stay with your organization for two years or more when there’s a comprehensive recognition program in place.
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All employees — whether they work in the office, at home, or on the frontlines of your organization — should receive regular appreciation for the work they do.
For teams working in the same location, informal recognition is relatively easy. For disparate teams and frontline employees, you have to be more intentional. The right internal communication tools can help.
You can use an employee app or intranet to highlight the hard work and achievements of your employees — and encourage peer-to-peer recognition across digital communication channels, too.
Create a positive workplace culture
Having a work bestie is more important than you might think. Employees who feel a sense of belonging are more likely to stay working for your organization.
As well as helping employees to build connections with co-workers, support them to understand and take part in company culture. Make company values and purpose part of your every day.
Managers also have a big role to play. 70% of the variance in team engagement comes down to the manager. So give your leaders the training they need to boost employee engagement and create a culture employees enjoy being part of.
Offer flexibility where possible
Flexibility and work-life balance are a top priority for employees. In fact, it’s the second most important factor for frontline employees when choosing a job.
Flexible working looks different in different organizations. Some employees get to work remotely, work compressed hours, or choose start and finish times.
For frontline employees, this isn’t so easy. But you can support work-life balance for this segment of your workforce by offering expanded paid time off (PTO) policies, a choice of schedules, and easy-access shift swap tools.
Revamp your salary and benefits package
When was the last time you looked at the salary and benefits package you offer? Pay is another big factor in employees deciding to look for another job.
So compare your offering to that of your competitors and consider improving your package if you find you’re falling behind the pack.
But remember that pay isn’t everything. It will take more than a small pay increase to tempt engaged employees to jump ship. According to SHRM, employees may be willing to trade pay for improved work-life balance, flexibility, and workplace culture.
Make life easier for your HR team with talent retention software
An effective talent retention strategy gives you an edge over your competitors. When you build and maintain a skilled and engaged workforce, your business performs better.
To achieve high levels of retention, you need to offer training and development, honor work-life balance, and provide regular recognition. You should also strive to create a company culture based on purpose, connection, and community.
The best software is available on desktop and as a mobile-first employee app, so you can tackle talent retention issues across your entire workforce. These solutions provide employees with easy, digital access to:
Training and career development tools
Company news, community, and co-worker chat
Recognition and rewards
Health and wellbeing resources
They also give HR teams access to tools like employee surveys and analytics. So you get greater insight into the state of employee engagement and talent retention within your business.
You can spot engagement and retention issues before they harm company culture and lead more workers to jump ship — and you can uncover what employees want from your organization.
With this information, you can make meaningful improvements to the employee experience, keeping staff turnover rates low and engagement high.
There are more employee communication tools available than ever. Modern intranets. Employee apps. And a ton of software add-ons. But — as we’re sure you now know — there’s soon to be one big player missing from the market.
Whether you’re affected by the closure of Workplace or simply feel that your employee communication tools need a rethink, choosing a new internal communication tool requires careful consideration.
You need a platform that promises to improve internal communications and employee engagement for your workforce. Something that facilitates easy communication between people at all levels of your organization.
Depending on your company and workforce, you may also need a tool that supports teamwork, company-wide updates, co-worker connection, recognition, feedback, and more.
The variety of software options available is an opportunity — and a challenge. It’s likely that there’s a perfect-fit platform out there. But the process of finding it can be tricky.
With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of questions you should ask when choosing a new employee communication tool. These questions will help you find software that performs as well as Workplace from Meta and meets the needs of your workplace.
But first, let’s take a quick look at the current employee communication landscape.
The employee communication landscape in 2024
In today’s digital workplace, effective employee communication relies on the right tech solutions. But if you’re looking for a new employee communication tool for your organization, chances are you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by the number of options on offer.
There are tools suited to certain segments of the workforce — for example, desk-based workers or frontline workers.
There are internal communication tools that focus on a very specific area of employee communications, like surveys or video conferencing.
And there are tools that go beyond employee communication to support organizations with tasks like employee engagement and project management, either through integrations or as an all-in-one solution.
Some tools are also exiting the marketplace.
Earlier this year, Meta announced that it would be discontinuing its Workplace tool. The platform will continue to operate until September 2025 and will remain read-only until May 2026. But many companies using Workplace from Meta are already looking to make a switch.
Deciding which tool — from this huge selection — is right for your organization can feel challenging. But it’s a priority for many business leaders in 2024, with 84% saying they plan to invest in more modern communication strategies.
You only have to look at some recent research to understand why.
According to the Axios report for 2023 into the State of Workplace Communications, the cost of poor internal communications amounts to $15,000 per employee per year. And while 77% of leaders think the communications they share support employees to do their jobs well, only 46% of employees agree.
31% of employees experience strained workplace relationships
26% of employees have missed deadlines
On the flip side, good internal communications lead to increased employee confidence, productivity, and work satisfaction. Ultimately, a much better employee experience and better business results, too.
Questions to ask when choosing a new employee communication tool
Ask the right questions and you’ll find it easier to create a shortlist of employee communication tools. Here are the things you should be asking yourself — and your teams — as you undergo your software search.
How do we rate our current communication channels?
Before you start looking for a new workplace tool, assess your current one. Whatever platform you’ve used until now — Workplace from Meta or an alternative — you need to clarify what you like and dislike about it. You’ll then have a clearer idea of what you need in a new solution.
So consider how effective your current communication tools are and whether they have any limitations. Establish whether there are any significant integration gaps. Launch an employee survey to gather the thoughts of your workforce.
Also, bear in mind what Grammarly said in its recent report: over the past 12 months, 73% of professionals say they’ve seen an increase in the variety of communication channels used in their workplace. But this isn’t leading to more effective internal communications.
Different workplace tools come with their own notifications, interfaces, and rules of engagement. Employees may feel confused about which channel is appropriate for which message. And conversations become disjointed and hard to track because they take place in multiple locations.
The best solutions are streamlined and easy to use. So consider how many different communication channels you’re currently using. And whether these tools are successfully communicating key messages and encouraging employee engagement.
You can look at adoption and platform engagement rates to better understand how employees interact with your current tech selection.
What do we want from this communication tool and partnership?
Onto challenges, goals, and platform features. When choosing a workplace tool, think about:
Your primary communication challenges. Perhaps messages are being missed. Or employees are failing to engage with the platform. Maybe there’s a disconnect between HQ and frontline workers.
What you’re trying to achieve with this tool. Do you want it to enhance workplace collaboration, improve employee engagement, or amplify company culture? Maybe you want it to do all these things.
Must-have features. What functionality do you need? This might include real-time messaging, video conferencing, document sharing, surveys, or social feed features.
Also, think beyond the platform itself. Sure, you need a communication tool that supports your organization’s style of communication. But it’s also useful to have a partner who understands employee communications — and your workplace challenges — inside out.
Here at Blink, we’re experts in employee communication and engagement. Unlike some of our competitors, this is our sole focus. Our clients can rely on us as a strategic partner, benefitting from our comms insights and ongoing support.
We work with our clients so they get the best from the Blink app. We offer extensive support through the launch phase, helping you to encourage adoption. We also pride ourselves on our responsiveness to client feature requests, feedback, and suggestions.
Will this communication platform work for all employees?
A good employee communication tool acts as a hub for your organization. It’s a place where co-workers connect, where they access collective knowledge, and where leadership shares important messages.
All pretty vital stuff. So it’s not fair to leave any employees out of the conversation. It’s not good for business either.
Unless everyone enjoys easy access to your platform, you fail to achieve the levels of workplace communication and employee engagement that you’re striving for.
Bear in mind that only 10% of frontline workers say they have high access to the tools, tech, and opportunities they need to connect and advance in their workplace. So when choosing a new employee communication tool, consider where and when your employees will be using it.
If your employees are fully desk-based, a desktop platform is likely to fit the bill. For hybrid teams, you need desktop systems with real-time communication and collaboration tools.
For frontline employees who don’t work at a desk — and don’t necessarily even have a company email address — you need a different type of workplace tool. A mobile-first employee app, available on employee smartphones, is your best option.
Of course, if you have a mix of frontline and desk-based staff, you need a solution that works for everyone. It should have the same extensive features on both mobile and desktop so no one misses out. And it should successfully bridge the gap between your company’s frontlines and head office.
What level of personalization and customization do we want?
The best employee communication tools offer personalization features. They allow you to adapt a platform to the branding and requirements of your organization. This is good for the employee experience and it helps improve employee engagement with your tool.
Don’t need a particular module? Then it probably shouldn’t take up space on the employee dashboard. Want the software to align with your company branding? This service should come as standard.
If you’re a large, global company, it may also make sense to create mini-sites within your platform. Each of these sites can be branded and personalized for a different segment of your workforce to ensure they’re relevant and engaging.
So clarify what you expect in terms of platform personalization, then ask platform providers what they’re able to deliver.
What integrations do we need?
As we’ve already touched upon, in today’s digital workplace, software overwhelm is a real problem. Throw too many tech tools at employees and you make them less productive and engaged.
That’s why a good employee communication tool is an all-in-one solution. It also integrates seamlessly with any other workplace software you like to use.
This makes life easier for employees because they access all tools from one unified dashboard. It can also improve software adoption rate. When employees don’t have to worry about separate logins and passwords, they find it easier to use the tools at their disposal.
Thanks to Blink’s digital hub, organizations enjoy 5x better adoption of existing tools. With single sign-on (SSO), users don’t have to waste time logging into different apps. This creates a streamlined and user-friendly experience — and it makes employees more productive, too.
What’s the user experience like?
Usability is another important consideration when choosing a new employee comms tool. There’s little point investing time in new tech if a large proportion of employees don’t actually end up using it.
The best employee apps require minimal employee training. They’re intuitive to use and navigate. There are few points of friction. It’s easy for admins to manage content and comms from the back end of the platform.
Your chosen employee communication tool should also support you in boosting employee engagement. It’ll come with a social-media-style news feed. Employees will have the option to like, comment, and post. You’ll be able to launch pulse surveys and send out rich, multimedia content.
If you’re switching from an existing tool — like Workplace from Meta — it makes sense to choose an internal communications solution with a similar interface and features. When a platform feels familiar, employees will find it easier to make the switch.
So how do you judge a tool’s user experience? A product demo helps you get a sense of what a platform is like in action. You can also look at a tool’s adoption rates and platform engagement rates to see how it’s working for other organizations like yours.
Find out what customers think of Blink. Take a look at our case studies.
What are the practicalities of this platform?
As well as considering the effectiveness of an internal communication tool, you need to consider its practical impact. So work with other departments, like IT and finance, to establish your requirements in terms of:
Budget. How much are you prepared to spend? What’s the ongoing cost of a platform? Are there any hidden costs and does it represent good value for money?
Security. Does this platform keep your company and employee data safe? What security practices does it follow?
Scalability. Can the platform grow with your organization? How will it adapt to your changing needs?
Final thoughts on choosing an internal communication tool
There are lots of employee communication tools to choose from. And — as Meta discontinues Workplace — lots of organizations looking for a new solution to meet the needs of their workforce.
To find the right internal communication tool for your organization, you need to ask the right questions.
Think about what you like and dislike about your current solution. Clarify what you want from platform features and a software partner. Consider customizations, integrations, and the user experience. And be sure to think about all employees and their communication needs.
This should help you narrow down the list of options. You can then conduct research into your shortlisted platform providers, looking at their adoption and engagement rates — and taking them for a spin as part of a free trial or demo.
Find out if Blink is the right internal communication tool for your organization by scheduling a personalized demo. Book your demo today.
In 2020, digital transformation in the manufacturing industry was valued at $263.9 billion USD. This figure is anticipated to reach $767.8 billion USD by 2026. As business leaders in manufacturing, you probably already know all about how DX on your production line can improve your machinery, drive your production rates and refine your overall output.
But what about your day-to-day, run-the-biz systems? How can digital transformation in manufacturing also benefit your wider company operations and employee performance? How can you utilize DX in manufacturing to craft a more meaningful and engaging employee experience, and what other bonuses may you discover along the way?
At Blink, we know a thing or two about transforming the employee experience through the right digital tools and technologies. So with this guide, we are providing you with a comprehensive introduction to the key benefits of digital transformation in manufacturing and why it's essential for your organization right now, with a core focus on the digital employee experience and how you can transform it in your business.
What is digital transformation (DX) in manufacturing?
Digital transformation (DX) in manufacturing is the process of implementing new digital technologies to improve and refine processes in a manufacturing organization. This typically involves a range of procedures, from improving communication and collaboration to adopting new manufacturing methods, or automating tasks.
A digital transformation strategy works to improve the overall efficiency, productivity and profitability of a manufacturing organization by integrating new digital technologies – such as employee engagement tools, Industry 4.0, big data analytics, cloud computing, Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) – into company processes.
And while we all know that production machinery and tech makes up a huge part of your company processes, it’s important to see the wider picture, too. DX can actually have a significant impact on the behind the scenes operations of your business, including how you communicate and engage with employees, distribute knowledge and connect teams, recruit new talent, and even support the wider community.
By undergoing DX in all areas of your business and integrating stronger digital employee experience strategies for your workforce, you can in fact unlock a range of surprising benefits for your organization.
Main goals of manufacturing digital transformation
"It's not possible to pick just a short list of technologies and declare them to be the next big thing. Any innovation project is always a combination of different technologies and thoroughly designed processes aiming to achieve business goals."
Max Ivannikov
But what are some of the main goals that manufacturers are focusing on for their digital transformation initiatives? As this industry whitepaper discusses, the main goals of manufacturing digital transformation can be segregated into four broader areas:
Cost reduction: Leveraging digital technologies to reduce costs in areas such as supply chain management, employee performance, production planning and inventory control.
Competitive advantage: Utilizing digital technologies to gain a competitive edge in the market, such as through improved customer/employee experience, product customization and data-driven decision making.
Agility: Increasing flexibility and adaptability in the face of changing market demands, such as through improved supply chain visibility, predictive maintenance and agile business processes.
New business models: This could include refreshing manufacturing processes, investing in digital technology to improve processes company-wide, and otherwise finding new revenue streams through digital transformation initiatives.
Common roadblocks to DX in manufacturing
Some common challenges organizations see when undertaking DX in manufacturing include:
Competitive market: In a highly competitive market, your current digital capabilities and processes may not be enough to stay ahead. And with the swift upturn in DX investments in the market, it can be difficult to keep up with competitors who are already rapidly integrating new digital technologies. While you might feel on the back foot, it's important to remember that digital transformation is a long-term investment, and there are always opportunities for growth and sustainable improvement.
Distributed workforce: It can be difficult to know where to begin with digital transformation, especially for manufacturers who have a distributed workforce and may not have a clear understanding of the specific needs and pain points of their frontline employees. This can make implementing new processes, rolling out communications and combating employee attrition particularly challenging. We'll dive deeper into how to enable DX by empowering your frontline workers later in this post.
Costs and fees: Adopting new digital technologies and processes can be a costly investment, and there may also be additional fees for training and implementing these changes company-wide. It's important to conduct thorough ROI analysis and carefully weigh the potential long-term benefits against the initial costs.
Resistance to change: Change can be difficult, especially for employees who have been working in a certain way for many years. This is why it's important to have clear communication and a strong employee engagement system in place to help employees transition and adapt to the new digital technologies and processes.
Enabling DX by empowering the frontline
As we mentioned, a distributed workforce and lack of visibility into the specific pain points and needs on the frontline can make DX a challenge for manufacturing organizations. But by focusing on empowering your frontline workers, you can not only improve their experience and enable better communication, but also gather valuable insights to inform your digital transformation efforts.
One way to do this is through a mobile-first approach, providing frontline employees with devices and applications that allow them to easily access the information and communication they need, wherever they are on the factory floor. This not only improves productivity, but also allows for better data collection and analysis to inform DX initiatives.
Another key aspect is giving your frontline employees a voice in the digital transformation process, through tactics like regular check-ins and surveys, as well as dedicated onboarding and training programs. By actively seeking their input and understanding their specific needs, they will feel more engaged and empowered in the DX journey.
Frontline specific tech like Blink's employee app allows for better communication, feedback and overall engagement with your frontline workers. This helps to address common DX challenges such as unclear frontline needs and resistance to change, while also improving productivity and efficiency on the manufacturing floor.
With real-time employee engagement analytics, manufacturers can also track the impact, employee satisfaction and ROI of their digital transformation initiatives, supporting cost reduction efforts and decision making.
One great example to illustrate this is our work with JFE. When Canadian manufacturing company JFE approached us, their frontline workforce was disconnected due to outdated technology and communications, and they were facing large shortages in the labor market.
We overhauled their current technology and communications processes with a real-time communication solution by offering channels to funnel information, the ability to communicate with their operating teams through chats and a central hub to give employees access to company information in one place.
As a result, JFE was able to improve their recruitment processes, employee engagement, satisfaction and, crucially, its workers’ safety. With our help, they took the company from 300 to over 450 employees, and were able to promote initiatives in both recruiting and retaining staff to make them a more attractive employer to staff and new recruits.
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Interested in seeing how Blink's employee app can support your manufacturing digital transformation efforts? Schedule a free demo today.
6 unforeseen benefits of DX in manufacturing
So, you already know the production benefits of implementing DX in your business, but what about the benefits of DX solutions for the back of house? Here are 6 key benefits of DX in manufacturing that you just might have overlooked in the past.
1. Reduce staff turnover & recruit the right talent
More than 90% of manufacturing leaders believe that DX is important for their success, IDC states. They go on to predict that global DX spend among companies in discrete or process manufacturing industries will total more than $816 billion in 2025.
Hiring and retaining the right people in a competitive market can be a challenge for manufacturers, but DX can help. And with the IDC statistics above, it's more important than ever for manufacturers to keep up with digital transformation efforts in order to stay competitive in the recruitment market and attract top talent.
Adopting new technologies can make a company more attractive to potential employees and improve employee satisfaction and retention. It allows you to modernize, stay competitive and attract the right employees even when competitors are vying for the same pool of skilled workers with high DX spend.
In addition, frontline-specific tech can boost your employer value proposition as a manufacturer. You listen to how the frontline thinks and feels, allowing you to build trust with the entire workforce and reduce churn.
2. Improve worker health & safety
According to the Workplace Safety Index 2020, workplace injuries are a key driver of loss for U.S. businesses, costing more than $1 billion per week and $59 billion annually.
As we mentioned before, the rise of Industry 4.0 in the manufacturing industry has seen various manufacturers investing in new digital technologies to automate, modernize and enhance the entire process.
And with losses like these reported in the WSI, the key aspect of this modernization in the manufacturing industry is safety. By improving traditional manufacturing processes, boosting direct communication and implementing predictive maintenance, manufacturers can improve worker health and safety at the workplace.
With a frontline app like Blink, manufacturers can also gather direct employee feedback on safety concerns and act on them quickly, as well as offer training materials, policies, procedures and updates to ensure a safe work environment.
Additionally, with research showing that engaged workers are more aware of their surroundings and best practices around safety and are more likely to take steps to protect their co-workers, by investing in and driving employee engagement throughout your company, you can improve worker health and safety as a whole.
By promoting a culture where employees feel comfortable to speak up about concerns or risks, actively participate in risk management and adhere to policies and procedures, manufacturers can see a decrease in injury rates and overall improvement in the health and safety of their workforce.
3. Increase your bottom line
The latest data suggests that digital transformation investment for manufacturing companies increases business value. Gartner reports that 36% of manufacturing enterprises realize above-average business value from IT spending in digitalization at a reasonable cost when compared with peers.
Opportunities for driving profit and increasing your bottom line don’t only come from your production line. Keeping the wider picture of DX in mind, you can utilize digital tools to drive business value through improving your run-the-business functions (like finance or human resources)
DX in an organization’s HR function, in particular, have shown increased employee engagement and statistics show that highly engaged organizations benefit from:
18% higher sales
23% difference in profitability
43% difference in turnover.
With employee engagement tools that provide streamlined workflows, real-time frontline communication and intelligence, seamless scheduling and product updates in addition to new production tech like IoT and augmented reality, manufacturers can cut down on extra expenses and improve the overall efficiency of all their operations.
This ultimately drives up profits and revenue and increases business value, with your teams performing at their best by using the latest and greatest technology solutions.
4. Boost Employee Engagement
The digital transformation process can also boost employee engagement. Adopting new, modern technologies can make employees feel more valued and appreciated, improving job satisfaction and retention rates.
Currently, Gallup data notes that industrial manufacturers haven't quite caught up to other industries in terms of adopting digital tools to improve employee engagement, with only 25% of manufacturing employees stating they felt engaged at work.
DX offers new ways for frontline employees to communicate with each other and leadership, improving transparency and overall communication in the workplace – a key component of employee engagement.
With frontline-specific tech designed to engage employees like manufacturers, you can gather key employee feedback and act on it to improve processes and enhance overall employee engagement.
Further, according to the Chron, employee satisfaction is a reliable predictor of employee retention, meaning you can reduce churn and cut recruitment costs at the same time by improving the engagement your employees have with their digital tools.
Simplified, improved communications and streamlined, intuitive workflows means DX can enhance employee satisfaction levels for frontline workers, in turn, boosting their levels of engagement with their new tech and your employee retention rates.
And with the distinct improvement in profitability, sales and turnover that engaged teams provide as we highlighted above, it’s clear that investing in employee engagement initiatives is worth it from an ROI perspective.
5. Improve employee productivity
It’s obvious how traditional digital transformation solutions help improve quality on the production line. But did you know that implementing DX to improve your employees’ engagement can also lead to huge productivity boosts?
In the manufacturing sector, DX is not only about staying competitive or cutting costs – it's also about supporting your current employees; finding innovative ways to drive their motivation and productivity for a better overall business performance.
TechNative tells us that businesses must embrace innovative digital tools to make the employee experience seamless and personalized, creating a stronger emotional connection to the day-to-day experience of work.
Adopting new digital solutions, like frontline intelligence, predictive analytics and real-time communication solutions, allows you to foster connection with your frontline employees and act on their feedback to streamline day-to-day tasks. As such, your employees will feel better supported to be productive and efficient in their roles, and can produce their best work.
These employee technologies also offer product updates that keep everyone aligned with company goals, as well as streamlined workflows and schedules, reducing miscommunications and errors and allowing for maximum productivity.
So, not only does investing in digital transformation for your frontline workforce improve their overall job satisfaction, it also leads to a significant increase in motivation, productivity and output. It’s a win-win!
6. Build a positive brand reputation
In today’s day and age, it’s no secret that a company’s reputation is everything. In fact, the World Economic Forum has stated that a company's reputation can account for a quarter of its market value. Additionally, 87% of executives believe that reputational risks are more pressing than any other strategic risks.
As the digital transformation movement continues to evolve, your reputation as a manufacturing leader hinges on how well you adopt and use technology for success. Investing in new digital solutions for your frontline workforce is not only beneficial for your employees and your bottom line, but also for building a positive brand reputation.
By boosting employee engagement, satisfaction and productivity with technology, you’re not only improving the experience for those within your company, but also for your potential new hires and even your customers. With employees better equipped to provide top-notch service and meet customer demands efficiently, you can create a more positive customer experience and, ultimately, attract new business.
On top of that, adopting digital solutions for your frontline workforce also demonstrates your commitment to innovation and staying ahead of the competition in the manufacturing industry. It shows potential employees, investors, partners and customers that you’re dedicated to improving processes and creating a successful future for your company.
"Business leaders must move away from industry stereotypes, understand technologies, and help firms ride this wave with a competitive advantage by developing a successful transformation roadmap."
A DX roadmap, or digital transformation roadmap, is a plan that outlines the specific steps and timeframes for the adoption of new technologies to achieve your DX goals. This roadmap may be long and contain a number of different steps, but this allows you to stagger your digital transformation initiatives over time, prioritizing the areas that align with your current goals and business requirements.
To create your DX roadmap, you first need to understand the current state of your business. Your KPIs from above will come in handy here. Without knowing your starting point, it is impossible to map out a clear path to your goals. Therefore, knowing where you currently are is essential.
Your DX roadmap should outline key objectives, success metrics, technology investments, roles and responsibilities, and timelines. Begin implementing new technologies, methods, and processes one step at a time, starting with those that will have the biggest impact on your desired goals. And don’t forget to measure and evaluate your progress regularly to ensure you stay on track.
Remember the bigger picture
Remember, digital transformation is a long-term investment, with long-term value. Digital transformation is changing the way people do business.
Great digital leaders sift through the latest technologies to identify which ones will have the biggest impact on their business, and then prioritize those implementations. Keep in mind that digital transformation is not just about adopting new technology, but also about changing processes and culture for maximum efficiency and success.
And even with the relevant new technologies and industry trends to guide your digital transformation, you want to be uniquely positioned from your competitors. So, it's vital that you consider the wider market picture and how your DX transformation fits into it.
Consider your USPs. Can you provide a swift turnaround time based on your unique manufacturing technologies or streamlined business processes? Do you provide a second-to-none customer service journey because your customer-facing employees are always in direct contact with your frontline? You want these to be considered when mapping out your DX journey.
Set, monitor and measure your core transformation goals
To undergo digital transformation in any industry, you need to know your transformation goals. According to Asana, the best way to understand if your digital transformation strategy worked is by monitoring your business success metrics.
For the manufacturing industry, these success metrics might include employee engagement rates, retention of clients or employees, a reduction in accidents and errors, increased efficiency in production, and sustainable business growth.
Make sure to align these goals with your business key performance indicators (KPIs), as this will ensure that the entire company is on the same page about what constitutes success for the digital transformation. Plus, it's important to regularly track and measure your progress towards these goals, adjusting as needed.
To do this, look for DX solutions that allow you to access Frontline Intelligence, providing you with key metrics, analytics and insights into your employee engagement, satisfaction and even retention rates. With handy tools like this included in your DX roadmap, you are set up for success in achieving your core transformation goals.
Communicate well and often
As Mckinsey recommends for those undergoing digital transformation in the manufacturing industry:
“Communicate well and often. Establish an effective engagement plan and regular communication with critical senior stakeholders, site leaders, and a cross-functional core team.”
In short, communication is crucial for the success of your digital transformation. Keep all stakeholders, from top executives to frontline employees, in the loop about your DX roadmap and progress towards goals. This will ensure that everyone knows their role in the transformation and can work together towards success.
And don't forget to communicate with your employees! Driving employee engagement and buy-in for the digital transformation is crucial. They will be the ones driving and implementing these changes, so it's important that they understand the benefits and their role in making them happen.
Effective communication can also help with any potential resistance to change from employees. By keeping them informed and involved with easy-to-use, two-way conversations, you can work towards getting them on board with the transformation.
Accelerate your digital transformation today…
It's clear that leaders in the sector must prioritize DX efforts to ensure they're keeping up with competitors and improving overall satisfaction among their workforce.
From minimizing the time spent switching between apps and logins, to sending real-time communications and vital updates, DX allows manufacturers to improve the employee experience in a modern, digital way, and boost their bottom line in the process.
Designed specifically for industries like the manufacturing industry where workforces don’t have 24/7 access to a computer, or even a company email account, our platform is here to transform how you do business. Our app rethinks outdated frontline tech and offers a modern, digital solution for your frontline employee engagement.
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