Introducing Journeys from Blink: Elevate your employee experience from day one

The Winter 2025 product release highlights Blink's latest innovations — some already live and others rolling out over the next quarter. Missed our Autumn 2024 release? Check it out here!

At Blink, our employee experience platform is always evolving to keep pace with the ever-changing needs of organizations and their teams.

In line with our dedication to creating exceptional employee experiences — whether on the frontline or in the front office — we’re excited to introduce our latest product features, built to transform how employees connect with their organizations and each other.

From enabling easy communication with in-app calling and live streaming, to powering better outcomes through enhanced data intelligence, these powerful new features are designed to support a connected, engaged, and uplifted workplace.

#1. Voice and video calling: Power real-time, in-app collaboration

​​We’re excited to announce the addition of native 1:1 video and voice calling within Blink, making it even easier for employees to connect, collaborate, and deliver real-time results for your business.

This new feature will include:

• Streamlined communication: Enables seamless 1:1 video and voice calls directly from individual chats or colleague profiles on mobile.
• Built for international teams: Ideal for organizations with global workforces who need quick and reliable access to colleagues.
• Future-proof design: Will launch on mobile, with plans to extend to desktop and explore group calling capabilities.
• Flexible add-on: Available as an optional feature priced based on users, ensuring scalability for any organization.

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#2. Live streaming: Go live with all employees at once

Bring your live events to life on Blink! Our new live streaming feature lets you promote and host events directly in the Feed, fostering real-time engagement and interaction.

Here’s what you can do:

• Stream seamlessly via Vimeo or YouTube, with full support for Vimeo interactions on Blink.
• Share streams from other platforms using Real Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP) for an additional cost.
• Engage your audience as they comment and interact during your event.

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#3. Advanced employee intelligence: Unlock organizational insights

Discover what drives your organization with Advanced Employee Intelligence — an upgraded analytics suite that goes beyond the basics to tackle turnover, engagement, and productivity. These actionable insights, available as a paid add-on feature, will empower you to address challenges proactively and foster a thriving workplace.

Transform your data into a powerful driver of organizational success with four core pillars of insights:

• Activation: Ensure every employee is connected and engaged with activation metrics by team and role, plus gamified nudges to boost adoption.
• Communication: Maximize the impact of your messages with heat maps and deep-dive analysis into communication effectiveness by category, media, and more.
• Engagement: Track and improve satisfaction with tools like engagement leaderboards and influencer metrics that spotlight key communicators.
• Productivity: Streamline workflows by analyzing app usage, tool access, and shift management to reduce friction and optimize efficiency.

#4. Journeys 2.0: Engage employees before day one

Make a lasting first impression with Blink’s new Journeys for preboarding! This enhancement to our Journeys feature allows managers to kick off onboarding before an employee’s first day, creating a standout employee experience right from the offer stage.

Here’s what’s new:

• Include line managers in the journey for a seamless, supportive experience.
• Use enhanced start-date triggers to send tailored communications ahead of the first day.
• Deliver a bespoke preboarding journey that sets the stage for success.

#5. Image-first feed: Curate the content experience

We’ve made the Feed even better with a new posting experience designed for high-quality, highly curated content that stands out and visually engages users.

Here’s what’s new:

• Choose your layout: Opt for the classic look or an enhanced layout that puts your images front and center.
• Audience-first review: See how your post will appear to your audience before you post.
• Simple to use: The curation and review steps are seamlessly built into the posting process.

#6. Self-service SSO: Simplify access to third-party systems

Our new self-service SSO feature streamlines user access to key third-party systems directly through Blink, reducing the need for multiple logins and improving overall security. This feature makes it easier than ever to connect Blink with the tools your teams rely on.

Key takeaways include:

• Enhanced user experience: Simplify workflows by allowing users to access essential systems without remembering multiple passwords, driving better uptake and ease of use.
• Flexible configuration: Administrators can set up and manage SAML 2.0 Single Sign-On directly from the Blink Admin dashboard, enabling seamless integration with your Service Provider.

#7. Polls as Stories: Boost engagement with a visual integration

Take your Polls to the next level by sharing them through Stories, including our new image-first Polls feature, to maximize visibility and participation. This integration helps make employee feedback and interaction more accessible and engaging than ever.

Here’s what you can do now:

• Increase engagement: Promote Polls in Stories to capture attention and encourage more responses from your teams.
• Visual appeal: Leverage image-first Polls to create a dynamic and engaging experience, driving curiosity and interaction.

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#8. Chat and channel moderation: Maintain a professional communication environment

Administrators now have greater control over chats and channels with new moderation capabilities, including the ability to hide certain types of content when necessary. These tools empower admins to foster a safe, engaging, and well-managed communication space for everyone.

With this feature, you’ll gain:

• Improved oversight: Maintain a positive and professional environment by managing and moderating conversations directly within chats and channels.
• Content management: Use the “hide” feature to remove inappropriate or irrelevant content, ensuring discussions stay on track.

#9. Dark mode: A new way to experience Blink

Enjoy a more comfortable and visually striking interface with our new dark mode feature, now available via a simple toggle in your settings. This update adds a touch of personalization and comfort to your everyday platform experience.

With dark mode:

• Improved comfort: Reduce eye strain during late-night use or in low-light environments with a sleek, dark interface.
• Personalized experience: Give users the flexibility to choose between Light and Dark modes based on their preferences.

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Coming soon

Get excited for updates to the Hub experience, moderation enhancements, and in-app events management!

Bring your consumer-grade employee experience to life

As we kick off a new year of workplace evolution, our mission remains unchanged: to deliver tools that strengthen connections, boost productivity, and ensure every employee enjoys a seamless and exceptional experience — no matter their role or location.

These latest product enhancements reflect our commitment to helping organizations supercharge their employee experience as we step into 2025.

It’s time for another Life at Blink feature! This week, we’re thrilled to introduce Wick Kaminski, our Enterprise Implementation Manager who works remotely from Austin, TX.

With 1.5 years at Blink, Wick plays a pivotal role in helping our customers bring their workforce together, turning the idea of seamless communication into reality. From his frontline experience to his excitement about empowering employees through Blink, Wick brings passion and purpose to everything he does.

Curious about his journey, his proudest moments, and the culture that makes Blink stand out? Read on to learn more!

How long have you been at Blink? 

I have been at Blink for 1.5 years now. 

What initially attracted you to join Blink?

First and foremost was the fact that Blink employees use Blink. I think it’s a huge testament to a company’s commitment to excellence when they rely on their own tool to get their daily work done.

Secondly, I was intrigued by the idea of software that had a tangible impact, and I could clearly see how my time in frontline roles would have benefited tremendously from a tool like Blink. Employee communication via a mobile app is a simple and powerful value proposition, and I truly believe every nondigital organization would benefit from the use of it.

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

My proudest moments at Blink always come when we hit the “launch” button and we observe a workforce that’s READY for a communication outlet. For so many customers I work with, employees haven’t had a channel for sharing back and forth — so when I see the News Feed light up with employees giving recognition and highlighting cool things going on in their area at work, it gives me goosebumps.

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

Autonomous, responsible, supportive.

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

I’m personally really excited about expanding our self-service resources to better support our small and midsized business customers. We have an endless amount of ideas for improving the experience and making the onboarding as smooth and quick as possible.

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

Our recent feature release of Communities opened up an entirely new and novel avenue for our customers to build community amongst their workforces, and I’ve been really excited to work with my clients to get those up and running.

Communities are opt-in groups within Blink where you provide spaces for employees to connect on non-work-related things like hobbies, pets, special interest groups, affinity groups, clubs, and more. 

Why do you work for Blink?

I know what is expected of me, I have the materials and equipment to do my work right, and I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day. And being a frontline-focused organization, we’re also in a unique position: So much of the tech world happens in a bubble and being able to work with the frontline every day is an important reminder of that bubble and the workforces, cultures, and people beyond it.

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If you're exploring alternatives to Happeo, you're likely looking for a modern intranet or employee experience platform that better fits your communication, collaboration, or content needs. While Happeo offers a sleek, Google Workspace-friendly intranet solution, it may fall short for organizations that need deeper employee engagement, more robust integrations, or greater frontline accessibility.

Before diving into the best alternatives, here’s what to look for.

What to look for in a Happeo alternative

When evaluating Happeo alternatives, keep these key criteria in mind:

• Employee-first UX – Choose a tool that’s intuitive across devices and roles, not just built for office workers.
  
• True mobile parity – Ensure the mobile experience offers full functionality, not just read-only access.
  
• Instant communication features – Look for platforms with video, voice, push alerts, and Q&A—not just static posts.
  
• Plug-and-play integrations – Prioritize tools that connect easily to your existing HRIS, payroll, scheduling, and productivity software.
  
• Dynamic targeting and personalization – Employees should only see content that’s relevant to them, based on role or location.
  
• Built-in governance tools – Features like post approvals, audit trails, and localization ensure compliance at scale.
• Insight-driven decisions – Make sure the platform offers analytics that go beyond vanity metrics to show real impact.

The top 10 alternatives to Happeo

#1. Blink (Best all-in-one Happeo alternative)

Gartner Rating: 4.8/5
G2 Rating: 4.7/5
Pricing: Free trial available; custom pricing based on company size and feature needs

Blink is the #1 Happeo alternative for organizations seeking a more dynamic and inclusive employee experience platform. While Happeo is well suited for desk-based teams using Google Workspace, Blink stands out by meeting the needs of every employee — whether they’re on the front line, hybrid, or remote.

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Unlike traditional intranets, Blink is mobile-first, meaning employees can access personalized news, resources, and tools wherever they are. Its unified News Feed centralizes top-down comms, peer-to-peer messages, surveys, forms, and file sharing in one place. Features like voice notes, live video streaming, ghostwriting for leaders, and built-in translations make communications faster, more authentic, and accessible across diverse teams.

Blink also includes content governance, user-level targeting, analytics, and native integrations with HRIS, payroll, scheduling, and messaging tools. And while Happeo focuses on static content hubs, Blink offers a real-time digital HQ that drives usage and engagement.

If you’re looking for an intranet alternative that’s secure, flexible, and designed to drive meaningful impact across all teams, Blink is your best bet.

#2. Jostle

G2 Rating: 4.4/5
Gartner Rating: Not listed
Pricing: Starts at $4/user/month

Jostle is an intranet alternative focused on clarity and usability. It’s ideal for mid-sized companies looking to simplify internal communications without overwhelming users with complex features. Jostle offers a visually organized structure with dedicated spaces for announcements, discussions, and documents.

Unlike Happeo, which leans into integration with Google Workspace, Jostle is platform-agnostic and easier to implement for Microsoft-based teams. However, it may lack the customization and extensibility needed by enterprise-scale orgs. It's a strong contender for companies prioritizing simplicity over design flexibility.

#3. Simpplr

G2 Rating: 4.6/5
Gartner Rating: 4.4/5
Pricing: Contact sales for custom pricing

Simpplr is a sleek and highly customizable intranet solution that focuses on employee engagement and personalized experiences. It includes features such as smart feeds, event planning, video content, and policy management—all wrapped in a modern interface.

For companies looking for more than just a content hub, Simpplr’s AI-based recommendations and analytics offer a smarter way to keep employees informed. While it rivals Happeo in terms of UI and UX, it does require more onboarding and configuration time. It's best suited for enterprises with dedicated internal comms and IT support.

#4. Staffbase

G2 Rating: 4.5/5
Gartner Rating: 4.3/5
Pricing: Custom enterprise pricing

Staffbase caters to internal communications teams at large enterprises, particularly those managing distributed or non-desk employees. Its core strengths include branded employee apps, segmented messaging, newsletters, and editorial planning tools.

Compared to Happeo, Staffbase leans more heavily into comms and content workflows rather than being a digital workplace or document hub. This makes it an excellent alternative if you want to elevate your comms strategy but don’t need native integrations with Google or Microsoft ecosystems.

#5. Unily

G2 Rating: 4.5/5
Gartner Rating: 4.3/5
Pricing: Typically starts at $30,000/year

Unily is an enterprise-grade employee experience platform that delivers polished design, multilingual support, and deep integrations with Microsoft 365. It includes customizable content pages, advanced analytics, and personalization features.

Unlike Happeo, Unily is better equipped for global organizations with complex structures and compliance needs. However, its enterprise pricing and implementation time may be a barrier for smaller teams or those needing a fast rollout.

#6. LumApps

G2 Rating: 4.3/5
Gartner Rating: 4.2/5
Pricing: Starts at $12/user/month

LumApps is a robust intranet platform with strong support for both Microsoft and Google environments. It offers a central hub for personalized news, documents, and collaboration with social features like commenting and reactions.

Compared to Happeo, LumApps goes further in enabling internal branding and knowledge management at scale. Its onboarding can be intensive, but for organizations that want a visually impressive and highly segmented experience, it’s a solid choice.

#7. Firstup

G2 Rating: 4.4/5
Gartner Rating: 4.1/5
Pricing: Custom pricing based on company size

Firstup is built for employee communications at scale, with automation and personalization features that help you deliver the right message at the right time. It excels at campaign planning, content scheduling, and measurement.

While Firstup isn’t a direct replacement for a traditional intranet like Happeo, it’s a powerful alternative for companies focused on messaging, employee activation, and comms ROI. The platform is highly data-driven and ideal for comms teams seeking a more strategic approach.

#8. Haiilo

G2 Rating: 4.5/5
Gartner Rating: Not listed
Pricing: Contact sales

Formerly known as Smarp, Haiilo combines employee communications, advocacy, and intranet tools into a single platform. It’s known for its intuitive UX and ability to empower employees to share content externally.

Compared to Happeo, Haiilo emphasizes social amplification and mobile-first communications more than intranet-style documentation. It’s a strong pick for organizations looking to boost brand reach and engagement from within.

#9. Noodle

G2 Rating: 4.2/5
Gartner Rating: Not listed
Pricing: Starts at $3/user/month

Noodle is a no-frills intranet platform designed for affordability and simplicity. It covers the basics—document management, employee directories, calendars, and chat—in a clean and easy-to-use interface.

While Happeo has more polish and integrations, Noodle wins on cost and ease of deployment. It’s a practical option for smaller teams or budget-conscious orgs that don’t need advanced features or automation.

#10. Igloo

G2 Rating: 4.2/5
Gartner Rating: 4.1/5
Pricing: Starts at $8/user/month

Igloo offers a modular intranet solution for businesses that want to build a digital workplace tailored to their needs. With features like forums, wikis, task management, and dashboards, it’s more of a knowledge-sharing and collaboration platform than just a content hub.

Unlike Happeo, which is visually streamlined but limited in scope, Igloo supports cross-functional use cases such as project collaboration and onboarding. It requires more setup time but pays off in flexibility.

Final thoughts

Happeo offers a solid intranet experience, particularly for organizations tightly integrated with Google Workspace. But for many teams—especially those with a mix of deskless, remote, and office-based employees—it may not go far enough in enabling real-time communication, personalization, or frontline access.

Whether you need better mobile capabilities, deeper integrations, or more authentic engagement, there are several strong alternatives to consider. Blink rises to the top for its all-in-one approach, modern UX, and inclusive design. Explore your options carefully—and choose a platform that scales with your people, not just your tech stack.

What makes him awesome?

Grant has been with Brighton & Hove for 37 years and now he organizes the buses run out for us.

He is in at 04:00 every day and is never sick. He liaises with Engineering for available buses, plans the run out order, and keeps our bus board updated. He will make sure that the buses run out smoothly and on time and helps all of the drivers as well as the coach drivers, with any queries or if they need assistance with maneuvering, etc. He assists us Supervisors where required with ticket machine problems etc and willingly takes ownership of the state of the garages.

Grant is a true frontline hero and we don’t always show our appreciation enough  Thank you Grant!

How has Blink helped in his role?

Grant uses Blink to communicate with the other departments, drivers, and supervisors to ensure that all relevant information is passed on.

What does he want to do next?

Grant has found his niche and is happily counting the days until he can retire.

Nominated by: Wayne Henty, Supervisor

13 ways to quickly improve internal communications

Internal communications joins the dots. It connects every member of an organization and helps keep everyone up to speed. But it’s not without its challenges.

Comms leaders have to quiet the noise while amplifying key messages. They need to share updates consistently. And find tech tools that make communication engaging for employees. 

In frontline organizations, there are additional communication challenges to tackle.

Frontline teams often work disparately. Employees can’t rely on in-person meetings for the latest updates. Nor do they have access to a desktop computer or even a company email address.

Finding reliable ways to reach these employees – that go beyond a messy noticeboard – is vital for business success.

With these challenges in mind, we’re going to look at the ways comms leaders can quickly and effectively improve internal communications. Let’s dive right in.

Why is it important to improve your internal comms?

Poor internal communication harms your business and its bottom line. When leaders, teams, and individuals fail to communicate well, every area of operations is affected.

Poor communication also has an effect on employees. Staff want to feel part of the organization they work for, and the first step to achieving that is keeping them in the loop.  

Ultimately, when you improve internal communication, you:

• Boost workplace trust. Over 40% of workers say that poor communication is reducing the trust they have in leadership and their teams. This is making them more stressed and less loyal to their organization.
  
  
• Engage employees. Informed employees are 2.8 times more likely to be engaged. Employee engagement is linked to higher productivity, profitability, and employee retention rates.
  
  
• Get better at what you do. When you improve internal communication, you improve decision-making, teamwork, and collaboration. Everyone pulls in the same direction, which spells bigger and better business results.

The benefit of good internal communication in frontline organizations is even more pronounced.

Safety concerns. Equipment failures. Product or service updates. A shift you need to cover. Inclement weather. These critical communications need to travel between frontline staff and managers quickly and reliably. It’s how you limit downtime and ensure the very best customer service.

But if your communication culture, communication skills, or communication tools are lacking, you’ll find it hard to connect the various teams that make up your organization.

13 ideas to quickly improve internal communication

With so much to be gained from good internal communications, time is of the essence. Every day you continue doing things the old way, you’re missing out.

So here are some internal communication ideas that you can put in place quickly, for maximum impact. Weave these ideas into your internal communication strategy and start making improvements right away.

1. Start with the leadership team

Leaders set the tone of an organization. So if your leadership team isn’t sold on your bid to improve internal communication, your employees won’t be either.

It’s up to leaders to drive comms throughout the company. It’s also on them to engage with comms. That way, employees see that your internal communication channels are a valued resource for people at all levels – and they’re much more likely to engage with them, too.

To prove to your workforce that it isn’t one rule for them – and another for their managers – get the leadership team on board right at the start. Involve leaders in the launch of your internal communications plan and encourage them to be positive promoters of it.

2. Ask questions & launch surveys

To avoid time-consuming missteps, get employee insight early on in the process. Employee input informs your strategy and improves your chances of getting things right the first time.

You can get input by asking informal questions and launching surveys. Find out what employees want from internal communications – and what aspects of current comms they struggle with.

With Blink’s super-app, you can launch surveys that reach your whole workforce. A user-friendly interface makes it easy for employees to respond. And a clear dashboard helps you to draw conclusions from their answers.

Surveys help you make informed internal communication decisions. But there’s another benefit, too. By involving employees in this part of the process, you set an important precedent.

You show employees that you value their input – and that their voices are heard. This raises trust in the process. It also helps employees see what they stand to gain by engaging with internal communications going forward. 

3. Streamline your communication channels

Well-established companies often have history with lots of different internal communication tools. In frontline organizations, there tends to be a mix of tech solutions and old-school communication channels – like posters and notice boards.

If you’ve inherited a complicated system of communication channels, it’s worth stepping back and assessing their impact on company communication.  

Is a noticeboard crammed with memos an efficient and reliable way to communicate with your teams? Are multiple communication channels helping you to clarify the message – or are they muddying it?

Less is usually more. So streamlining your comms channels is a great way to improve internal communication. Employees are much more likely to engage with a single source of reliable info.  

That’s exactly what happened at Domino’s. The pizza delivery company was using word of mouth, posters, and WhatsApp groups to communicate with its frontline. But by switching to Blink, Domino’s put all internal communication in one place and now everyone gets the same need-to-know updates.

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4. Personalize your comms

Think of all the marketing emails that land in your inbox every day. The ones that personalize their message stand out. They’re much more likely to resonate. The rest is like white noise. It becomes very easy to ignore stuff that doesn’t feel relevant to you. 

The same goes for company comms. When you make your message more relevant to your audience, they sit up and take notice. When employees are inundated with comms that have nothing to do with their role, they tend to start ignoring the noise - and before you know it even the most relevant and critical messages are missed. 

You can quickly make a change by segmenting your audience. Divide your organization by department, team, location, and stage in the employee life cycle.

Then, craft personalized comms. And only send mass communications when they really are relevant to the whole organization. Intentional, personalized communication is much harder to ignore.

5. Run company-wide stand ups

A standup meeting is a short but regular opportunity for teams to share progress and identify blockers. It’s a way to get everyone on the same page and clarify what they should be doing.

A company-wide standup is the easiest way to communicate your current priorities and action plan to everyone. But you can also run stand ups within teams, departments, or locations.

Of course, if you’re a frontline organization, getting everyone together for this type of meeting isn’t always practical. Employees work different shifts and in different locations, or maybe even work on the road.

But don’t dismiss the idea of company stand ups outright. Create stand ups for different shift swaps, or locations, or smaller groups of people. And for the times you can’t be together in real life, tech can help.

Employees can join a meeting via video conference. Or you can record your company-wide stand ups and post them as video content to your primary internal communication channel.

6. Implement an employee app

In today’s technological world, you can find incredible tools designed to improve internal communication, fast.

An employee app is a great example. It works well because you meet employees where they already spend their time – on their smartphones. And because it incorporates features that employees are familiar with, like instant messaging, group chats, and a newsfeed.

Take Stagecoach, a UK-based bus company. When Stagecoach implemented an employee app, 84% of their workforce started using it within just one week. Because they chose a communication tool that employees could use intuitively, they got better and faster uptake.

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An employee app also streamlines your employee communications because employees can access everything via a single, user-friendly interface. And it provides channels for both top-down and bottom-up comms. Anyone can read and share information.

Blink’s employee app ticks all these boxes. Designed for frontline organizations, it helps bridge the gap between your frontline and desk-based teams. 

7. Reward & recognize your employees

Another way to quickly improve internal communication is by rewarding and recognizing employees. Shout out those employees who hit their goals or reach a personal milestone. Highlight the times when a member of staff goes above and beyond.

A culture of recognition helps to build engagement. It also boosts morale and encourages other employees to do their best work.

Using internal communication channels in this positive way encourages employees to communicate more frequently, too. When an employee feels acknowledged, they’re more likely to acknowledge others, share successes, and communicate constructively with peers.

You can put the wheels in motion by encouraging managers to send regular messages of acknowledgment. But to amplify the effect, go further. 

Build recognition into your internal comms strategy by using Blink’s recognition feature. Via the app, you can send messages of public praise with the power to inspire everyone.

8. Conduct regular 121 meetings 

If your managers only run 121 meetings with employees once or twice a year, this is an area ripe for improvement.

A lot can happen over the space of a year or six months. Internal communication might be missed or misinterpreted. Regular 121s are an opportunity to realign goals and understanding.

Regular 121s help you to:

• Build a personal connection with employees
• Address concerns in real-time
• Improve employee engagement

It also makes the act of discussion and feedback more familiar. Employees get used to sitting down and sharing their work experiences with managers. So managers are much more likely to get candid (and therefore useful) insight from their staff.  

Advise your managers on how often they should conduct 121s. Monthly, bi-weekly, or even weekly sessions create an open feedback loop.

Also, remember that a public communication forum can never replace 121s. While employees are often happy to share some ideas publicly, they also need the opportunity to share their thoughts privately and confidentially.

9. Encourage content creation

Leave content creation to management and you run into two key problems:

1. Your internal communication is unengaging because there’s lots of top-down communication but not enough bottom-up or peer-to-peer communication.

2. Managers find it hard to balance content creation alongside their usual workload. This means more managerial stress and/or less quality content.

There’s a quick and easy solution. Give everyone a turn at content creation. Use guidelines and templates if you think they’re needed. Then, let employees start threads, post blogs, upload videos, and recognize their peers.

In doing so, you strengthen your company network. Employees build new relationships. They find people with whom they have things in common. They chat about non-work-related topics.

This type of water cooler chat may seem irrelevant to your business objectives. But trust us when we say it’s hugely important to the quality of communication that takes place within your organization.

This is particularly true in frontline firms where workers don’t always get the opportunity for informal chats with co-workers.

When employees build trusting relationships with co-workers, they don’t just find it easier to chat about their latest vacation or the boxset they’re currently binging. They find it easier to communicate and collaborate on workplace topics, too.

10. Take a data-driven approach to internal communications

How do you measure the success of an internal communications initiative? You need reliable, accessible data you can track over time.

This is another reason why having the right communication tech is vital. Pick communication tools with analytics built in and it’s easy to view and act upon insights.

You can see which type of content your employees do and don’t interact with. You can see which posts get the most comments and likes. This helps you to hone your internal communication going forward.

Similarly, analytics functions help you to see the bigger impact that your communication strategy is having. Perhaps it’s helping you to reduce staff turnover or increase staff satisfaction.

When you have access to the data, it’s easy to demonstrate the value and effectiveness of internal communication improvements. You’ll also find it easier to make informed, targeted changes that make your initiative even more successful.

11. Be consistent

Good internal communication is all about consistency. You can’t promise employees a weekly update or a monthly webinar and then fail to deliver.

They’ll stop seeing your communication as reliable and trustworthy – and they’ll stop checking in for new content. This is the point at which the wheels fall off your strategy and you have a much harder job pushing that new initiative uphill. 

To show employees that your new internal communication strategy is here to stay, make sure it’s sustainable.

At the outset, you may like to err on the side of caution, only committing to a content schedule you know is manageable for the people delivering it. You can always add more items to your content calendar once it’s up and running.

Also, as we mentioned earlier, enlisting the support of employees in content creation helps to create an internal communications ecosystem that doesn’t rely on a handful of time-stretched managers. With all hands on deck, it’s much easier to create and post content consistently.

12. Be transparent

Internal communication is most successful when communication is transparent. That means:

• Including everyone in communications
• Creating an open connection between leadership and employees
• Clearly communicating business changes and decision-making processes
• Acknowledging both successes and mistakes

Transparent communication is important because it helps to build trust between all members of your organization. It prevents secondary channels of communication – in the form of rumors and speculation – from emerging. And it helps to boost employee engagement. 

If you don’t already have a culture of open communication, getting there is likely to take time. You need to develop communication skills throughout your organization and set new norms of behavior.

However, one of the things you can do to improve internal communication quickly is to involve employees in your internal communication strategy. Be open about the changes you’re trying to implement – and why.

When employees feel like part of the process, they’re much more likely to feel invested in its outcome.  

13. Report back on changes you are making

So you’re planning to make big changes to the way you communicate internally. Don’t forget to involve employees from the beginning and throughout the process.

After launching employee surveys and conducting 121s, communicate your findings. Let workers know what you’ve learned, what changes you plan to make, and what you hope to gain.

This shows that you’re committed to transparent communication, not just paying lip service. And that you’re putting employees at the center of decision-making.

Take this tack and employee engagement, morale, trust, and the success of your internal communication strategy all stand to benefit.

Final thoughts

Improving internal communications takes time and strategy. It’s a long-term commitment. But there are quick wins to be had.

Gather insights. Involve all members of your organization. Find the right tools. Start fostering a culture of open, honest communication, right now, today.

By doing so, you’ll create change in the here and now. And lay the groundwork for future internal comms improvements, too.

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ClearBox validates Blink’s leadership in the future of the intranet market

For the fourth year running, Blink has been recognized as a standout platform in the annual ClearBox intranet market report — and this year’s results come with an even stronger signal.

The ClearBox Consulting Intranet and Employee Experience Platforms Report 2026 confirms what Blink customers already know: the intranet market may be mature, but it hasn’t converged. And Blink continues to lead where it matters most.

In fact, Blink is the only vendor in the entire report to achieve a perfect 5/5 score in any category, earning top marks for Mobile & Frontline Support.

Here’s how ClearBox summed it up:

“Blink is an engaging, social and truly mobile-first platform, ideal for organizations with a high percentage of frontline and deskless employees.”

Let’s break down what the report assessed — and what this year’s findings mean for buyers.

About ClearBox

ClearBox Consulting is an independent intranet and digital workplace consultancy that helps organizations select, design, and evolve the right intranet and employee experience platforms.

Trusted by global brands including Unilever, PlayStation, GlaxoSmithKline, and Bayer, ClearBox is known for its rigorous, vendor-agnostic evaluations and practical buyer guidance.

Each year, ClearBox reviews 20 leading intranet and employee experience platforms, scoring them across eight core criteria and sharing detailed insights into where each vendor truly excels.

What does the ClearBox report assess?

ClearBox evaluates platforms against eight key criteria, including:

• User experience and visual appeal
• Community and engagement
• Publishing and communications management
• Mobile and frontline support
• Governance, administration, and vendor maturity

The research also incorporates customer feedback, pricing considerations, and product roadmaps — giving buyers a clear picture of both current capability and future direction.

You can explore the full findings here: ClearBox Intranet and Employee Experience Platforms Report 2026

Where Blink stands out in 2026

Mobile and frontline support — perfect score, category leadership

Once again, Blink leads the market in mobile and frontline delivery — but this year, the result is definitive.

Blink is the only platform to receive a perfect 5/5 score for Mobile & Frontline Support across the entire vendor landscape.

This isn’t incremental improvement. It’s category leadership in the fastest-growing, most underserved segment of the workforce.

Blink was built mobile-first from day one — not retrofitted for frontline teams later. Employees can access everything they need through a single, secure app, without a company email address or desktop login. Offline access, frontline-native UX, and intuitive navigation ensure that critical information reaches everyone, everywhere.

ClearBox highlights Blink’s structural advantage here, noting that desktop-led intranets consistently under-serve frontline workers — a gap Blink was designed specifically to solve.

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User experience built for adoption — not training

Blink continues to earn top marks for user experience and visual appeal, thanks to its clean, social-style interface that mirrors the consumer apps employees already use.

ClearBox notes:

“Blink delivers an engaging, social experience and practical tools for communication, collaboration and productivity, without overwhelming users with complexity.”

From a feed-first experience and Stories to rich multimedia content and communities, Blink makes communication feel familiar, fast, and engaging — driving adoption without heavy change management.

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What ClearBox is really telling the market in 2026

Beyond individual scores, this year’s report delivers a clear message to buyers: the intranet market is mature, fragmented, and outcome-led.

There is no longer a single “do everything” platform that wins across every category. Instead, vendors lead by solving specific problems for specific audiences.

For Blink, that market context matters.

ClearBox’s findings validate Blink’s long-standing strategy of not chasing feature sprawl, and instead focusing relentlessly on communications effectiveness, frontline reach, and measurable engagement.

Key signals from the report include:

• Internal communications teams are increasingly the primary buyers — not IT
• Mobile and frontline delivery is no longer optional
• Governance, moderation, and trust are critical as platforms become more social
• Buyers want practical AI embedded into real workflows, not hype

Blink aligns with each of these shifts — by design.

Enterprise governance, without killing engagement

As platforms become more social, ClearBox notes that governance and risk management are back in focus — especially for large, complex organizations.

Blink balances engagement with control through:

• Community permissions and moderation tools
• Timed log-outs for frontline safety and compliance
• A relevancy-based, algorithmic feed that balances reach with oversight

The result is social communication that scales inside the enterprise — not in spite of it.

What this means for buyers

If your priorities include:

• Communications effectiveness
• Frontline reach
• Mobile-first delivery
• Governed, measurable engagement

The ClearBox 2026 report shows that Blink consistently outperforms broader, heavier platforms where it counts most.

Blink isn’t trying to be everything to everyone. It’s focused on helping organizations reach 100% of their workforce — and prove the impact of doing so.

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Some more highlights from the ClearBox report

Here’s what else ClearBox had to say about Blink:

“Today, Blink continues to stand out for its mobile-first design and intuitive user experience, making it a strong choice for organizations with frontline workers.”

“The platform’s personalised feed and simple navigation give employees quick access to relevant content.”

“Blink also excels in onboarding and adoption support, offering practical features like QR code access and in-person onboarding events.”

“Overall, Blink is a strong choice for organizations prioritising mobile engagement, particularly those with large frontline populations.”

And here’s what customers interviewed by ClearBox said about their experience with Blink:

“Our users find it easy to use and intuitive, boosting activation and engagement rates.”

“It’s easy to download, the UI is simple and familiar, and it’s been a gamechanger for our company since launch.”

“Blink has completely transformed how we communicate. Our frontline teams finally feel connected and included.”

“Blink makes work feel more connected. It’s like a social hub where everyone — whether in the office, on the frontline, or remote — can share updates, celebrate wins, and find what they need fast.”

“We’ve leaned hard on them to make some changes specifically for us and they have been extremely accommodating to our timelines to make it happen.”

“While they have lots of big clients, they always make you feel like you are their only customer. They are a fantastic bunch!”

“The Blink team has been a true partner from day one. They’re proactive, responsive, and invested in our success.”

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Looking ahead

ClearBox doesn’t just validate Blink’s performance this year — it validates Blink’s direction.

Blink wins when:

• Communications is a strategic function, not a broadcast channel
• Frontline workers are first-class citizens, not an afterthought
• Mobile is the primary experience, not a companion app
• Outcomes matter more than feature checklists

Bottom line: The ClearBox 2026 report confirms that Blink isn’t chasing the past of the intranet market — it’s aligned with its future.