Life at Blink | Nikita Karun

Frontline workers make up 80% of the global workforce. They play an extremely vital role in many industries across the globe.

But 60% of frontline employees say they’re unhappy with the technology they use at work.

Unfortunately, this stat makes perfect sense. Workplace tech has traditionally been built with office-based workers in mind. So it tends to fall short for the frontline.  

Some companies still use a traditional intranet. And others use a patchwork of different HR and IT apps. These tools may work well for desk-based employees. But they cause three common problems for frontline workers:

• Limited access to tech. Frontline employees don’t have regular access to a computer and don’t always have a company email address. This means they rely on noticeboards, personal apps, and/or shared company computers to access the information and tools they need.
  
  
• Access to poor quality tech. Frontline employees have access to a system that does some things, but not others. They can access tech tools via a mobile device but features are limited and the user experience is lacking
  
  
• Access to too much tech. When employees use lots of different apps via lots of different interfaces, it creates as many problems as it solves. This piecemeal approach can cause friction and tech tool disengagement

Frontline organizations need streamlined tech that works for every employee. As Ian Gordon, former President of Administrative Operations at Elara Caring, said in an interview:

“Being a frontline worker can feel like you’re on an island by yourself, and the solutions that you need must be quicker and more succinct. You can’t spend a lot of time signing in and navigating. You need to get to your answer now.”

Currently, deskless workers waste time and productivity on tasks that could be streamlined. For example, finding their training documents, communicating with managers, or simply tracking down last month’s pay stub.

Thankfully, there’s a solution. A modern intranet takes into account the realities of today’s distributed workforce. It’s a mobile-first tool that provides the same seamless digital experience for both frontline and desk-based employees.

Here, we explore how the right type of technology can benefit your frontline employees and your organization. We also reveal the three features you should be looking for when choosing frontline tech.

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Benefits of a modern intranet for frontline employees

When your frontline has access to the right tech, everyone stands to gain. Let’s take a look at the benefits – for your organization and employees – of a mobile-first employee app.

Higher levels of productivity

When frontline employees don’t have the right tech, they waste a lot of time on tasks that could be streamlined.

They have to call their manager on the phone when they want to change shifts.

They have to use the shared computer on their lunch break to respond to a company survey.

They have to leaf through a paper handbook to find an answer to their question.  

A modern intranet helps frontline employees complete tasks quickly and easily. This means productivity for your organization improves. 

Streamlined workflows

A modern intranet helps streamline the workflow of every employee in your organization, not just those on the frontline.

That’s because frontline employees can use self-serve functions. They can view their pay stubs, launch an assigned L&D module, and request time off. Employees can book shifts and report faults or accidents. They can also chat with their managers via messaging features.

This helps to streamline the work of your frontline workers. But it also helps HR teams and frontline managers. They get fewer queries and fewer phone calls because frontline employees can achieve so much more using the right tech tool - removing the barrier to access and allowing your HR teams and managers to focus on the work they are meant to be doing. 

Tech tool efficiency

The best modern intranets integrate with the software you already use for your business. It's not about adding another tool to your tech stack to be siloed, but increasing access to all of the other tools you already rely on. So employees can access all tech tools from the same, familiar interface.

When workplace tools are intuitive and easy to access, employees spend a lot less time looking for the resources they need. They also spend less time trying to remember different login details. A single click, a single password, and they’re in.

Learning and development

A modern intranet or employee app makes it easy for employees to access vital resources. Like workplace policies, guides, and training materials.

This means new hires get up-to-speed quickly. They can access all onboarding materials via their smartphone. Existing employees also find it easy to weave L&D into their usual workflow.

With access to resources that help them work smarter, not harder, employees become more effective and productive in their roles. 

Improved internal communication

Good internal communication is the backbone of any organization.

Without it, trust in leadership suffers. And with it, engagement and loyalty increases. Employees in organizations with effective communication feel more connected to their jobs. 

But we know that frontline teams usually don’t enjoy the same level of communication and connection as their desk-based co-workers. 

Frontline employees tend to spend very little time at HQ and often spend their days working alone. So they risk missing out on: 

• Vital company updates
• Co-worker collaboration
• Recognition from managers
• Opportunities to make their voice heard

The right tech helps to bridge the gap. It improves employee communication by connecting frontline workers to their co-workers, head office, and company culture.

Real-time communication

Information is often outdated by the time it reaches frontline employees. It’s hard to spot memos on a crowded noticeboard, and it’s easy to miss an important update in a long thread of messages. 

The best modern intranets solve this problem by supporting real-time communication.

Employees can use newsfeed, group chat, and 1-2-1 chat functions to get up-to-the-minute information.

Managers can send smartphone notifications to highlight vital updates. They can post a video of today’s company standup. They can also create and pin mandatory messages to the company newsfeed, ensuring that essential information cuts through. 

With access to relevant, timely information like this, employees make better decisions and solve problems more quickly.

Two-way communication

Top-down communication is useful for establishing company culture and sharing updates. But for truly effective internal communication, information needs to move in all directions.

Modern intranets support peer-to-peer connection. Co-workers can interact via the newsfeed or chat functions. They can recognize a peer’s hard work. Or wish their work bestie a happy birthday.

The intranet also supports bottom-up communication. With a newsfeed, direct messaging, and company-wide surveys, you give frontline employees a voice.

This makes a positive difference to the employee experience. Employees who say their voice is heard at work are 4.6x more likely to give their all.

Collaboration

Imagine a frontline care worker has come across a great article about elderly care. How does that person share their new insight with other frontline workers in other locations?

Perhaps they’ll mention the article to the co-workers they physically cross paths with. Or send a link to the small group of people in their work WhatsApp chat. 

But you really amplify the reach and impact when that care worker can post the article to the company employee app.

The right tech tools allow frontline teams to share the knowledge they gain when they’re out in the field. They can share best practices and collaborate with other employees, even though they’re not based in the same office environment.

Empowerment and engagement

When employees feel empowered and engaged at work, they’re happier and more productive. They provide better customer service and produce better results. They’re also less likely to look for a job elsewhere.

Employee engagement relies on strong employee communication, development opportunities, recognition – and the right tech.

The wrong tech can be a big drain on employee engagement. When workers use slow, inefficient, and ineffective digital tools, it adds friction and frustration to their work day. So implementing a modern intranet can help with all the following. 

Empowering employees

With a company super-app at their fingertips, frontline employees are empowered to make informed decisions and take a proactive approach to their work.

Thanks to user-friendly employee communication channels, they can report safety or equipment issues. They can share their knowledge. And they can access company resources exactly when they need them.

A modern intranet also empowers employees to progress in their careers. 70% of frontline workers are interested in career progression opportunities. But they don’t always get the resources or support they need.

Via an employee app, you can give frontline workers easy access to L&D information, new job opportunities, and any available employee development activities. 

Engaging employees

The right frontline tech helps you to improve employee engagement. It allows employees to engage with co-workers and company culture. And it mirrors the experience provided by employees’ favorite social media apps.

A newsfeed. Likes, comments, and shares. Pulse surveys. Digital 1-2-1s. A searchable company library. A modern intranet with a user-friendly interface creates an experience that employees are excited to use and keep using.

The best frontline tech also offers personalization, another thing that helps to level up engagement. Employees can switch up their dashboards to put their preferred features first. Or prioritize their newsfeed to focus on posts that are most relevant to them. 

Retention and attraction

Frontline teams experience high levels of churn. A McKinsey study found that 45% of frontline workers planned to leave their jobs within the following 3 to 6 months.

Workplace technology is an important part of the puzzle. 78% of deskless workers say they consider the technology at a company when deciding whether to take a job there.

When you equip frontline workers with the right tech, you show your employees that you value them and care about their experience.

You also provide communication channels that support a better employee experience. You allow employees to give feedback and build stronger relationships with co-workers. This makes it easier to hold onto existing staff – and to attract new talent too.

Choosing the right tech for frontline employees

Some tech solutions – like the traditional intranet – don’t fit the realities of frontline work. So what should you be looking for when choosing tech for frontline employees?

The best frontline tech:

• is a one-stop-shop
• offers an intuitive user experience
• has a mobile-first design

Let’s look at these features in a little more detail.

It’s a one-stop-shop

Currently, many organizations are at risk of app overload. 37% of frontline workers use five or more apps every day. But 39% say that apps aren’t actually helping them in their work.

A patchwork of workplace tools means workers have to learn different interfaces and remember lots of passwords. Tech complicates their workflow instead of simplifying it.

The best modern intranet brings together all the software you use. It acts as a digital front door for your organization.

Behind this door, employees find everything they need to do their jobs. Tools for communication, operations, training, shifts, collaboration, and HR. It’s all available via one interface and a single login.

Tech that acts as a one-stop-shop reduces friction in frontline employee workflow. It also drives adoption for your existing tools, improving the ROI on the software you’re already paying for.

Supercharge your frontline with an employee super-app

It provides an intuitive user experience

Investing in the best frontline tech is pointless if you can’t persuade employees to use it. So you need tech solutions that can prove high usage and adoption rates.   

Bear in mind that 56% of deskless workers are using personal tech tools instead of workplace tools. As well as posing security risks, this illustrates a really important point when choosing frontline tech.

Your chosen solution has to compete with the user experience (UX) provided by the most popular social media platforms. So you need tools that offer an intuitive, friction-free UX.

These intuitive tools don’t have a steep learning curve. Instead – because they’re so similar to the apps your employees already use out of work – employees can pick them up and start using them with next to no training.

Because they’re so easy to use, these apps provide clear employee benefits from the get-go. This helps to drive organic app adoption and ensures a higher proportion of your workforce downloads and uses your intranet.

It’s a mobile-first solution

Frontline workers don’t sit at a desk. They don’t always have a company email address, let alone a company computer. Therefore, any workplace tech you choose must be available via a mobile device.

The best solutions have a mobile-first design. They’re not tools designed for desktop with an app added as an afterthought. Instead, they offer the same great features and user experience on a smartphone as they do on other devices.

This allows frontline team members to stay up-to-date with company news, book time off, or look at their shift schedule while they do their daily work. They can access workplace tools from any location, at any time.

Blink: an employee app for frontline workers

The Blink employee app is a modern intranet for a modern frontline workforce. Our app acts as the digital front door for your organization. 

It provides access to the tools and systems your entire workforce needs day to day. And it integrates seamlessly with the software you already use. So employees can access all workplace software using one secure single sign-on (SSO).

As a mobile-first solution, Blink provides the same great user experience on smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers. Frontline workers have exactly the same access as their desk-based peers to company culture, co-worker connection, and workplace resources. 

If you’re looking to improve the frontline employee experience, connect your workforce, and increase productivity, frontline tech is a great place to start. 

Book a Blink demo. Or discover how Blink works for people teams by reading our recent article: Transforming HR teams with the help of a frontline app.

David Brown is a titan of the public transport industry. His star-studded career has taken him from a graduate with London Transport to CEO of Go-Ahead Group. He's been GM for CentreWest London Buses, Operations and Managing Director for London General and London Central.

#1. Always grasp opportunity.

The advice I give to graduates, young bus managers or other leadership groups is this: grasp opportunity whenever you can. Don't let them pass you by, because they won't come back again.

#2. Bring more young people in.

Privatization was a death knell for a lot of graduate schemes. It was an easy way to save money, to look at the bottom line. But we ended up with a generational hole of senior managers coming through.

One of the first things I did at Go-Ahead was reintroduce a graduate scheme. I'm very excited to see that cadre of talent come through.

#3. And promote them fast!

Now I want to help that young talent leap from junior management to senior or directorship roles. To bridge that generation gap, their career needs to accelerate.

We have a 93% retention rate. That's partly because people see a trajectory to the top of the organization. You need to give people real responsibility and accountability. It's a fantastic time to be in the transport industry as a young person. Because if you're good, there are infinite chances for you to stand out.

#4. (But don't force them to stay).

I'm relaxed about people leaving – because I know they'll come back. But they'll come back with another set of skills and experiences to help us. We need these people as part of transport. I'm passionate about that whole industry, not only the Go-Ahead version.

#5. Real progress happens when there's no time to plan.

I never worked harder than in lockdown. It was 24/7. We were trying to reconstruct our business. We needed lots of local leadership. So from day 1, nobody blinked. We just got on with it.

Desk-based and frontline stepped up massively. The frontline were in some scary situations in their day-to-day, and I'll always be proud of how they coped.

#6. Learn from your mistakes — even in a crisis.

After the first lockdown, we reviewed our actions and said, "What do we do well, and what could we do better?” Because that's what you should do, of course. But when there's a second wave, we also must be ready to remember what we instinctively did well.

The downside has been the public message about our business, that it's unsafe to travel by public transport, and demonizing public transport. That is a real big hurdle that we've got to overcome.

#7. There's a place for greater formal collaboration in transport today.

All the bus PRC companies have grown up in a siloed era: never collaborating, out of fear of the Competition Act, and the CMA.

Now the operators do talk to each other, but only in the context of the CPT, which is our trade body. We've got a huge amount in common, and we need to leverage that better.

We're going to have to be far more agile, far more responsive to an ever-changing situation. That feeds into our engagement with our colleagues’ representatives from the trade union. It's been more collaborative because we've realized it goes beyond the small issues or the legal aspects.

#8. Let's lose the bureaucracy.

When we went into lockdown, people said “Well, we've got to tell the traffic commissioner, we’ve got to check”. I said, “You just go do the right thing, and they're going to have to catch up with us. We’re going to have to do the right thing, and plead forgiveness afterwards.” Because we haven't got the time to wait 270 days to make decisions.

The industry needs more of that, not less of that. We need to be more flexible, more agile and more collaborative going forward.

#9. Technology will help us re-position ourselves.

Technology can automate a lot of aspects to make public transport jobs easier. That leaves the drivers extra time to do the bits we want more of, which is looking after customers. It's important to push that going forward, so passengers feel looked after as well as safe.

Technology will also help us stay relevant around the issues of air quality and climate change. I'm excited to see how that develops.

#10. The UK government must step in – before it’s too late.

At the beginning of this year, I saw a new dawn for public transport. I could see we were going to get good, generous funding from the government. We were helping the government see how transport fits into every single department – not just its own.

Now, we have to pick all that back up. We need the government to spend as much money as they did telling people to travel, as they did telling them not to. A sort of 'Eat Out to Help Out' scheme on trains and buses. That level of commitment is imperative.

And if they don't? We'll be left with hollowed out cities. And no one wants that.

Find and fix pain points to build an employee intranet that everyone wants to use.

Let’s be real here. The word “intranet” doesn’t exactly spark joy in employees.

For many, it’s synonymous with clunky logins, endless scrolling, and outdated information. It’s the digital equivalent of a dusty bulletin board. It’s just there — not doing anything to help the employee experience.

In fact, just 13% of employees say they use their intranet daily — and 31% said they never do.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

A modern employee intranet isn’t defunct. There’s a place for it within the modern workplace tech stack. And, if we listen to what employees actually want, you can turn an unpopular intranet into an employee magnet.

Here for the work? Let’s unpack what employees hate about your intranet experience and what you can do to fix it.

Employee intranet pain points — and what you can do to address them

#1. “It’s too hard to find anything”

Your intranet is packed with employee handbooks, policies, HR forms, org charts, benefits info, and company news. But can anyone actually find what they’re looking for?

If your intranet software is the digital black hole where documents go to die, employees will soon realize that searching through files in search of the resource they need simply isn’t worth their time.

The fix: Tidy things up

Make your company intranet easy to navigate. You can do this by:

• Improving search functionality. Allow for misspellings and synonyms, ensure results are relevant, and support employees with autocomplete and filter functions.
• Grouping content logically. Think like a user — or run focus groups — asking where you would expect to find each piece of content.
• Cleaning up your navigation. Simplify dashboards and use clear, intuitive labels that make sense to everyone.

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#2. “It’s only updated once a quarter”

If your intranet is only updated once in a blue moon, it’s no wonder employees aren’t logging in. There’s nothing new to see — and no reason to trust that the internal communications and resources they do find are up-to-date.

The result? Your intranet becomes a ghost town, with fewer and fewer employees bothering to pay a visit.

The fix: Keep it fresh

When your intranet is relevant and up-to-date, employee engagement follows. Your intranet becomes a place worth visiting, which means employees are more likely to see critical messages.

Don’t wait for “big news.” Celebrate small wins. Share behind-the-scenes moments. Post real-time updates. And take a look at these intranet content ideas if you need a little inspiration.

Internal communications team already stretched too thin? Then add employee-generated content (EGC) into the mix. Allow your entire workforce to interact with intranet content — and post content of their own — and there’s always something new and exciting for your audience to engage with.

#3. “It wasn’t built for people like me”

This is a common problem for frontline employees and more remote teams. Just 10% of frontline workers say they have high access to the tools, tech, and opportunities they need to connect and advance in their workplace.

Imagine a retail assistant who spends their days in a store serving and supporting customers. Unlike the team at HQ, they only have access to a desktop computer in the breakroom at lunchtime. And they don’t have a company email address. 

It’s then difficult — if not impossible — for them to access vital workplace documents and updates via the intranet. They feel disconnected from the company and frontline employee engagement suffers.

The fix: Go mobile

To create an intranet that your frontline employees will love, you need to think mobile-first:

• Make company resources and employee communication channels available on smartphone
• Use frontline-friendly login methods that don’t require a corporate email address
• Design for mobile devices — don’t just squeeze the desktop experience onto a smaller screen

Make your employee intranet accessible to frontline workers and you ditch the two-tier experience, where office staff feel connected to company culture and each other — and where frontline workers are left behind. You create an enjoyable intranet experience that works for everyone.

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#4.“It’s all corporate fluff”

Does your content feel like it’s gone through five rounds of legal, then taken a trip via the buzzword bus stop before finally landing on the employee intranet? Then your audience is likely to scroll right past it.

Formal, corporate language is unengaging. It’s also difficult to read. Long words, long sentences, long paragraphs. They don’t reflect the way people speak to one another in the real world. And they get in the way of meaningful employee communication and connection.

Likewise, if you only use your intranet to talk about high-level corporate happenings, employees will struggle to relate. If they can’t see themselves in the story, they’ll tune out.

The fix: Make it human

Yes, company news matters. But it doesn’t need to sound robotic and overly formal.

Write like a human. Use plain language, short sentences, and a conversational tone — just like you would talking to someone face-to-face.

And don’t forget to share stuff that your people really care about. Use your employee intranet to celebrate employee stories and customer stories. Put people at the center of each piece of content.

One final tip for ditching the corporate speak? Play around with content formats. Swap dry text-based documents for dynamic images, videos, polls, GIFs, and infographics. You’ll make the intranet feel less like a bulletin board and more like a digital community.

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#5. “It’s ugly and feels like 2009”

Still working with your parent’s intranet? Today’s employees get super-slick experiences on the tech tools they use at home. So they have increasingly high expectations for the tech they use at work.

They want minimal friction. Intuitive dashboards. Easy navigation. And then there’s personalization.

A one-size-fits-all approach to the intranet is outdated. Because most of today’s software experiences are tailored to the preferences and behaviors of each individual user.

Up against consumer-grade digital tools, a traditional intranet feels like a lumbering dinosaur. It’s hard to use and fails to delight employees.

The fix: Upgrade intranet UX

A modern intranet should look and feel like the tools employees already love using. We’re talking:

• Clean, mobile-responsive design, available via desktop and smartphone app
• Intuitive navigation and integrations, so everything employees need is just a couple of clicks away
• Personalized dashboards, based on role, location, team, and tenure
• Social features, like chats, forums, emojis, and news feeds — and lots of engaging visuals

Modern intranet features like these are no longer nice-to-haves. They’re essential if you want to meet employee expectations and keep them coming back to your social intranet for more.

#6. “No one ever showed me how to use it”

For some employees, it’s not resistance. It’s simply a lack of intranet know-how.

They don’t know how to log into the intranet or download it to their device. They’re unaware of how the intranet can support their work and don’t know how to use specific features.

Without clear training or support, they never give your intranet a try — and never discover all the amazing things it can do for them.

The fix: Support employees to get started

A good intranet should feel intuitive from the get-go. There’s a minimal learning curve and better employee adoption because the platform has a familiar and user-friendly interface.

But, beyond choosing the right intranet platform, there are a few other things you can do to support employees to use it:

• Create intranet ambassadors. Offer intranet training to a select band of employees who can share their knowledge with teammates.
• Offer how-to tips within the intranet. Add pop-ups and quick tips on relevant pages so employees get support when and where they need it.
• Bake it into onboarding. As new hires start work at your company, make an intranet walk-through an integral part of the employee onboarding process.

#7. “It doesn’t help me do my job”

Too many corporate intranets are built around what the organization wants to share — not what employees actually need. So what happens?

People work around it. They ping their manager for shift information, share documents by email, and complete HR forms by hand. They don’t see the value in your employee intranet so they don’t choose to hang out there.

The fix: Build it around employee needs

Start by asking employees what they want the intranet to do. Ask which tools they’d find useful. Then shape the user experience around that.

Some essential features that tend to be popular?

• Integrations. Link your intranet to the other workplace software you use, so employees can access the tools they need from their intranet dashboard.
• HR self-service. Support employees to request PTO, swap shifts, leave feedback, access benefits, and submit expenses — right within your intranet platform.
• Employee directory. Make it easy for employees to find and connect with colleagues across locations, teams, and shifts — even without a corporate email.
• Interactivity. Turn your intranet into a digital water cooler by providing channels for peer-to-peer connection, team collaboration, and the sharing of company culture.

From ignored to adored — your intranet makeover starts here

Let’s recap.

Most employees don’t hate the idea of the employee intranet — they just hate the version they’ve been stuck with. Outdated, clunky, hard to use, irrelevant…

But that doesn’t mean you have to scrap it and start over.

You can build a better digital employee experience by listening to your people, modernizing the experience, and meeting them where they are. On mobile — with real stories, useful tools, and relevant content that actually reflects their day-to-day work.

Build a modern intranet and your platform can become a digital home for internal communications, community, and culture — and an app that employees across your entire company enjoy opening every day.

Blink. And build an employee intranet that works for everyone.

A good, modern intranet is a water cooler, town hall meeting, and workplace manual rolled into one. It’s a place where employees can find everything they need to thrive in their roles. 

But the very best intranets go beyond first-class internal communications. They also drive employee engagement, connecting workers to their roles and the wider organization. 

The content you put on your intranet has a big part to play in making this happen. Incorporate the intranet content that staff love and engagement across the board becomes much easier.

Here, we list the content that belongs on an effective and engaging employee intranet.

The link between intranet content and employee engagement

Employee engagement is the degree to which employees feel invested in their work and their workplace. Engaged employees are happier, more productive, and less likely to leave your organization.

Engagement relies on good internal communication. And, in today’s digital age, good internal communication relies on a modern intranet.

The modern intranet is a central hub for workplace communication, collaboration, and connection. It supports an organization to:  

• Connect and align teams even when they’re apart
• Provide clear, reliable information
• Offer opportunity for two-way communication
• Streamline employee communications by putting everything in one place

This type of communication tool is lightyears from that neglected company noticeboard. Or an email inbox flooded with memos. 

But the software alone isn’t enough. You can only make a success of your intranet and your employee engagement efforts if you incorporate the right content.

Intranet content needs to be reliable and relevant. It should help to foster a sense of belonging and community. And it should spark employee interest.  

Get it right and you’ll engage employees with your internal communications and your intranet platform. This engagement then spreads further, positively impacting how teams feel about their jobs and your company.

11 engagement-boosting content ideas for your company intranet

Let’s take a closer look at the intranet content types that stand to improve internal communications and boost employee engagement. The most engaging intranet content ideas include:

• Surveys and polls
• Employee recognition
• Company policies
• Company news and updates
• Company strategy and goals
• Employee-generated content
• New hire welcome info
• Training and development resources
• HR resources
• Employee wellness initiatives
• Company values

Intranet content idea #1: Surveys and polls

When we’re actively involved in a conversation, we’re more engaged. So every effective intranet features content that employees can respond to.

Surveys and polls are an obvious choice. They’re interactive. Easy for employees to use. And really useful for leaders looking to improve the employee experience.

It’s definitely worth moving beyond the standard, annual employee survey. Regular polls and pulse surveys keep employees involved in the conversation all year round.

They also give you real-time insight into employee engagement and — if you ask the right questions — intranet content preferences.

Polling your employees makes them feel heard and valued. But your content will be less effective and engaging if you fail to follow up.

This presents another great intranet idea. On the back of a single poll, you can share feedback findings, your plan of action, and any results. All useful, engaging comms, sure to spark employee interest.

Intranet content idea #2: Employee recognition

We know that employees feel more engaged at work when they get recognition from their leaders, managers, and peers. According to recognition research:  

• 65% of employees said they would work harder if they felt management noticed their contributions
• Engagement, productivity, and performance are 14% higher in organizations with an effective employee recognition program 
• Workers in organizations that make appreciation a priority are 56% less likely to look for a new job

Praise is clearly valuable. It can make a big difference to employee morale and their sense of belonging. So another great intranet idea to add to your list is employee recognition.

You can use your intranet to showcase the successes and contributions of employees and teams. You can also celebrate milestones, like work anniversaries and employee birthdays.

Shout out the behaviors you want to see more of. And if a customer name checks an employee in a glowing review, share it on the company intranet so everyone gets to see it. 

Content tip: For an extra engagement boost, link recognition content to company values. Turn values into hashtags. Then use these hashtags in recognition posts to highlight the core company ethics employees have demonstrated.  

Intranet content idea #3: Company policies

In a modern workplace, company policies really shouldn’t live in a paper manual. Nor should they sit on a shared file only accessible to those with an office-based desktop computer.

Instead, make it easy for employees to access company policy documents by putting them on your intranet.

Now, we know employees are unlikely to be clamoring to read policy docs. But by placing them on your intranet, you make this content more engaging and effective. That’s because:

• There are fewer barriers between employees and the information they seek
• Content is searchable and findable
• Employees can trust that the information they’re getting is well-maintained and up-to-date
• You can turn written policy docs into engaging videos or interactive tutorials

Whether it’s safety protocols, a code of conduct, or brand guidelines, employees have all the resources they need at their fingertips.

With this essential info to hand, employees can feel more confident in their roles. And your organization enjoys better compliance with company policy.  

Intranet content idea #4: Company news and updates

Employees who are kept in the loop are better at their jobs. They also feel more connected to their company and co-workers.

But company updates tend to be pretty dry. So how do you deliver company news and updates that employees actually want to read?

Get leaders involved. Content from leadership tends to get a lot of traffic. So encourage your senior team to post a weekly or monthly update on the company intranet.

Use multimedia content. Present company news in a visually engaging way by using images, videos, and infographics. 

Incorporate a human angle. The employee intranet is a great place to post photos from the latest team-building event. Or a signup form for your next corporate volunteer day. Or a customer story that highlights the direct impact your employees are making.

Target your content. A well-designed intranet lets you segment your audience and filter content. This keeps your news and updates relevant to each team or department. 

Content tip: Ensure employees engage with time-sensitive updates by picking an intranet solution that allows you to send notifications, pin essential content, and request an acknowledgment receipt from employees.

Intranet content idea #5: Company strategy and goals

Company strategy and goals shouldn’t be kept behind boardroom doors.

There are lots of benefits to sharing this information with employees. When you involve employees in your strategy and goals, you help to align your organization. You also make work more engaging for employees. That’s because they:

• Understand how their work fits into the bigger picture
• Feel more involved, empowered, and motivated
• Make better decisions and solve problems more effectively

So devote some content on your company intranet to strategy and goals.

Clearly communicate your company mission. Consider giving employees updates on competitor intelligence. And help employees visualize progress toward goals with the help of eye-catching charts.

Intranet content idea #6: Employee-generated content

As we mentioned earlier, it’s easy to switch off from a one-way conversation. So the most engaging employee intranet content goes two ways.

Polls and surveys are a useful way to involve employees in your internal communication. But you can go further by giving employees the option to create their own intranet content.

They can write blogs and upload videos to the team thread. They can share employee resource group (ERG) content. And — if your corporate intranet has a newsfeed feature — you can allow them to post, comment, and like.

Intranet content idea #7: New hire welcome info

Create a dedicated intranet section for new hires and you kick-start employee engagement from a worker’s very first day.

You can provide content like your organizational structure, policy docs, checklists, and FAQ pages. You can also use your intranet to introduce new hires to the company and support them to start building connections with co-workers.  

This approach means new hires get a great introduction to your organization. They also know exactly where to look for essential info during those first weeks and months.  

Content tip: You want new hires to engage with your intranet from the very start of their onboarding journey. So offer guidance on how to use it — and how they can contribute to intranet content, too — as part of your onboarding materials.

Intranet content idea #8: Training and development resources

An employee’s learning journey goes way beyond onboarding. And we know that learning and development (L&D) contributes to employee engagement. 

According to LinkedIn’s 2024 Workplace Learning Report: 

• 7 in 10 employees say learning improves their sense of connection to an organization
• 8 in 10 employees says learning adds purpose to their work

You can use your company intranet to highlight training opportunities. Things like workshops, webinars, conferences, and courses.

Also, integrate your intranet with any L&D software you use. That way, it’s just a quick click and a hop from your intranet homepage to the learning materials your employees want to access.

Intranet content idea #9: HR resources

Traditionally, employees had to contact the HR team for an update on their vacation allowance. Or to access their pay stubs. Or to perform any other number of HR-related tasks. 

This was time-consuming — for both employees and the people team. And it added unnecessary friction to the employee experience. 

Now, you can put this essential content on your intranet. 

Employees can self-serve. They can book time off. They can view their shifts. They can also view and access the employee benefits your company offers.

What’s more, employees can access all HR software from one central hub. That means one sign on, one password. And fewer support requests from employees who’ve forgotten the platform or password they need to use.

Intranet content idea #10: Employee wellness initiatives

In a Gallup survey, 63% of workers said that having a better work-life balance and personal wellbeing is important when considering which company to work for.

And in organizations that focus on employee wellbeing, employees are:

• 3x more likely to be engaged at work
• 69% less likely to actively search for a new job
• 71% less likely to experience burnout
• 5x more likely to agree strongly that they trust the leadership of their organization

To promote wellbeing and work-life balance you need to embed this ethos in your company culture and company policies. Then, highlight this ethos using your intranet content. 

Create posts that highlight wellness challenges, wellbeing tips, and mental health resources. And act as cheerleader for employees as they work toward health and wellness goals.

Content tip: Create a dedicated wellness hub on your intranet. Here, you can give employees access to all your wellness resources. Things like your gym membership benefit, phone numbers for confidential helplines, and your company’s timetable of wellness events.  

Intranet content idea #11: Company values

Only 23% of employees strongly agree that they can apply their organization’s values to their work. And only 27% strongly believe in their company’s values.

But strong values help employees build an emotional connection to your organization and find greater purpose in their work. Connection and purpose sit at the foundation of employee engagement.

That’s why using your intranet content to clarify and repeat your company values is a wise idea.

Depending on your particular set of values, you could highlight your work to support the planet or local communities. Or showcase your commitment to building a positive, inclusive workplace.  

You could also get ERGs to contribute content on topics like diversity, equity, and inclusion.

In doing so, you’ll weave your values into everyday intranet interactions, making your intranet content and your organization more engaging for employees.

A few last intranet content tips

We’ve covered the 11 different types of intranet content that help to engage employees. Now, a few points that apply to all the content ideas included above.

Keep it relevant

If your intranet solution allows it, segment your audience according to their role, department, or stage in the employee life cycle. Then target your content. That way, employees are less likely to experience information overload and less likely to switch off from your comms.  

Involve employees

Many of the intranet content ideas above rely on two-way communication. This ethos is central to employee engagement. So encourage interaction and content contribution as much as possible.

Make it easy to access

Even the most engaging intranet content will fall flat if employees can’t navigate your software. So pick an intranet solution that is easy and intuitive to use. Make employee communications hard to miss, not hard to find.

Go mobile

To make a success of intranet content and employee engagement, your intranet needs to reach every member of the workforce. For frontline organizations — and those with a dispersed workforce — that means taking your intranet mobile. A modern intranet, like Blink, works as well on a smartphone as on a desktop. 

In summary

The company intranet is an invaluable tool for engaging employees and building a positive workplace culture.

The best intranet content is useful and relevant. It offers opportunities for employee interaction. And it delivers internal communications in a streamlined, user-friendly way.

Stick this kind of content on your company intranet and you’ll create a hub that fosters engagement across the whole of your organization.

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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.

JD Now, powered by Blink, will connect and engage circa 90,000 global workers across JD Group

JD, a leading global omnichannel retailer of sports fashion brands, has partnered with employee experience platform to unveil “JD Now,” a revolutionary employee super-app designed to transform communication and operational efficiency for its entire workforce. The platform is rolling out to circa 90,000 employees across JD Group’s global brands, including JD Sports, Go Outdoors, and Finish Line, marking a significant step forward in the company’s commitment to digital innovation and employee experience.

In the first 10 days following the pilot launch of JD Now, JD saw an incredible 74% adoption rate across the 20,000 initial users, as well as tens of thousands of direct and group messages — showcasing a near-immediate improvement to connection and communication.

Bridging the digital divide

The global retailer launched the platform after identifying opportunities to improve its internal communications and employee engagement. With a rapidly growing workforce, the company recognized that traditional communication methods — including shop-floor huddles, paper magazines, and physical notice boards — were no longer sufficient to maintain the level of connection and operational efficiency required for a business of its scale.

In response to feedback from employees who wanted a higher level of connection across the business, JD Group sought out a cutting-edge solution to unify and streamline its communication channels. Blink was selected for its expertise in frontline employee engagement and its ability to provide a mobile-first, user-friendly platform that could meet the diverse needs of JD’s expansive workforce.

“At JD, we know our people are our greatest asset and we are committed to investing in the tools to ensure they excel,” said Nicola Kowalczuk, chief people officer at JD Group. “The launch of JD Now in partnership with Blink marks an important step forward in enhancing our employees’ work experience and leading the way in retail digital transformation. This platform is not just about communication — it’s about equipping our teams with the resources they need to thrive in a fast-paced retail environment.”

JD Now: Key features and benefits

• Unified communication platform: JD Now is an easily accessible platform, simplifying communication and reducing reliance on traditional, inefficient methods.‍
• Enhanced employee engagement: By fostering better interaction between employees and leadership, JD Now is designed to boost morale and reduce attrition, creating a collaborative and engaging team environment.‍
• Employee-generated content: The platform makes it easy for employees to contribute ideas and feedback, encouraging them to be active participants in the brand’s evolution.‍
• Advanced digital transformation: JD Now reflects JD’s dedication to modernizing retail operations and providing employees with the tools needed to excel in a digital age.

Blink, known for its mission to connect frontline teams with the tools they need to thrive, is empowering hundreds of thousands of frontline workers globally with an engaging employee super-app that facilitates an average of seven interactions per day per user and helps to reduce attrition rates by up to 25%. 

“Collaborating with JD Group to launch JD Now is a major milestone for Blink,” said Sean Nolan, CEO and co-founder of Blink. “Our mission has always been to bridge the gap between leaders and frontline workers, and JD Now is a testament to our shared vision of transforming employee experience and communication in the retail sector.”