Not your parents’ intranet: 7 ways to update your outdated intranet
Say goodbye to clunky, outdated intranets. Learn how a modern employee experience platform can transform your workplace into a hub of productivity and engagement.
Jess DeVore
Published:
November 19, 2024
Last updated:
January 9, 2025
What we'll cover
Why do traditional intranets feel so outdated?
At least, that’s how it feels sometimes.
The intranet we think of when we hear the word “intranet” has a bad reputation. For too long, intranets have been static, disorganized, and irrelevant. Clunky design, poor navigation, and buried links have long frustrated employees, turning these platforms into digital wastelands that are more of a hindrance than a help.
But modern intranets are changing the game. Today’s employee experience platforms are dynamic, user-friendly hubs that streamline internal comms, fuel collaboration, and boost engagement. They stand out in three key ways:
Mobile first: Always accessible from a smartphone, no matter where or how your employees work (with an equally great desktop experience)
Insta-grade: As seamlessly intuitive and visually engaging as the social apps (like Instagramnand TikTok) that we use every day in our personal lives
Real-time insights: Built-in analytics, like engagement and sentiment, that empower leaders to optimize employee adoption and productivity
Ready to leave outdated intranets behind? Let’s explore seven steps to designing an intranet experience your employees will love.
How do you modernize your employee intranet?
Follow these seven steps to upgrade your company intranet as quickly and smoothly as possible.
Step 1: Take stock of what’s working (and what’s not)
The first step to improving your employee intranet is auditing the system you’re currently working with. Identify elements that you’d like to keep, as well as those that make sense to get rid of.
Intranet areas to audit include:
Content quality: Assess your intranet content based on its quality, usefulness, and the level of engagement it receives from employees. This helps you determine which content should be kept or deleted. It may also give insight into the content formats you want to prioritize on your refreshed platform.
Usability: To assess the usability of your employee intranet, you can create and trial a series of scenarios. Base these scenarios around tasks your employees typically try to complete on the intranet — like creating a user account on a business tool, enrolling in annual benefits, or referring someone for a job opening. You can also look at help desk requests and search logs to find out what employees are struggling with.
Mobile access: Don’t forget to audit your intranet across all devices. Ask yourself how user-friendly the mobile version of your intranet is. Assess how easy it is to log in via mobile and whether you can access the same features and functionality across both mobile and desktop.
{{mobile-main="/image"}}
Step 2: Find out what your team really needs
An audit gives insight into how your current intranet is working. Next, it’s time to dig deeper.
Seek feedback from employees across the whole of your organization. Include employees from different departments and levels of the company for a holistic view — and be sure to include frontline workers, who are often left behind when it comes to workplace tech.
Using employee surveys and focus groups, ask employees which elements of the current intranet they find useful. Find out where they experience friction. Also, get their opinion on the new intranet features and functionalities they’d like to see.
With a clear idea of user needs, you can build a comprehensive picture of what your modern employee intranet should look like. You can also establish the goals you want your intranet to achieve.
For example, you may want a news feed function to improve internal communication. Or a recognition feature to boost employee engagement. Maybe you want to find new ways to involve your frontline employees in company comms. Or need easy integration with the workplace software you already use.
{{future-of-internal-comms-2025="/callouts"}}
Whatever your platform needs and goals, get them down on paper before attempting the following step.
{{mobile-survey="/image"}}
Step 3: Choose mobile-first technology that works for everyone
Look at your list of intranet must-haves. It may be that your current platform can be updated or adapted to meet those needs.
Bear in mind that — at a minimum — a modern intranet platform is mobile-friendly and scalable. It integrates with existing systems, providing a seamless digital employee experience. To meet all of these needs, it also tends to be a cloud-based system, with collaboration tools and advanced search functionality.
A modern employee intranet should also provide all the tools you need for effective employee communications. It supports employee engagement and the digital employee experience — and it will make the work of your communications and HR teams much easier.
If your current platform isn’t measuring up, it’s time to look for alternative intranet software. Start by browsing the top intranet software providers. Look at software reviews. Create an intranet shortlist and sign up for platform demonstrations.
Step 4: Put the user experience (UX) front and center
Having chosen the intranet technology best suited to your organization, it’s time to ensure it provides the best possible user experience.
Good intranet UX is critical for employee adoption, engagement, and productivity. Best practices in UX design include:
Easy-to-find content: Users should be able to complete common tasks and find resources in just a few clicks. To aid this process, categorize and present resources logically and with clear, descriptive labels.
A user-friendly search bar: The intranet search bar should be instantly visible — and when an employee uses the search bar, it should lead to relevant resources.
Customization options: Employees are more likely to engage with your intranet if it feels relevant to them and their roles. So put employees into segmented groups to ensure they get a tailored intranet experience.
Finally, keep in mind that your intranet should be visually appealing and intuitive to use, no matter which device an employee accesses it from.
Step 5: Create an Instagram-grade experience for every employee
Personalized experiences make your intranet more engaging for employees. So when updating your intranet, aim to give users control over their dashboard layout. Use role-based permissions to prevent employees from becoming overwhelmed by content they don’t need.
Also, segment employees based on their role, team, tenure, and where they work. That way, they only receive relevant employee communications. On Blink, platform admins can even create customized employee journeys so the right content is automatically served to employees at the right time.
We also provide a personalized company news feed. Using the “jump back in” feature, employees can head straight for content that is likely to be of interest, based on the content they engage with most.
{{mobile-stories="/image"}}
Step 6: Roll it out gradually — and with ample training
Even with the best UX, employees will need a little time to get used to a new intranet platform. So to ensure a successful launch — and high levels of adoption and usage — it serves to take this step slowly.
You might want to launch a pilot program, where you make your new intranet available to a select group of employees. These workers can test your platform and provide feedback.
Based on this feedback, you can identify and rectify issues before rolling out the platform to the rest of your workforce. Pilot-phase employees can also act as intranet ambassadors, encouraging their coworkers to give the platform a try.
Another approach is the phased rollout. You start by launching a pared-down version of the employee intranet platform. Employees learn how to use fundamental features first. You can then follow up by releasing new features — providing additional training as you go.
This prevents your IT team from being swamped with support and training requests. It also ensures a positive intranet experience from day one, which improves your chances of high user adoption and employee engagement.
Step 7: Keep improving with real-time insights
To ensure your modernized employee intranet is meeting the goals you’ve set, you need to measure its performance. Identify key performance indicators, including:
Adoption rates
Engagement levels
Number of active users
Message response rates
Also, collect user feedback. Find out what employees think of the new platform. Ask them if there are any points of friction and what improvements they’d like to see.
You can then use your data to make ongoing and targeted improvements. That may mean refining the platform, reorganizing content, providing additional training, or better marketing the benefits of your modernized intranet solution.
Modernize your intranet for today — and prepare for tomorrow
A modern employee intranet has the potential to transform your organization.
As the digital landscape evolves, so will the needs of your employees, and with the right platform, your intranet can adapt to meet those changes seamlessly. But having the right partner is just as crucial. A true partner will work alongside you — from planning and launch to long-term growth — ensuring your intranet not only fits your organization’s needs today but evolves with it for the future.
With the right platform, your intranet can be more than just a repository — it can become a powerful tool for engagement, productivity, and connection.
Future-proof your organization by creating an intranet that connects, empowers and inspires your entire workforce now and for the years ahead.
A modern intranet is a mobile-first, app-style platform that reaches every employee (including frontline staff), surfaces personalized content, and feels as easy to use as a consumer social app — a step beyond the static desktop portals of the past.
Why are traditional intranets outdated?
Legacy intranets are desktop-bound, hard to navigate, rarely updated, and invisible to deskless workers. Engagement drops because the experience doesn’t match how people communicate today.
How do you modernize an outdated intranet?
Audit what’s working, learn what employees actually need, choose mobile-first technology, prioritize UX, roll out gradually with training, and keep improving using real-time usage insights.
How long does it take to modernize an intranet?
With a mobile-first platform and a phased rollout, most organizations see meaningful adoption within weeks rather than the multi-month projects legacy intranet replacements used to require.
Why do traditional intranets feel so outdated?
At least, that’s how it feels sometimes.
The intranet we think of when we hear the word “intranet” has a bad reputation. For too long, intranets have been static, disorganized, and irrelevant. Clunky design, poor navigation, and buried links have long frustrated employees, turning these platforms into digital wastelands that are more of a hindrance than a help.
But modern intranets are changing the game. Today’s employee experience platforms are dynamic, user-friendly hubs that streamline internal comms, fuel collaboration, and boost engagement. They stand out in three key ways:
Mobile first: Always accessible from a smartphone, no matter where or how your employees work (with an equally great desktop experience)
Insta-grade: As seamlessly intuitive and visually engaging as the social apps (like Instagramnand TikTok) that we use every day in our personal lives
Real-time insights: Built-in analytics, like engagement and sentiment, that empower leaders to optimize employee adoption and productivity
Ready to leave outdated intranets behind? Let’s explore seven steps to designing an intranet experience your employees will love.
How do you modernize your employee intranet?
Follow these seven steps to upgrade your company intranet as quickly and smoothly as possible.
Step 1: Take stock of what’s working (and what’s not)
The first step to improving your employee intranet is auditing the system you’re currently working with. Identify elements that you’d like to keep, as well as those that make sense to get rid of.
Intranet areas to audit include:
Content quality: Assess your intranet content based on its quality, usefulness, and the level of engagement it receives from employees. This helps you determine which content should be kept or deleted. It may also give insight into the content formats you want to prioritize on your refreshed platform.
Usability: To assess the usability of your employee intranet, you can create and trial a series of scenarios. Base these scenarios around tasks your employees typically try to complete on the intranet — like creating a user account on a business tool, enrolling in annual benefits, or referring someone for a job opening. You can also look at help desk requests and search logs to find out what employees are struggling with.
Mobile access: Don’t forget to audit your intranet across all devices. Ask yourself how user-friendly the mobile version of your intranet is. Assess how easy it is to log in via mobile and whether you can access the same features and functionality across both mobile and desktop.
{{mobile-main="/image"}}
Step 2: Find out what your team really needs
An audit gives insight into how your current intranet is working. Next, it’s time to dig deeper.
Seek feedback from employees across the whole of your organization. Include employees from different departments and levels of the company for a holistic view — and be sure to include frontline workers, who are often left behind when it comes to workplace tech.
Using employee surveys and focus groups, ask employees which elements of the current intranet they find useful. Find out where they experience friction. Also, get their opinion on the new intranet features and functionalities they’d like to see.
With a clear idea of user needs, you can build a comprehensive picture of what your modern employee intranet should look like. You can also establish the goals you want your intranet to achieve.
For example, you may want a news feed function to improve internal communication. Or a recognition feature to boost employee engagement. Maybe you want to find new ways to involve your frontline employees in company comms. Or need easy integration with the workplace software you already use.
{{future-of-internal-comms-2025="/callouts"}}
Whatever your platform needs and goals, get them down on paper before attempting the following step.
{{mobile-survey="/image"}}
Step 3: Choose mobile-first technology that works for everyone
Look at your list of intranet must-haves. It may be that your current platform can be updated or adapted to meet those needs.
Bear in mind that — at a minimum — a modern intranet platform is mobile-friendly and scalable. It integrates with existing systems, providing a seamless digital employee experience. To meet all of these needs, it also tends to be a cloud-based system, with collaboration tools and advanced search functionality.
A modern employee intranet should also provide all the tools you need for effective employee communications. It supports employee engagement and the digital employee experience — and it will make the work of your communications and HR teams much easier.
If your current platform isn’t measuring up, it’s time to look for alternative intranet software. Start by browsing the top intranet software providers. Look at software reviews. Create an intranet shortlist and sign up for platform demonstrations.
Step 4: Put the user experience (UX) front and center
Having chosen the intranet technology best suited to your organization, it’s time to ensure it provides the best possible user experience.
Good intranet UX is critical for employee adoption, engagement, and productivity. Best practices in UX design include:
Easy-to-find content: Users should be able to complete common tasks and find resources in just a few clicks. To aid this process, categorize and present resources logically and with clear, descriptive labels.
A user-friendly search bar: The intranet search bar should be instantly visible — and when an employee uses the search bar, it should lead to relevant resources.
Customization options: Employees are more likely to engage with your intranet if it feels relevant to them and their roles. So put employees into segmented groups to ensure they get a tailored intranet experience.
Finally, keep in mind that your intranet should be visually appealing and intuitive to use, no matter which device an employee accesses it from.
Step 5: Create an Instagram-grade experience for every employee
Personalized experiences make your intranet more engaging for employees. So when updating your intranet, aim to give users control over their dashboard layout. Use role-based permissions to prevent employees from becoming overwhelmed by content they don’t need.
Also, segment employees based on their role, team, tenure, and where they work. That way, they only receive relevant employee communications. On Blink, platform admins can even create customized employee journeys so the right content is automatically served to employees at the right time.
We also provide a personalized company news feed. Using the “jump back in” feature, employees can head straight for content that is likely to be of interest, based on the content they engage with most.
{{mobile-stories="/image"}}
Step 6: Roll it out gradually — and with ample training
Even with the best UX, employees will need a little time to get used to a new intranet platform. So to ensure a successful launch — and high levels of adoption and usage — it serves to take this step slowly.
You might want to launch a pilot program, where you make your new intranet available to a select group of employees. These workers can test your platform and provide feedback.
Based on this feedback, you can identify and rectify issues before rolling out the platform to the rest of your workforce. Pilot-phase employees can also act as intranet ambassadors, encouraging their coworkers to give the platform a try.
Another approach is the phased rollout. You start by launching a pared-down version of the employee intranet platform. Employees learn how to use fundamental features first. You can then follow up by releasing new features — providing additional training as you go.
This prevents your IT team from being swamped with support and training requests. It also ensures a positive intranet experience from day one, which improves your chances of high user adoption and employee engagement.
Step 7: Keep improving with real-time insights
To ensure your modernized employee intranet is meeting the goals you’ve set, you need to measure its performance. Identify key performance indicators, including:
Adoption rates
Engagement levels
Number of active users
Message response rates
Also, collect user feedback. Find out what employees think of the new platform. Ask them if there are any points of friction and what improvements they’d like to see.
You can then use your data to make ongoing and targeted improvements. That may mean refining the platform, reorganizing content, providing additional training, or better marketing the benefits of your modernized intranet solution.
Modernize your intranet for today — and prepare for tomorrow
A modern employee intranet has the potential to transform your organization.
As the digital landscape evolves, so will the needs of your employees, and with the right platform, your intranet can adapt to meet those changes seamlessly. But having the right partner is just as crucial. A true partner will work alongside you — from planning and launch to long-term growth — ensuring your intranet not only fits your organization’s needs today but evolves with it for the future.
With the right platform, your intranet can be more than just a repository — it can become a powerful tool for engagement, productivity, and connection.
Future-proof your organization by creating an intranet that connects, empowers and inspires your entire workforce now and for the years ahead.
A modern intranet is a mobile-first, app-style platform that reaches every employee (including frontline staff), surfaces personalized content, and feels as easy to use as a consumer social app — a step beyond the static desktop portals of the past.
Why are traditional intranets outdated?
Legacy intranets are desktop-bound, hard to navigate, rarely updated, and invisible to deskless workers. Engagement drops because the experience doesn’t match how people communicate today.
How do you modernize an outdated intranet?
Audit what’s working, learn what employees actually need, choose mobile-first technology, prioritize UX, roll out gradually with training, and keep improving using real-time usage insights.
How long does it take to modernize an intranet?
With a mobile-first platform and a phased rollout, most organizations see meaningful adoption within weeks rather than the multi-month projects legacy intranet replacements used to require.
What we'll cover
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Once upon a time, a company intranet that worked off a server in your office was enough to keep internal communication on track. But today, company needs have changed. And so have employee expectations.
We’ve entered the era of the digital workplace. Employees use a variety of different devices. Teams work remotely, across multiple locations. And beyond the world of work, everyone is now accustomed to intuitive, convenient, and personalized digital experiences.
Digital change has come quickly. And workplace software — like the intranet — hasn’t always kept pace. Traditional intranets feel old and clunky today. They’re affecting employee experience (EX) - and they could be doing more harm than good.
Thankfully, a new breed of intranet is now emerging. It’s fresher and more relevant to today’s workforce. It’s also built with digital workplace challenges front of mind.
A modern intranet holds the key to two-way communication and collaboration, better employee engagement, and an enhanced digital employee experience (DEX). And it could be a game changer for your organization.
Here, we’re going to take a look at the changing face of the company intranet and examine the features and benefits of a new and improved modern intranet.
Contents
Intranets: then and now
Why you need a modern intranet
Features of a modern intranet
How modern intranets impact the digital employee experience
Choosing the right modern intranet
Conclusion
Intranets: then and now
The company intranet has come a long way since it was first introduced back in the 1990s. Adapting to advances in technology and changing workplace trends, it’s taken on a variety of different forms over the years.
When talking about the modern intranet, it’s useful to compare the most cutting-edge intranet software to what has come before. So let’s step back in time and revisit each stage of intranet evolution.
Early intranets
Closed private networks were the first intranets to hit the office. They used local servers to host static web pages, meaning only computers based within the same geographical location could access them.
These early intranets provided limited interactivity and functionality. They were a place to share company directories, policies, and other documents. But because the setup and maintenance of early intranets required a lot of technical expertise, information was often outdated and badly organized.
Web-based intranets
As the internet went mainstream, web-based intranets made their way onto the market. These intranets were accessible via standard web browsers and had basic search functions, which helped users find what they were looking for. But these new intranets still had their drawbacks.
Internal communication remained one-way, with information traveling from the top of an organization down. Content was often poorly maintained because updates were complex. And there was very little opportunity for companies to provide personalized employee experiences.
{{callout}}
Social intranets
Social intranets were the first intranets to go mobile. Remote servers meant geography mattered less — and everyone within an organization, regardless of their location, could access the same information.
Inspired by social media platforms, social intranets prioritized communication, with features like user profiles and user-generated content. They were also designed to support team collaboration and productivity, with personnel services and project management tools built in.
Modern intranets
Modern intranets take the social intranet concept to the next level. They are a mobile-first solution with a focus on user experience (UX), designed to meet the expectations of today’s digital workforce.
Content creation is democratized in modern intranets. All members of an organization can access information and tools easily. And team leaders get the analytics and data-driven insights they need to improve employee engagement.
Interested in seeing a modern intranet in action? Preview Blink today with a short 2-minute video.
Why your frontline organization needs a modern intranet
So why should your frontline organization ditch its traditional intranet and adopt a modern software solution instead? There are several very good reasons.
Older intranet software can cause friction and frustration. Perhaps your intranet has become a dumping ground for outdated information. Or it simply fails to provide the intuitive, user-friendly, productivity-boosting features we’ve all come to expect.
We know that traditional intranets fail to live up to employee expectations. 67% of workers say that digital experiences in their personal lives are better than the digital experiences they get at work.
Many traditional intranets are built around the needs of desk-based teams, so they do your frontline workers a disservice. Frontline workers miss out on the communication and resources available to their desk-based peers.
A modern intranet, in contrast, helps you meet all of the following challenges head-on.
1. Employee engagement
According to Gallup’s State of the Workplace Report for 2023, just 23% of employees are engaged at work. But organizations should try to do better. That’s because high levels of employee engagement lead to happier employees, improved productivity, and lower rates of attrition.
Employee engagement is always a challenge. But engaging employees in a frontline organization can be particularly tricky. When your workers are deskless, how do you give them the connection, coaching, and support they need to thrive within your organization?
A modern intranet gives you all of the tools you need to engage your employees, regardless of where they work. You can count on a social feed, a content hub, employee recognition tools, surveys, and more.
With analytics too, you can see what is engaging your employees — and what isn’t — so you can improve your efforts going forward.
2. Communication
Open communication within a workplace is vital. It helps you inform, motivate, and engage your employees, while fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment. It involves top-down, bottom-up, and peer-to-peer communication, so everyone has a voice.
For frontline teams, maintaining open channels of communication within teams who don’t work face-to-face requires tailored solutions.
A modern intranet helps you build internal communication links between every member of your workforce — whether they’re based in the office, on the shop floor, or out in the field.
You don’t need to rely on emails or a company noticeboard. Instead, all types of internal communication are supported via your intranet app.
With better communication, you bring your teams together and you may find it easier to grow your company too. A Forbes study found that companies who involve 75% of their frontline in internal comms, achieved more than 20% growth over a year.
3. Digital access
Older intranet software is built around an outdated version of the workplace. It doesn’t prioritize the mobile experience and instead works best for employees who sit at a desk on a computer for the majority of each working day.
Newer intranets understand that the world of work has changed. Digital tools are a workplace essential. And frontline, hybrid, and remote teams should have equal access to the information and interaction that these tools provide.
That’s why the best modern intranets have a mobile-first design. Employees can access them as easily on a small smartphone screen as on a desktop computer. All workers across an organization are engaged and empowered, so no one misses out.
4. Collaboration
Traditional intranets are known for being slow and difficult to use, with low rates of user adoption. In fact, 57% of employees say they see no purpose in their company intranet.
This impacts collaboration. When employees avoid your intranet — because it isn’t intuitive to use or data is hard to find — knowledge sharing suffers and you risk creating organizational silos.
For frontline teams, this exacerbates an existing risk. Frontline workers spend time away from HQ, working different shift patterns, and managing a high workload. These factors already get in the way of team collaboration.
Luckily, this is another frontline challenge that a modern intranet can solve. The intranet allows people across your organization to share ideas and objectives via an easy-to-use interface.
Everyone can contribute, even those who work remotely, making your organization more productive, more innovative, and better able to solve problems.
Features of a modern intranet
We’ve touched on what makes a modern intranet different from the other intranet software available. But now we’re going to delve into the details. Here are features you can expect from the newest intranets and how they stand to benefit your business.
A central hub
A modern intranet acts as the gateway to your business. It’s the go-to location for company communication and knowledge sharing.
With a single, searchable hub, it’s easy for employees to find what they’re looking for, whether that’s essential documents, a directory of co-workers, or a list of the latest company events.
Importantly, information is stored logically and consistently. And the advanced search functionality of a modern intranet — thanks to keyword suggestions and content tagging — means it’s always clear what information is and isn’t available.
User friendly interfaces
Modern intranets are familiar to their users. That’s partly because they can be customized with employer branding. But it’s also because they have an intuitive, user friendly interface that mirrors many of the digital tools employees already feel comfortable using.
Employees don’t need a company email address to sign in. They can get notifications whenever important information is posted. And it’s easy to download intranet apps from the App Store. This means very little training is required.
Personalized experiences
Personalization makes the modern intranet even more engaging for users. Employees can personalize their dashboard and see content tailored to their role and department.
You can also program your intranet so it presents different information depending on where an employee is at in their career and how much time they’ve spent with the company. Someone who started working for you last week will get different intranet content to someone who has been working for you for years.
Communication tools
Managers can share important news and announcements. Teams can share ideas. An employee can wish a coworker a happy birthday. With a variety of communication tools based within the same intranet software, meaningful communication becomes second nature.
Employees don’t have to switch between different platforms for informal co-worker chat, essential C-suite comms, and knowledge sharing resources. They can easily find communications, and contribute to them too, all within the same interface.
It’s also easy for managers to highlight need-to-know information.Push notifications and mandatory reads ensure essential information never goes unread.
Real-time communication
Asynchronous communication is important for teams who work across different time zones or shift patterns. But real-time communication is also crucial for your organization. It allows employees to communicate as if they were in the same physical location — even when they’re not.
This allows for faster decision-making, improved problem-solving, and better collaboration. It also helps employees to feel more connected to one another — because real-time communication mirrors face-to-face communication in a way that an email thread just can’t.
Employee recognition
Employee recognition isn’t always easy when employees work disparately. Managers have to be intentional about praise and recognition because they get few informal opportunities to show their appreciation.
With built-in employee recognition features, a modern intranet makes it easy for you to motivate and incentivize your team.
Managers are prompted to recognize employee anniversaries and milestones. Peers can celebrate coworker wins. And some intranet software even provides recognition leaderboards and real-life rewards as further incentive for hard work.
Collaboration tools
The modern intranet makes collaboration a priority. It provides features that support collaboration for teams who don’t necessarily work in the same office.
From shared calendars to real-time chat, document sharing to task allocation, a modern intranet helps teams work together, even when they’re physically apart.
Mobile compatibility
Workers no longer have to be chained to their desktop computers in order to get the most from the intranet experience. Modern intranets are mobile responsive. They offer the same user experience and the same great features whichever device employees have access to during their workday.
This means frontline, remote, and hybrid workers enjoy the same intranet experience as their desk-based peers. And you create a joined-up organization in which all workers are treated equally.
Integration capabilities
Modern intranet software integrates with the digital tools and data sources you already use within your organization. It creates a seamless experience for employees.
They don’t need to log in to multiple platforms and deal with repetitive or conflicting information. Everything is available via the same intranet hub.
For your management team, integration makes everything more efficient. You don’t need to duplicate work over different tools, which means you improve data accuracy too.
Feedback functions
Good internal communication goes both ways. And with modern intranet feedback functions, it’s easy to find out what your employees are thinking and feeling at any given moment.
Surveys and forms are delivered in a user friendly format so a higher proportion of your employees is likely to respond. And with accurate insight into employee sentiment, you can create better employee experiences, making informed decisions based on what your workforce really wants and needs.
Security
When you opt for a modern intranet, security comes as standard. The best providers work by recognized cybersecurity guidelines.
They provide data encryption and data backup. Regular penetration testing ensures the system always provides a strong defense against cyber-attack. And access controls mean admin teams can choose with members of your organization can see sensitive information.
Analytics to optimize and measure
The best modern intranets offer analytics too, meaning you get real-time data on employee engagement and the employee experience.
You can track a variety of metrics — things like user activity, co-worker interactions, likes, searches, and downloads. And then you can view these results in a visual, easy-to-digest format.
Along with surveys and feedback forms, intranet analytics gives insight into how employees use the software and how it impacts their overall experience of the workplace. This empowers you to make data-driven improvements.
How modern intranets impact the digital employee experience
The digital employee experience (DEX) is how employees feel about the digital tools they use within the workplace. For optimal DEX, you need digital tools that support and streamline every employee workflow, without creating points of friction.
DEX comes under the umbrella of employee experience (EX). But we’d argue that, in a digital workplace, DEX isn’t just part of the EX picture. It’s integral to it. In fact, we can relate DEX to nearly all of the nine EX elements identified by McKinsey.
an employee’s sense of growth, purpose, and motivation
how employees feel about their productivity and efficiency
The company intranet is inevitably a big part of employees’ digital experience. And when you replace a traditional intranet with modern software, designed to meet the expectations and needs of today’s employees, you impact DEX in all of the following ways.
Enhanced communication
These days, we rely on digital communication tools to connect frontline, hybrid, and remote working teams. It’s important to EX that teams get the same level of connection and knowledge sharing, and the same sense of belonging, that they’d get working face-to-face.
Modern intranet software is built with team communication at its core. It understands that, in a digital workplace, informal water cooler chats aren’t always possible.
So it provides teams with communication tools that create a sense of physical togetherness, even when teams work disparately.
With Blink Chat, for example, employees can message each other in real-time. They can chat one-on-one or set up Group Chats for multiple team members. Within chats, employees can send messages, send documents, and even start online voice or video meetings, straight from the app.
But the modern intranet doesn’t just facilitate peer-to-peer communication. It also gives managers the communication tools they need to enhance the employee experience.
This is where the Blink Feed comes in. Via a familiar, social media-style feed, leadership can post company-wide communications. They can guide company culture and broadcast important news, motivating and informing employees in the process.
Employee techquity
Employee techquity is achieved when frontline workers have equal access to the digital tools, resources, and people they need to succeed. Older intranet systems tend to leave frontline and remote workers behind. They fail to address many of the key challenges faced by frontline teams.
This means frontline and remote employees miss out on the opportunities afforded to desk-based staff. They find it harder to advance in their careers, they don’t always have access to the same tools, tech, and training, and they can end up feeling disconnected from company HQ.
A modern, mobile-first intranet helps to create a fairer working environment. All employees get to use exactly the same functions and features, whether they access the platform via a desktop computer or a smartphone device.
A modern intranet is easy to use, so frontline workers can dip into internal comms during a busy work day. It also acknowledges the fact that many frontline workers don’t have a company email address, so provides alternative login methods.
By providing an equal digital experience for all workers within your organization, everyone gets the tools they need to do their job — and everyone enjoys a sense of connection and belonging.
Employees enjoy a better workplace experience when they feel they’re working to the best of their ability.
In a digital workplace, this means having the right information, along with the right collaboration and productivity tools. And this is another area of DEX that a modern intranet can help with.
A modern intranet acts as a content hub for your organization. But unlike old intranet software, this new style of content management system is well-organized and user friendly. It’s easy to find and read policy documents and to collaborate on files with co-workers.
Just take a look at the Blink Hub. It’s a content management system that puts policies, training materials, and manuals in one convenient, easy-to-access location.
A drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to add content. And because the Blink Hub is available via desktop and mobile apps, every member of your organization can access it.
A modern intranet can also provide self-service functions, another big plus for the digital employee experience.
When employees can book shifts, request annual leave, register for a training course, and access pay stubs all from the same platform, work admin becomes much less of a headache.
Employee engagement
Engaged workers feel emotionally connected to their work and co-workers. They feel aligned with company values and empowered to work productively.
A poor digital employee experience gets in the way of engagement. But there are lots of ways that a positive DEX — supported by a modern intranet — can enhance it.
The social features of a cutting-edge intranet — like social feeds, discussion forums, and employee profiles — help employees build meaningful connections with people at all levels of your organization.
Employee recognition and reward functions within the intranet also boost engagement. Employees understand their goals and how these goals relate to the overarching company mission. A culture of recognition and rewards — made easy with intranet tools — then incentivizes them to meet their objectives.
Another way that your intranet can improve employee engagement is with employee personalization.
Workers get to personalize the platform dashboard to make it more relevant and engaging. Admins can adapt content too, tailoring it to the needs of workers at each stage in the employee lifecycle.
Analytics and feedback
Modern intranets make it easy for you to gather information on the digital employee experience. You can launch surveys, send out forms, and dive into the analytics provided by your platform.
This is a huge bonus to your DEX strategy. Because you don’t need to stab in the dark. You have all the data you need to make targeted EX improvements.
View data on employee engagement, satisfaction, and retention. See what content performs best to improve your content management strategy. Understand how your teams interact, identifying co-worker relationships that need a little TLC.
A tool like Blink Analytics allows you to really drill down into the data. You can segment it based on team or location. So you understand exactly how your digital workplace is working for each member of your organization.
Simplicity
Some organizations have approached the challenge of digital transformation by acquiring tech tools for every business function. But this isn’t an effective way of doing things.
Gartner research shows that application sprawl (when workers are expected to use multiple digital tools) turns up the volume without improving communication.
Simplifying and streamlining the technology you use can therefore have a huge impact on the digital employee experience.
When workers have a single, go-to platform, there’s less friction. Employees aren’t constantly pinged with notifications from multiple apps. They don’t have to familiarize themselves with different interfaces. And it’s easy to find the information and tools they need.
Choosing the right modern intranet
We’ve covered all of the reasons that a modern intranet might benefit your organization. But with numerous intranet options out there, how do you choose the right one for your business?
Let’s take a look at a couple of questions you can ask when looking for intranet software that meets the needs of your organization and employees.
Is the software built to scale?
An intranet is a big investment of time and money. It also quickly becomes a central part of your company operations. So you don’t want to be changing it in a hurry.
When choosing an intranet, look for a solution that can grow with your business. Consider whether an intranet contender will continue to meet your needs if you experience a period of rapid growth and need to take on lots more staff.
Scalable intranets offer bespoke pricing for enterprise clients (per-user pricing can become unaffordable as your team grows). They’re also cloud-based, so you don’t have to rely on on-premise infrastructure when you need to expand capability.
Some other considerations to bear in mind? You need access controls suited to large teams, the option to create communication channels for each team or department, and the right level of security and support for a bigger organization.
Is mobile access a priority?
If you have any workers who don’t spend their workday sitting behind a desk, then a mobile-first intranet is the only logical choice.
On-premise solutions aren’t always accessible via mobile devices. You may even find that remote desk workers, using a laptop or desktop computer, have to jump through VPN hoops to access intranet content.
A mobile-first intranet is designed to work well — and provide the same features — over any device and from any location. So it’s particularly useful for frontline teams who need to access internal info on the go, using their smartphone.
Does the solution provide analytics?
The best intranet solutions give you the analytics and reporting features you need to measure the success of your new platform.
They provide data on employee engagement, content performance, user behavior, employee retention, and employee satisfaction. With real insight, you can identify areas for improvement and make targeted changes.
Only shortlist solutions that offer robust analytics functions. They should be able to provide data on a wide range of metrics, allow you to segment data by a variety of user groups, and provide real-time data. They should also present all data in a visual, easy to understand way.
Does the intranet integrate with your existing technology?
One of the key benefits of a modern intranet is its simplicity. It brings all of the communication and collaboration tools your digital workplace needs into the same platform.
The ideal intranet will meet your business needs in terms of two-way communication, content management, and collaboration. But it should also integrate with any of the tech tools you already use.
You need to know that any payroll, project management, or customer service software can integrate seamlessly with your intranet. And that these tools will continue to work just as well as before.
A new intranet shouldn’t negatively impact the adoption of your current tools. Instead, streamlining your digital tools should actually improve uptake.
Is the intranet user friendly?
An intranet only benefits your company (in all of the ways listed above) if your employees actually use it. So you need a solution that is intuitive and easy to learn, even if your team isn’t super tech-savvy.
Look for an intranet with a user friendly interface. It should feel familiar even if you’ve never used it before. Also, ensure it includes all of the self-service and search functions that make life easy for your teams.
User friendliness is particularly important for frontline teams. Working away from a desk, often with limited time for company comms, your intranet needs to be so easy and engaging that these remote, time-poor workers choose to open the app and check in.
When conducting your software search, it can be helpful to look at adoption and intranet usage stats. If other organizations, with a similar structure to yours, have managed to persuade their workers to use a particular intranet solution, then the platform will probably work well for you too.
Ever since its introduction in the 1990s, the intranet has been an integral part of company operations. But today, organizations are moving away from older intranet versions to embrace a newer, slicker, more effective modern intranet.
A modern intranet supports the creation of a truly digital workplace. It gives frontline, remote, and office-based teams everything they need to work happily and productively. Because it provides a beautiful interface, designed to meet the needs of digital workers, employees actually enjoy using it too.
Choose the right modern intranet and you’ll improve the way your teams communicate and collaborate. You’ll improve DEX and employee engagement, so employee retention gets easier.
You’ll also avoid some of the pitfalls of digital transformation, preventing application sprawl by making all tech tools available via the same user friendly dashboard.
For frontline organizations, the modern intranet really comes into its own. Mobile-first, intuitive design with a real-time communication focus, ensures everyone – whether they work on the frontline or in an office – has access to the tools and information they need.
If you’re ready to benefit your employees and your organization by adopting a cutting-edge intranet solution, take a look at Blink —– a platform designed specifically for frontline teams. Blink does everything a modern intranet does, and more.
Employees get a social feed and a content hub. They can access self-service functions, make their voice heard via company-wide surveys, and receive recognition for a job well done.
As an organization, you can count on analytics and top-notch security. Blink also integrates with many of the most popular workplace apps out there, so it fits seamlessly into your workflow.
Blink has all the tools you need to make your frontline organization more connected, collaborative, and successful. So why not book a demo to see Blink in action?
Traditional internal communications usually focus on the latter. They’re often overly polished, overly formal, and 100% vanilla. So they’re doing next to nothing for comms engagement.
Employees today want to relate to each other and see personality. They want to hear from people, not just about them. They want honesty over polish. Real talk over corporate speak.
That’s where POV (point of view) content comes in. POV content is engaging, memorable, and well-suited to a world where everyone with a social media account is a content creator.
Here, we take a look at all the reasons POV content works — and how you can weave it into your internal communication strategy in 2025.
What is POV content — and why does it work?
POV content is authentic content created by people within your organization, not your comms team.
It’s a “day in the life” video from a depot manager. A behind-the-scenes look at the retail crew prepping for a Monday morning. Snaps from the latest marketing team lunch.
It’s first-person stories and unfiltered moments, personal and imperfect, created by everyone from your execs to frontline employees to hybrid work staff. And it’s one of the key internal comms trends we’ve seen companies embracing in 2025.
Here are all the reasons POV content deserves a place within your internal communication strategy.
It builds empathy across departments and roles
When someone shares their story — the highs, the struggles, the interesting little details of their day — it helps to build bridges.
Frontline employees get insight into the challenges of your scheduling team. Your HR department comes to understand how busy a day in the life of a frontline worker actually is. Your C-suite starts to feel like real, relatable human beings.
POV content helps teams understand each other — and that drives better cohesion and collaboration.
It helps people feel part of company culture
When you incorporate POV content into your internal comms, employees hear from a diverse range of voices. So they’re more likely to see themselves reflected in internal messaging.
This is great for culture building. Employees feel part of something bigger. They don’t just receive corporate updates and a monthly newsletter. They build an emotional connection with your organization and their peers.
It makes your comms content more engaging
When communication feels more human and less corporate, it’s more interesting. Employees are more likely to tune into your internal comms channels because the content they find there is fun, real, and relatable.
Improved comms engagement is linked to improved reach and recall. And when employees enjoy your internal content, they’re more likely to lean into the company conversation — making your comms platform an evermore vibrant place to hang out.
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Why POV content matters now more than ever
Wondering why now? In 2025, POV content deserves a place within your internal communication plan because it helps you overcome some of the comm team’s most pressing challenges.
Disconnection is real
Frontline employees can feel miles away from HQ — both physically and culturally. Hybrid teams are, likewise, often left out of the loop.
The old ways of communicating — think internal emails and town hall meetings — were designed with desk-based and office-based teams in mind. And they now fail to cut through for your entire workforce.
In contrast, POV content tends to be short-form and engaging. It’s a way to bring hard-to-reach employees back into the comms fold, where they’ll find lots of other culture-building and information-sharing comms.
Employees are less trusting
There’s a ton of research out there to show that younger employees are a lot less trusting of institutions and authority figures than the generations that came before them.
So that official-sounding memo? Employees are liable to view it with a huge dose of skepticism.
People trust people. Not generic messages. Not the corporate voice. So if you want your internal comms to build trust, POV content can help.
It’s a way to build community
Community is something today’s employees are craving.
POV content helps you build a welcoming workplace community — a place that celebrates individual employees, their perspectives, and their journeys. And this content isn't just good for culture, it's good for your business goals, too — helping to improve communication, employee experience, and employee engagement.
So how do you put POV content into practice? How do you encourage employees to become internal content creators? And how do you guide them to create the kind of content you know will hit the mark?
Here are some practical tips on how to develop a regular stream of POV content for your internal communication channels:
Employee take-overs. Invite employees to “take over” your intranet or employee app for the day. Give them the mic. Let them show what the workplace looks like from their perspective.
Use Stories and short-form video. Short-form videos are a prime example of Insta-worthy comms. They’re easy to create, authentic, and can convey lots of information in seconds. What’s more, they’re proving very popular with employees.
Spotlight real moments. Go beyond the latest conference or your end-of-year social. Highlight those less glossy moments — the tricky shift, the lesson learned, a tough moment where company values shone through. Encourage people to capture big milestones and the messiness of day to day work.
Normalize imperfection. POV content shouldn’t look like a brand campaign. So encourage smartphone-filmed videos and text written in an employee’s unedited words. Highlight and celebrate examples of imperfect content on your internal comms channels to encourage people to give content creation a go.
Tools and tips for making it sustainable
POV content is most effective when it becomes part of your comms rhythm — not a one-off campaign. Here’s how to embed it into your internal communication strategy.
Ask: “Who can tell this story best?”
Before creating any new internal comms message, consider whether the comms team are the best people to craft it.
Consider the following:
Would this message mean more coming from an employee, in their own, unpolished words?
Will it resonate better?
Will it feel more authentic?
Create templates or prompts to help employees get started
Give employees a structure to follow and you’re more likely to spark their creativity and get content that sits neatly alongside your other internal comms messaging.
Employees may need guidance on content formats — for example, the ideal video length or the need for paragraphs in their posts. Prompts can also prove useful. Here are a few ideas:
Share your weekly wins
Share the why behind what you do
Favorite work hack. Go!
One photo that sums up your week
Three things you wish people knew about your job.
“The best thing about working in my team is…”
Curate and amplify top content
You can’t expect a POV content campaign to sustain itself. It needs input from your internal comms team — and real-time insights from analytics tools and employee surveys — to build and maintain momentum.
So shine a light on great POV content. Create a “voices of the week” roundup. Pin top posts to the homepage. You’ll encourage first-wave content creators to continue doing what they do — and maybe inspire some budding creators to contribute too.
Mix in leadership POVs
Your leadership team can set an example for the kind of personal, unpolished POV content you want to see on your internal comms channels.
So humanize your leaders and bring them closer to employees by giving them opportunities to share their personalities, challenges, and workday experiences.
Some ideas?
A selfie-style video answering an employee question
A photo from their week with a personal reflection
A note on what they’re learning right now
A personal story or anecdote
Put a few guardrails in place
Encouraging POV content doesn’t mean giving employees free rein across your workplace communication channels.
To ensure content aligns with your company values and to hear from a range of employee voices:
Set expectations around respectful content and inclusive language
Provide support for those who are unsure how to share
Review posts before they go live — but avoid the temptation to over-edit
Experiment with a pilot content creation group to see what works and what doesn’t
You can have it all. Authenticity and content that fits your company’s tone of voice. You just need to put a few boundaries in place.
The best internal communication tools will give you the permission settings you need to exert just the right level of control over employee-generated content.
Handing the mic to employees for maximum comms impact
People connect best with people. Not anonymous corporate entities. Not executives who keep them at arm’s length.
When you open the door for employees to share their real stories, you do more than boost comms engagement — you strengthen culture, build trust, and create a sense of belonging that translates into measurable results. Gallup says companies with highly engaged employees have up to 21% higher profits and lower turnover.
POV content is one of the simplest ways to make that happen.It shows real, relatable, and diverse views clearly. This helps employees see themselves in the company’s story. It also makes internal communication channels places they want to visit.
With Blink, you can make POV content second nature. Our platform makes it easy for employees to share moments on the go, for leaders to engage in real conversations, and for comms teams to keep everything aligned with company values. The result? A steady stream of authentic content that drives connection, trust, and business performance.
In 2025, your internal communication strategy isn’t complete without employee POVs. Give your people the mic — and watch your culture, engagement, and results grow.
Get comms right and you improve collaboration, employee engagement, and the employee experience. But get comms wrong and employees are likely to switch off from the company intranet — making it much harder for you to land critical messages.
A surprising number of organizations miss the mark. While 77% of leaders think the comms they share give employees the context they need to do their jobs well, only 46% of employees agree.
To ensure your comms are as good as they need to be, check that you’ve not fallen into one of these bad internal communication habits.
And if you have, don’t worry! There are strategies to break those bad habits so you can improve employee communications and engagement at your organization.
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7 bad internal comms habits and how to break them
Bad habit #1: Posting inconsistently
When it comes to internal communications, the only thing worse than not posting at all is posting once… and never again.
Internal comms inconsistency can confuse expectations, misdirect attention, and ultimately result in you losing your most important audience — your employees. People may stop checking on the intranet because they’re used to seeing nothing but tumbleweed. So when you do have an important message to share, there’s no one there to see it.
Break the habit: Figure out the cadence that best fits the needs of your organization. Then, make sure there’s new content on the company intranet on a regular basis.
Don’t overlook the power of a daily or weekly update: A whopping 85% of employees said they’re most motivated when management offers regular updates on company news.
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For many, creating a content calendar and writing posts in bulk will help maintain consistency. Sound like you? Try using a scheduling tool. Some modern internal communications platforms may even have this scheduling functionality built in. This way, you can then create and schedule posts in advance, choosing to publish them at a time when your teams are most likely to need and read them.
Bad habit #2: Saying too much
We’ve seen plenty of internal communications messages that try to say too much all at once. They cover one topic in overwhelming depth — or cover a multitude of topics in one post.
If this sounds familiar, it’s a habit you need to break. When you cram too much information into your messages, you risk confusing employees. You bury your central message and encourage your workforce to skim or ignore future comms.
Break the habit: Before you start writing any message, get clear on the most important point you want to convey. Lead with this key message, putting it at the top of your post and adding supporting details underneath.
If you need to share lots of information, try splitting your content into smaller, more digestible chunks. You can then create a post around each part of the news or announcement, publishing a logical series of posts that are less likely to overwhelm employees.
Bad habit #3: Limiting yourself to text only
Your employees are used to seeing a wealth of interactive, visual content in the technology they use in their personal lives. Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok know exactly what keeps users scrolling and wanting more: short-form, highly visual, and personalized content.
If you lead with text-based messages at work, you’re unlikely to catch their eye — or contribute to a positive intranet experience.
Break the habit: Hook your audience from the get go by making your internal comms channels feel like a social media experience. Incorporate visuals like short-form videos, polls, photos, and graphics.
This dynamic and engaging content is more likely to grab the attention of your audience and keep them returning to your platform.
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Bad habit #4: Using the wrong channels or platforms
It should be easy for employees to find the information they’re looking for on your intranet. But if you don’t have a strategy for what goes where, they’re going to struggle to find what they need, when they need it.
A poorly governed channel strategy can damage not just the employee experience, but key operational metrics like productivity: Employees spend nearly 20% of their work week looking for internal information or tracking down colleagues who can help with specific tasks.
Break the habit: As the saying goes, “location, location, location!” Consider the format of your employee communications and which channel or platform suits each format best.
For example, it makes sense for an evergreen resource — like a policy or FAQ document — to live on your company intranet, in a resource hub. A short-form update, relevant only in the moment, is better suited to your news feed. And a message hyper-relevant to a specific group of employees can find the right home in the appropriate digital community.
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Bad habit #5: Taking a one-comms-fits-all approach
Send all employees all the messages and you’ll overload them with information — some of it completely irrelevant to them and their role. Employees who grow used to receiving non-personalized internal communications are more likely to skim or ignore critical information.
Break the habit: Ensure that every message is relevant to the employee who receives it.
Pick communication tools that allow you to segment your audience, ideally by team, role, tenure, and location. Then select the relevant audience for each post and resource.
You can also use different communication channels — like a closed team chat or an employee community — to ensure specific information cuts through.
Bad habit #6: Sourcing ideas only from the C-suite
Your business leaders are a great resource for content ideas. But they’re busy people. So if you rely solely on the C-suite, you may find it hard to generate enough content. Plus, by sourcing only one side of the corporate story, making it difficult to tell a well-rounded story that can resonate with any employee.
Break the habit: Get content ideas from your business leaders, by all means. But also involve employees across all levels in the content creation process.
You can do this with the help of an internal communications platform that facilitates two-way communication. Employees can comment on posts, amplifying their impact. You can also identify employee ambassadors and ask them to create employee-generated content.
This approach makes content creation easier for your comms team and — because you’re giving your workforce a voice — improves employee engagement, too.
Bad habit #7: Not getting feedback regularly
Let’s say you’ve successfully done it — you quit all the bad comms habits on this list up until now. Well done! But that doesn’t necessarily mean messages are getting through to your employees.
Without regular employee feedback, you can’t know for sure how employees feel about your internal communications. And that means it’s still a challenge to ensure any changes to your employees communications strategy are meaningful improvements.
Break the habit: Regularly launch employee surveys and polls to gauge how employees feel about your internal communications. Ask them about every detail: cadence, content, channels, opportunities for two-way interaction.
Also, use intranet analytics to identify your best-performing content. When you see what’s working well in terms of effectiveness and employee engagement, you can build more of that into your content schedule.
Not only will your employee comms thrive, your employees will, too: Workers who feel their voice is heard are 4.6 times more likely to feel empowered to perform their best work.
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Break bad communication habits and supercharge your comms
These bad communication habits stop messages from getting through. They also lead employees to lose interest in your communication channels, making it even harder for your comms team to be successful moving forward.
But like any bad habit, the ones on this list can be broken, and with the right adjustments, you can prevent bad habits from forming again. Make just a few simple tweaks — like democratizing content creation, posting more consistently, and seeking employee feedback — and you can get company comms back on the right track.
You’ll also build a more informed, connected, and collaborative organization — which is good for business and good for the employee experience, too.
Say hello to Jackson Mannix — Boston-based Commercial Account Executive, former SDR trail-blazer, and resident champion of all things frontline.
Since joining Blink in late 2022, Jackson has helped shape our SDR program from the ground up, pushed the Southeast market into high gear, and kept the competitive-but-collaborative spirit of our culture alive and buzzing.
This week, he sat down with us to talk startup chaos (the good kind!), scaling a sales engine, and why empowering frontline workers still gets him out of bed every morning. Let’s dive in!
Which Blink office do you work out of?
I work out of our Boston office.
What is your position at Blink?
I’m a Commercial Account Executive covering the U.S. Southeast. I joined Blink in fall 2022 as an SDR.
How long have you been at Blink?
Just over two and a half years.
What initially attracted you to join Blink?
Back then I wasn’t sure which kind of company I wanted to join. I’d spent about six months bartending and serving at a local Boston bar, figuring out my next step. I knew I wanted to get into software sales — I just didn’t know where or how. More importantly, I wanted to work with people who were invested in my growth and who valued the traits I bring to the table.
While job-hunting, I tapped my network and discovered Blink. At that point, Blink didn’t have a Boston presence, but the passion I saw for Blink was contagious. The idea of helping frontline workers, not just businesses, struck a chord. Yes, we deliver huge value to organizations and improve their bottom line — but we also make life less stressful for hourly employees who are raising families and juggling enough already.
Having lived that hourly-wage reality myself, I immediately saw the impact Blink could have. We’re creating real, global change by improving work for people who often get overlooked. That combination of purpose, growth, and the chance to help build something from the ground up drew me in.
What's a project you are proud of from your time at Blink?
The evolution of our SDR program, hands down. I spent more than two years as an SDR, so it was a true career commitment. The first 4-6 months were pure learning, then — right as I hit my stride — Amanda (our Global Sales Development Director) arrived. Working closely with her and the senior SDRs, we overhauled training, processes, and feedback loops.
Seeing that transformation — from the scrappy early days to today’s structured program — has been incredible. We have a new cohort of SDRs coming in now, and they’ll benefit from a playbook built on both our successes — and our mistakes. Every miscue was a lesson that made the program stronger. I’m proud that leadership trusted me to shape the day-to-day work, give candid feedback, and help steer where the team is going.
How would you describe the company culture at Blink in three words?
Competitive, collaborative and chaotic.
Blink is competitive in the best way: We all push each other — within and across teams — to set a high bar, but never with the hope that someone else falls short. I want to beat my number, but I still want the person next to me to smash theirs, too.
That healthy drive dovetails with a spirit of collaboration that’s almost startling. From day one, people leap in to share decks, brainstorm talk tracks, or hop on a call when something goes sideways. That help hasn’t slowed for me two-and-a-half years later.
“Chaotic” sounds negative, but it’s a positive here. Priorities shift fast, new projects hit your desk with immediate urgency, and if you thrive in that kind of pressure-makes-diamonds environment — learning from the inevitable missteps and bouncing back stronger — Blink is your playground.
What's one thing you’re excited about for the future of Blink?
Landing big global logos will always be a thrill, but what really excites me now is cracking new verticals where we’ve barely scratched the surface.
Billions of frontline workers still lack a modern comms tool, and some operate in highly specific or newly burgeoning industries. Every so often a niche customer pops up — maybe a specialty manufacturer or seasonal service — who shows us Blink can solve problems we didn’t know existed in that space. One unexpected win like that can inspire product tweaks and reshape how we go to market.
The “green grass” feels endless, and the idea that next quarter’s most interesting deal might come from a sector we’ve never targeted keeps the future wide open.
Can you tell us about a recent initiative or program launched at Blink that you found particularly exciting?
I’m loving the new podcast studio. We upgraded from a basic setup to a full broadcast-quality room, and the content now coming out — clean visuals, tight edits, professional sound — has lifted our thought leadership game. Podcasts may feel crowded, but they work because people already consume information that way. Watching customers plan their own internal podcasts after seeing what we’ve built is proof we’re practicing what we preach. It’s cool to see us invest in a channel, nail the execution, and then hand clients a real-world example they can replicate for their own teams.
Why do you work for Blink?
I believe in our mission and in the people delivering it. Over the past two-and-a-half years, Blink has celebrated my wins loudly and stood by me during the lows.
When a deal closes, teammates are first to cheer; when I hit a rough patch, my teammates and leadership step in without hesitation. Amanda, for instance, showed incredible compassion when I was dealing with serious personal challenges, and the business made sure I felt heard and valued, not just judged by a number.
That genuine, reciprocal support is powerful. It’s why I log in every morning ready to push harder, and why I see a long runway for myself here.
Hazard a guess. How many different tech tools do you use at your organization? If you’re anything like the average business, you’ll have a hefty 112 SaaS apps in the mix.
But what does that mean for the employee experience (EX)? Are these tools supporting employees to do their best work? Or are they adding unnecessary noise and friction to the work day?
One thing’s for sure. With so much of our work now reliant on technology, the digital employee experience is forming an ever bigger part of EX. Slow and clunky tools cause frustration, while user-friendly tools help us achieve a state of flow.
Here, we explain what digital employee experience is. We also offer some examples and a guide on how to improve digital employee experience at your organization.
We’ll be covering the following:
What is digital employee experience?
The difference between employee experience and digital employee experience
Why is digital employee experience important?
Examples of effective digital employee experience
How to improve digital employee experience
Challenges to consider when improving DEX
Best tools for improving digital employee experience
Ready to level up your tech stack? Let’s dive in.
What is digital employee experience?
Digital employee experience — or DEX — describes the way employees feel when using the digital tools, platforms, and technologies you provide for them.
Workers enjoy a positive digital employee experience when your tech ecosystem helps them to do their jobs well — when it supports easy communication and streamlined processes.
Workers are more likely to complain of a negative digital employee experience when systems are outdated, difficult to use, or overly complex.
Ultimately, we can boil DEX down to:
The number of tech tools employees are expected to use
The user interface and user experience of your workplace technology
How fast, reliable, and responsive your tech tools are
How well your tech tools integrate with other workplace software
The level of personalization and customization provided by tech tools
The support and training employees receive when using workplace tech
The difference between employee experience and digital employee experience
Employee experience (EX) is the way employees think and feel about their time at work. It encompasses every employee touchpoint, throughout every employee work day, and throughout every stage of the employee life cycle.
EX incorporates management and communication styles, how comfortable your workplace environment is, the benefits and perks you offer, and even the relationships between an employee and their co-workers.
Digital employee experience (DEX) is just one element of employee experience. But — because the modern organization relies so heavily on digital tools — it has a big impact on overall EX.
A video conference tool that lags. An intranet with inadequate search functions. A news feed populated with content irrelevant to you and your team. Poor digital experiences like these harm the employee experience.
Why is digital employee experience important?
Ivanti, the global IT company, has been creating a report on digital employee experience for the past few years. In 2024, its researchers revealed that 69% of organizations saw DEX as an essential or high priority. This was up from 61% in 2023.
So why is employee digital experience rising up the company agenda? Here are a couple of very good reasons.
57% of office workers say they feel stressed by the number of tech tools they use at work
62% say they feel overwhelmed by the need to learn new technologies at work
53% say they feel frustrated by their workplace tech at least once every day
55% of office workers say negative experiences with workplace technology impact their mood and morale
Poor DEX causes headaches for your IT team too. 86% of IT professionals say poor digital experience encourages employees to use unsafe workarounds.
People use insecure login methods or shadow IT tools because the official software provided causes too much hassle. Your IT team is left to pick up the pieces.
DEX impacts business outcomes
Business leaders surveyed by Ivanti said that high-quality digital employee experience benefits their organizations:
97% said that it positively impacts employee productivity
96% said that it positively impacts employee satisfaction
Workers who have the tools they need to connect with co-workers and complete tasks with ease are happier and do better work.
They’re more engaged, which means they’re more productive. And because they feel tech tools are working with them — not against them — they’re also more likely to stay working for your organization.
The tech landscape is constantly changing
There are new and more advanced tech tools hitting the market every day — faster, smarter, and more user-friendly than the last.
Workforce expectations around tech are also subject to change. Employees are used to evermore sleek and seamless tech tools at home. And they bring those same standards into the workplace.
Without a clear DEX strategy, these changes can get the better of your organization. New tools are brought into the tech ecosystem without proper oversight. Old tools start to feel ancient. Employee overwhelm and disengagement become more likely.
To build a tech ecosystem that truly supports your workforce, you need to keep your finger on the pulse, ensuring DEX at your organization keeps up with advances in technology.
A focus on DEX brings your organization together
In 2025, the workforce is dispersed. 80% of employees work away from a desk. Others are split between the office and remote working locations. And the digital experience isn’t always equitable across these groups.
43% of office workers say it’s not easy to access workplace tools when working remotely. Only 10% of frontline workers say they have high access to the tools, tech, and opportunities they need to connect and advance in their workplace.
When people feel left out, they check out — or leave your organization. But DEX strategy that considers the needs of all employees changes that. It levels the playing field, closes the gap, and builds an inclusive employee experience where everyone feels seen, supported, and connected.
Examples of effective digital employee experience
So what does good DEX look like? Here are a few examples of effective digital employee experience:
Frontline digital inclusion. Frontline employees enjoy the same access to workplace tech thanks to mobile-friendly apps, which they can access via their smartphones. Sign-in processes are simple but secure — and don’t require a company email address.
Automated onboarding. New hires get access to tailored training materials and resources, delivered at the right time in the onboarding process — plus a chatbot that can answer questions or direct them to new information.
Employee self-service. Employees don’t have to submit requests to HR and wait for a response. Instead, they can swap shifts, view their pay stubs, and access benefits direct from a user-friendly digital dashboard.
Going beyond email. Modern internal communication channels support employees to chat with managers and co-workers, view a multimedia company news feed, and respond to pulse surveys. These channels help organizations engage sectors of the workforce — like Gen Z and frontline employees — who don’t always embrace email.
An integrated experience. Employees don’t have to toggle between tabs or remember lots of different login details. They can access all workplace software from the same dashboard thanks to in-depth software integrations.
How to improve digital employee experience
A comprehensive digital employee experience strategy can make all the difference to your workplace. Unsure where to start? Take a look at these tips for improving digital employee experience at your organization.
1. Take stock of your tech stack
First things first. Take a wide-angle view of the tech tools your organization currently uses. Look for redundant tools, areas where software overlaps, and features that are currently underutilized.
Also, assess whether any of your tools or platforms are beyond the point of no return. Perhaps you’re still using a legacy system that simply hasn’t kept pace with the demands of the modern workforce.
When auditing your software, don’t forget to seek feedback from stakeholders, including your employees. Their input can shape what stays, what goes, and what needs improving.
2. Streamline tech tools
If you’ve been steadily acquiring new workplace tech without considering its impact on DEX, it may be time to do a little pruning. A carefully curated selection means fewer platforms to maintain, fewer support requests to manage, and a more streamlined experience for employees.
When deciding what to keep, tech tools that cover as many bases as possible are a good bet. The best tools offer lots of functionality.
They also provide deep integrations with the other workplace software you use. Via single sign-on technology, employees can then access all workplace tools from one familiar dashboard.
If you decide to seek out new and improved tech tools, keep the end-user front of mind. Perhaps even include employees when test-driving shortlisted software solutions.
The best DEX solutions feel intuitive from day one. They provide:
Easy login options
Simple navigation
A user-friendly interface that works for every skill level
Self-help resources that support employees to use the platform
With the right tools, employees can complete tasks quickly and efficiently, without having to take unnecessary steps or wade their way through confusing processes.
4. Go mobile
Want to improve frontline digital inclusion? Then you need mobile-first apps that work just as well on a small smartphone screen as they do on a desktop computer.
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The best frontline tech is designed around the realities of deskless work — and doesn’t require a corporate email address. It gives everyone the tools they need to stay connected, informed, and productive.
5. Offer training and support
Even the most user-friendly tools can feel overwhelming without the right support. You can’t just hand over login details and expect employees to get on with it.
So offer training sessions. Provide employees with accessible, bite-sized tutorials that help them get the most from your software. Appoint software champions who can share their platform knowledge with co-workers.
Also, consider rolling out new software capabilities in stages, allowing employees to get used to one new set of features before introducing new ones. This helps ensure high levels of digital engagement and better software adoption.
6. Make it personal
The best digital experiences are tailored to each employee — their role, team, location, and tenure.
Start by mapping out a few core user personas. Think about the tools and information these users need. Also, consider how, when, and where they work. You can then use this insight to shape everything from the layout of dashboards to the delivery of internal comms.
The right platforms make it easy. They allow you to customize employee journeys and permissions. You can ensure that someone in marketing sees a different homepage to someone in HR, team leaders get access to insights their crew can’t, and nobody is left sifting through irrelevant noise to find need-to-know information.
The more personalized your tech tools are, the more useful — and used — they become.
7. Measure your DEX efforts
The beauty of DEX is the ease with which you can measure it. Most tech tools provide analytics and reports that reveal exactly how employees are using your software and where they’re experiencing points of friction.
You can keep track of metrics like these:
Adoption rates — the proportion of your workforce that uses a software solution
App open rates — the average number of times an employee opens the app each day
Feature usage — which features are used and how often
Number of support tickets — how regularly your employees have to reach out for software help
Want to dig deeper? Track metrics that relate specifically to the function of your tech tools. For example, you might track content engagement rates within your internal communication tools or your eNPS score within employee engagement software.
It’s also a good idea to segment your findings for different sectors of the workforce. That way, you can find out whether tech tools are having a positive impact for both desk-based and frontline employees.
Challenges to consider when improving DEX
Digital employee experience management is not without its challenges. But understanding a few of the most common hurdles can help you clear them faster. Here are a couple of issues you’re likely to face, plus some strategies for overcoming them.
A complex, outdated tech stack
It’s tempting to keep piling on new tools. But without a clear strategy, your tech stack can become a tangled mess. This overwhelms employees and causes confusion. Troubleshooting eats into your IT team’s productivity — and tech subscriptions eat into their budget.
Solution: Conduct a regular audit of your tech stack. Identify redundant or outdated tools and work to sunset them. Prioritize all-in-one solutions or apps with strong integrations to simplify the digital landscape. The simpler the system, the happier and more productive your team will be.
Getting senior buy-in
Digital transformation can be a tough sell at the top, especially when ROI isn’t immediately clear. But without executive support, securing the budget and resources you need is impossible. Your DEX efforts stall before they even get started.
Solution: Build your case with data. Use employee feedback, engagement scores, and productivity metrics to demonstrate the real impact of DEX. Share success stories from other companies and propose pilot programs to get the C-suite on board.
No insight into frontline needs
If you’re only hearing from desk-based staff or leadership, you’re missing whole chapters from the story. Frontline workers often have unique tech needs — and challenges that get overlooked. This leaves critical gaps in your DEX strategy.
Solution: When choosing tech for frontline workers, involve employees early and often. Use surveys, focus groups, listening tours, or quick pulse checks via mobile-friendly tools to gather honest feedback. Design technology and processes with the frontline’s daily realities in mind, ensuring solutions truly support their work.
Employee resistance to change
New tools won’t improve employee experience if no one actually uses them. And employees can be resistant to change, particularly if they feel unsupported or unclear about tech benefits. If they’re reluctant to give new software a chance, it’s hard to build the momentum you need to achieve high levels of platform adoption.
Solution: Roll out new tech thoughtfully. Communicate openly why changes are happening and how they’ll make work easier. Provide hands-on training and easy-access support. Also, champion digital ambassadors who can encourage adoption and boost employees’ software confidence.
Best tools for improving digital employee experience
Ready to start optimizing your DEX? Then the following digital employee experience software may come in handy.
An employee app
An employee app can transform the workplace experience. And it’s a great way to reach frontline employees. They can access an app from their smartphones, without requiring a corporate email address.
The best apps feature tools for employee recognition, employee feedback, and workplace communication. They also provide easy access to all the workplace software your employees need.
From HR self-service to policy documents to company news, an app puts all tools and resources into the palm of every employee’s hand.
A modern employee intranet
To level up DEX for both frontline and desk-based teams, a mobile-first intranet, built for the modern workforce, could be just what you need.
The best modern intranets aren’t just a repository for outdated docs. They provide a centralized hub for workplace culture, connection, and collaboration — and have a big impact on EX. In fact, there’s increasing overlap between intranets and employee experience platforms, so you can kill two birds with one stone.
Today’s intranets act as a digital water cooler. They provide personalized and relevant experiences for every employee — and the digital tools you need to share resources, collaborate with team members, onboard new hires, and more.
Find an intranet that comes with a comprehensive mobile app and you can improve employee experience for every member of the workforce.
HR self-service tools
Empower employees to manage HR tasks, anytime, anywhere. By making HR self-service tools available digitally, you make life easy for employees and reduce pressure on your HR team.
With secure digital access, employees can view their paychecks, request time off, and swap shifts. They can view their benefits and access wellbeing resources.
Integration with other workplace software makes it easy for employees to access training programs and learning goals too — and to share their thoughts on the employee experience.
Collaboration and communication tools
The right internal communication tools are a modern workplace essential. You need tools that support a range of different communication preferences.
It provides a link between the C-suite and employees — and allows co-workers to build connections with one another. So you can develop a positive and inclusive company culture.
These days, ticking all these boxes doesn’t mean building an internal comms platform from scratch. Off-the-shelf comms tools now have the personalization, scalability, and flexibility you need to create a platform employees will flock to, without the cost and hassle of a self-build solution.
An employee experience platform
What better way to improve your digital employee experience than with a dedicated employee experience platform? The best employee experience software helps you optimize all areas of employee experience, including its digital elements.
It supports improved talent management, streamlined HR processes, and better employee engagement. You get the tools you need to recognize employee efforts and promote a positive company culture.
These EX tools also provide the data-driven insights you need to make meaningful improvements to every aspect of your employee experience.
Time to level up DEX: creating a digital employee experience your workforce will love
Digital employee experience is about giving every employee the tech tools they need to feel connected, supported, and set up for success in the workplace.
We’ve seen the numbers. Bad DEX causes friction, frustration, and stress while good DEX has the power to boost employee satisfaction, engagement, and retention.
So what’s next? Start with your people. Find out what they like and dislike about your current tech stack. Identify areas for improvement. Figure out how you can simplify and streamline the digital experience without losing any of the features and functionality your employees rely on.
And if you decide that new workplace tech is a wise idea, take a closer look at Blink.
Our employee app acts as a digital hub for your organization, providing employees with mobile-first access to all the workplace tools and resources you use — and a user experience we know they’ll love.
Blink. And deliver a streamlined digital experience for all employees.
What leaders think they’re communicating — and what employees actually hear — aren’t always the same thing.
While9 in 10 managers say they have the skills to communicate effectively with their teams, just 67% of employees say their employer has been clear on the organization’s strategy and business priorities.
Only 60% of employees say their organization welcomes open and honest feedback. And just 58% of people say they trust their organization’s senior leadership team.
This gap poses a problem. Because the quality of your employee communications has a huge impact on your business. Beyond alignment and understanding, it affects employee engagement, productivity, and retention — which means it affects business profits, too.
In 2026, organizations need employee communication strategies that connect teams across offices, remote setups, and frontline operations. They need comms that meet employees where they’re at — with user-friendly, multimedia mobile experiences.
In this guide, we show you how to get there — how to share clear and consistent messages, bring your organization together, and reap all the benefits of good employee comms.
Contents
What is employee communication?
Why is employee communication so important?
What does good employee communication look like?
Types of employee communication
Employee communication channels: the good (and the not so good)
The best employee communication software for 2026
Creating an effective employee communication strategy: a step-by-step guide
Measuring success: employee communication goals and KPIs
How to improve employee communication: 5 bad habits to fix
What is employee communication?
Employee communication is how an organization shares information with its employees. It’s more than just sending messages. It’s about creating clarity, alignment, and connection across teams.
Employee comms can be shared over a variety of channels — email, an intranet, an employee app, a memo board. And they can move in all directions — top-down, bottom-up, and peer-to-peer.
Ultimately, employee communication is the foundation for engagement, collaboration, and a healthy company culture.
Why is effective employee communication so important?
Effective employee communication makes a big difference to your organization. That’s because it impacts all the following:
Employee engagement. Effective employee communication supports employee engagement and motivation. It helps employees feel valued and included, and creates a clear link between employee work and company goals.
Productivity. When employees get the information they need to do their jobs, they get more done. Effective communication clarifies expectations, reduces misunderstandings, and supports collaboration.
Company culture. The best employee communications highlight the values and mission of your organization. They showcase moments that reflect what your company is about. So employees feel part of something bigger.
Employee retention. When you communicate effectively as an organization, you reduce employee turnover. Staff are less likely to look for a job elsewhere when they feel like valued and productive members of your company.
Employee communication touches pretty much every corner of your organization. So it has a big impact on your bottom line, too. Miscommunication in the workplace costs US businesses an estimated $1.2 trillion in lost productivity every year.
Leaders and managers communicate openly with employees. They build trust by sharing information as honestly as possible. They explain the ‘why’ behind decisions so employees understand the bigger picture.
Easy to understand
Good communicators create messages that are easy for employees to understand. They use simple language, not complex jargon or acronyms. They put the most important information first. They use images, infographics, and videos so information is easy to digest.
Consistent
The best employee comms are consistent. They stick to the same tone and the same schedule. Employees come to expect regular, reliable comms — so they check in with your channels regularly.
Relevant
Effective employee communications are relevant. Comms teams use personalization and targeting tools to tailor messages to an employee’s role, location, team, and tenure.
Empathetic
Particularly at times of change or crisis, good employee communication is empathetic. It references how employees might be feeling and shows concern for their well-being.
Accessible
Effective employee communications are delivered over communication channels that all employees can access easily. That may mean taking comms digital — using mobile-first communication channels to reach office-based, remote, hybrid, and frontline teams.
Two-way
Two-way employee communications ensure information flows from employer to employee — and vice versa. This helps to build a strong company culture and makes employees more likely to engage with your comms.
Timely
Information is delivered to employees as and when they need it. Everyone is kept in the loop, and employees aren’t left to make sense of outdated messages.
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The difference between employee communication and internal communication
The terms employee communication and internal communication are often used interchangeably — and there is a lot of overlap between the two concepts.
However, internal communication refers to all communication within an organization. It includes employee-to-employee communication, communication between departments, and communication within teams.
Employee communication is a subset of internal communication. It refers specifically to the communication between an organization and its employees.
Types of employee communication
The type of employee communication at play in your organization is influenced by company culture and the personalities of your leadership team. But all communication styles fall into one of the following categories.
Passive communication
Passive communicators go with the flow. They avoid expressing their thoughts, feelings, or needs directly. They try to avoid conflict at all costs.
Pros:
The appearance of workplace harmony
Cons:
Problems go unresolved
A lack of direction and clarity for employees
Employees feel disengaged because the organization feels aloof and detached
Passive-aggressive communication
When people communicate passive-aggressively, they seem agreeable on the surface. But they voice their dissatisfaction indirectly. They show their feelings through negative behaviors, like sarcasm or backhanded compliments.
Pros:
The appearance of workplace harmony
Cons:
Creates employee mistrust and frustration
Employees are less likely to ask for help or voice their concerns
A lack of open communication in the workplace, so productivity and morale suffer
Aggressive communication
Organizations with an aggressive communication style have very little interest in the feelings and opinions of employees. Communication is forceful and focused on the goals of the organization. Aggressive communicators are also quick to blame employees when things go wrong.
Pros:
Quick decision-making
Sometimes, this approach can drive organizational results
Cons:
Creates a culture of fear and blame
Employees feel undervalued and disrespected, which leads to increased turnover
A lack of open communication
Assertive communication
Assertive communicators express their ideas and expectations clearly. They speak honestly and aren’t afraid to tackle interpersonal problems or give constructive feedback. When people communicate assertively, they balance their needs with the needs of others, showing consideration for employee thoughts and feelings.
Pros:
Encourages trust and transparency
Employees get clear direction and feedback, which supports productivity and morale
Enables an open dialogue, so employees feel able to share ideas and opinions
Fosters a respectful relationship between the organization and its employees, which encourages loyalty
Cons:
May require training in skills like emotional intelligence, empathy, and active listening
An assertive communication style is more attuned to the modern workforce and their needs — so it tends to get the best business results.
Bear in mind that the communication style you use in the workplace isn’t set in stone. So if you want to adopt an assertive communication style, the right practice and training can help you get there.
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Employee communication channels in 2026
In 2026, organizations are moving beyond traditional comms channels. They’re adopting channels that are mobile-first, interactive, and accessible to every employee — from desk-based teams to frontline workers.
Here’s a breakdown of the communication channels organizations are currently using (for better or worse) — and how effective they are in today’s modern workplace.
Memos, newsletters, and posters
Paper-based communication is fading fast. But some organizations with large frontline workforces (and without a frontline-focused communication tool) still rely on memos, newsletters, and posters.
These channels are top-down only, meaning employees can’t easily respond or collaborate. They’re also hard to track — you can’t know for sure whether employees are actually reading the information you share.
Meetings
Meetings have also gotten a bad rap in recent years. Despite being a forum for two-way communication, meetings (both on and offline) are increasingly seen as inefficient and overused.
60% of employees say that meetings hamper productivity, and 45% of employees say they increase their stress levels. In response, some organizations are rethinking the volume and format of meetings to try to keep this communication channel focused and effective.
Intranet platforms
Modern intranets have evolved far beyond those static document repositories we used to use. Today’s platforms are digital hubs for engagement, collaboration, and recognition.
Key communication tools include instant messaging for real-time interaction, a company news feed for updates, content hubs for resources and policies, and employee survey tools for gathering feedback. The best intranet software also integrates with the other workplace tools you use.
Employee apps
The employee app takes the intranet experience beyond desktop computers and puts it into the pocket of every employee. It makes intranet communication tools available on staff smartphones.
With a mobile-first design, these apps are intuitive and enjoyable to use. They give employees access to all workplace communications from a single, unified dashboard.
This makes them a great option for frontline employees, who don’t always have a corporate email address or easy access to a desktop computer or laptop.
Email
Email is still one of the most widely used communication tools in the workplace. You can use it to share updates with individuals, teams, or the whole company. But its success is part of the problem.
Employees receive a huge number of emails every day. This makes it hard to get messages to cut through. Email is also asynchronous, so it doesn’t support real-time conversation and collaboration.
Internal videos
An internal video is a great way to share messages with employees. While videos don’t allow for interaction, they are very engaging. Audio and visuals catch an audience’s attention.
You can use a video to share a leadership message with employees. This helps to humanize your leaders and build a strong connection with employees. You can also use videos and visuals to explain complex concepts, so they’re easier for employees to understand.
Instant messaging
Instant messaging tools support real-time communication. Notifications ensure messages are seen quickly, and search tools make it easy to find past conversations.
The best instant messaging tools provide an exceptional user experience. Otherwise, employees may revert to third-party apps — like WhatsApp — that were never designed for business use.
Unofficial messaging apps are a security risk. They fragment employee communication and they’re impossible to monitor effectively.
So, in 2026, you need instant messaging tools that are as intuitive, enjoyable, and convenient to use as the chat apps employees use away from work.
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Voice and video calling
The backbone of every remote and hybrid-working team, video conferencing software is one of the most popular communication tools of recent years. It allows organizations to communicate, face-to-face with employees, even when they’re not in the office.
Zoom and Google Meet are still some of the biggest players out there. But you can also find voice and video call tools built into the best intranet and employee app solutions — so employees don’t have to hop between platforms to connect with their team.
Internal social media
Internal social networks bring the engagement of social media into employee communications. Features often include:
Interactive news feeds with likes, comments, and shares
Audience segmentation to deliver relevant content
Permissions for posting and commenting
Multimedia content, like short-form video stories and quick-fire polls
A social-style experience helps employees connect — with each other, their leaders, and company culture.
Employee surveys
Employee surveys — sent over your intranet or employee app — are a great way to get employee feedback. You can ask staff about their workplace experience, upcoming changes, or even the quality of your staff communications.
You can then close the feedback loop by sharing survey results and an action plan across employee communication channels.
A content hub
A digital content hub is a centralized location where company documents live. Employees usually access this hub via your company intranet or app.
Here, employees can self-serve company resources — like policy documents, training materials, and safety updates. They can quickly and easily find the information they need without having to ask a manager or trawl through emails.
As long as it’s reliably and regularly updated, this hub can support a multi-channel communication strategy, linking relevant content across your app or intranet.
Co-worker communities
Co-worker communities support employee-to-employee communication. They’re a place where staff can connect around shared roles, locations, interests, or projects.
For frontline and distributed teams, communities recreate the conversations that happen naturally in physical workplaces. So they help employees feel less isolated and more connected.
Live stream events
Using live stream events, leaders can host town halls, company-wide updates, training sessions, and Q&As.
Live streaming combines the reach of broadcast communication with the energy of real-time interaction. Employees can watch from any device and participate through comments or questions. And if a live event doesn’t fit their shift pattern? They can watch a recorded version back later.
This is a way to reach all employees, regardless of location, with inclusive and engaging leadership content.
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SMS
For urgent messages, SMS communication is hard to beat. It’s useful for critical alerts, schedule changes, safety updates, and system outages.
It’s a great way to reach frontline employees who have limited access to a desktop computer. And in 2026, it works best as part of a broader, multi-channel strategy, not as a standalone solution.
You can send a brief update via SMS, linking to more information on your intranet or employee app.
The best employee communication software for 2026
The best employee communication software incorporates many of the communication channels listed above. It brings your people together. It cuts through the noise. And it makes employee communication feel simple — even in large, fast-moving organizations.
Here are some of the standout employee communication tools to consider in 2026.
Blink
Best for: companies with a mix of desk-based and frontline workers
Employees don’t need a company email address or a desktop computer to sign in to Blink. Instead, thanks to single sign-on technology, they can access all tools via a user-friendly, mobile interface. For those employees working in the office, Blink is available in a desktop version, too.
Other benefits of Blink include:
Integration with the other workplace software you use, including HRIS, training, and project management tools.
Powerful analytics that give you actionable insight into app usage, employee engagement, and the employee experience.
Communities and stories that promote peer-to-peer communication and connection.
AI-powered features that allow you to personalize and automate employee journeys, giving your staff the resources they need, when they need them.
Offering the same experience over mobile and desktop versions, Blink brings office-based and frontline teams together. It gives you everything you need to improve communication with employees, workplace culture, and employee engagement.
Slack
Best for: desk-based organizations
Slack is an instant messaging tool that supports asynchronous communication. It works well for desk-based and hybrid organizations using other platforms, like Google Drive.
You can launch chat threads, with a different thread for every company news topic. You can also launch Zoom meetings from any Slack channel, group, or message. Employees can access tools like file sharing, message search, and a task reminder function.
Slack was built first and foremost for desktop use. For organizations with large frontline workforces, the software’s mobile experience, notification controls, and broadcast capabilities can feel limiting.
Microsoft Viva Engage
Best for: organizations that already use Microsoft products
Microsoft Viva Engage works well with other products in the Microsoft suite. It acts as an internal social networking tool.
Employees can keep up-to-date with company news via the news feed. It’s also possible to create virtual town hall events with video and Q&A functions. The network facilitates private messaging, too, so it’s easy for employees to communicate with one another.
For organizations already heavily invested in Microsoft tools, Viva Engage can be a natural extension of existing workflows.
Motivosity
Best for: building a culture of recognition and rewards
Motivosity is a reward and recognition tool. It allows leadership and management to recognize employee achievements in a public forum. Then, allocate points that employees can spend in the Rewards Marketplace.
This tool also provides a social feed and space for company resources. You can schedule important posts ahead of time and create announcements on behalf of your executive team.
While Motivosity plays an important role in reinforcing culture and morale, it’s a point solution. It’s typically used alongside — rather than instead of — a broader employee communication platform.
Workvivo
Best for: culture and community building in remote and hybrid teams
Workvivo is an employee communication tool owned by Zoom. Features include a familiar news-feed-style interface, instant messaging, live video streaming, a people directory, and strong translation capabilities for multi-lingual organizations.
While Workvivo works well as an employee experience tool, it lacks some of the operational and mobile-first tools you get with other intranet and employee app software. So dive into the details to check it ticks all the boxes for your organization.
Creating an effective employee communication strategy: a step-by-step guide
Great employee communication doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of clear priorities, the right tools, and a strategy that understands the realities of how your people work. Here’s how to create an employee communication plan that gets results.
Step 1: Assess your current situation
Start by taking stock of your current staff communications. What’s working well? Which messages are cutting through? Which employee groups are you successfully reaching? How do you want to improve employee communications?
While your comms team has a lot of insight into this topic, don’t stop there. Seek opinions from across your organization. Find out what stakeholders at all levels think of your staff communications — and ask about the changes they’d like to see.
Step 2: Set goals and key performance indicators (KPIs)
With a good understanding of where you currently stand, you can start to picture where you want to get to. To judge the effectiveness of your employee communication strategy going forward, you need to set goals and KPIs.
Pick SMART goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound — and decide on the KPIs you’ll use to measure your success. Then, make a note of current KPIs as a benchmark.
Step 3: Define the type of employee communication content you want to share
Determining the types of content you want to share with employees will help you decide which employee communication tools best meet your needs.
You may want to communicate with employees via:
Multimedia social posts
Video meetings
Instant messaging
Self-serve resources
With a range of different communication content, you get the right message to the right person at the right time. You also create space for all types of communication — including top-down, bottom-up, formal, informal, private, and public communication.
The right tool will provide a range of built-in communication channels. It will also allow you to reach all employees — office-based, hybrid, remote, and frontline — with vital employee comms.
Step 5: Segment your audience
When employees receive lots of irrelevant workplace communication, they stop reading your messages. To avoid this, you need to segment your audience based on their:
Location
Role
Team
Tenure
You can then ensure that only relevant communications reach each employee, whether that’s on their intranet dashboard, the company news feed, or the content hub. The result is fewer missed messages and higher employee engagement.
Step 6: Create an employee communications calendar
Little and often is the best approach to employee communications. To keep your comms consistent, create a calendar and assign responsibilities.
Decide how messages will be shared — and when. Add regular events, like the quarterly Q&A with your CEO, the monthly employee newsletter, and regular employee surveys. Schedule social posts for your news feed and decide how often you’ll check and refresh the resources on your content hub.
By putting all comms tasks into your calendar, you can plan ahead — prepping leaders, seeking updates, and keeping the news feed populated with lots of engaging content.
Step 7: Provide team training
Even the best employee communication plan won’t succeed unless your team is up to speed. So provide training for anyone who’s responsible for creating and sharing comms.
Offer guidance on tone, clarity, empathy, and which channel to use for which type of message. Also, give creators advice on how to encourage employee interaction.
When people understand comms best practices, engagement with employee communications rises.
Step 8: Encourage leaders and managers to lead by example
Staff communications are more effective and engaging when they aren’t left solely to the internal communications team. Messages from leaders and managers really resonate with employees.
So encourage leaders and managers to maintain an active presence on company communication channels. Get them in front of the camera. Ask them to share a story or anecdote. Persuade them to post the odd selfie.
When employees see this type of content from their leaders, they’re more likely to follow suit. Which means your internal communication channels become a dynamic and engaging company hub.
Step 9: Track performance
After putting your employee communication strategy into action, track performance. Use the KPIs you set earlier to judge your progress and set new, more ambitious goals.
You can also make use of employee feedback and platform analytics. By diving into the data, on a team-by-team basis, you build a picture of how information is shared across your organization.
This will help you pinpoint managers who need extra communication training, communication channels that get the best levels of engagement, and the types of content that are most effective at getting a message across.
Measuring success: employee communication goals and KPIs
We talked about KPIs in the last section. But what KPIs give you the best indication of employee communication performance? Here are some of the communication metrics you might like to track.
Content engagement rates
Content engagement rates tell you how interesting your company’s content is. So track how many of your messages are opened. Also, track content engagement rates on your news feed by looking at the number of likes, shares, and comments your posts receive.
Message and feedback response time
When employees respond quickly to messages and feedback requests, it shows they understand what you’re asking them to do. It also indicates high levels of engagement on your communication channels.
Communication tool adoption
What proportion of your workforce uses your communication tools? Look at app download and usage rates. This metric tells you how user-friendly your communication platform is — and whether employees have been given enough training on how to use it.
Employee engagement
Good employee communications have a positive impact on employee engagement. So you can measure engagement to assess comms performance. Use analytics to gauge engagement across your communication channels and gather data on employee satisfaction with regular pulse surveys.
Leadership visibility
Leaders help drive engagement on your employee communication channels. So look at the number of messages leaders send and the consistency of their messaging. Also, analyze how employees interact with leadership messages specifically.
Employee sentiment
A good communications platform with powerful analytics makes it easy to assess employee sentiment across your communication channels. You find out how employees feel about your communications — and about the organization in general.
Employee retention
When workplace communication is poor, employees are more likely to leave. Track your employee retention rate alongside comms performance metrics to understand the wider impact of your employee communications.
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How to improve employee communication: 5 bad habits to fix
Bad employee communication habits erode engagement, trust, and employee attention. Here are some of the most common mistakes organizations make — and what you can do to fix them.
1. Saying too much
Try to say too much at once and you overwhelm employees with information. They find it harder to digest your content and end up skimming or ignoring future comms.
How to fix it:
Get clear on the most important message. Do this before you start writing. Then, lead with the most important point first.
Break complex information into smaller chunks. Create posts that tackle each part of the announcement, before publishing posts in a logical order.
Be consistent with your employee communications. Keep on top of comms and it’s easier to maintain a little and often approach.
2. Using only text
Text has long been the standard for employee communication. But — with the right employee communication platform — you have a wealth of tools at your disposal.
Fail to use them and you miss out on opportunities to engage employees and encourage two-way interaction.
How to fix it:
Share messages in different ways. Use text, images, short-form video, polls, and graphics.
Aim for a social media-style experience. Try to replicate the engaging experience employees get on social media apps away from work.
Send all messages to all employees and they’ll soon become overloaded with information. They’ll switch off from your employee communications, making it harder for you to cut through with critical messages.
How to fix it:
Segment your audience. The right communication tool will make this process easy. Then, select the relevant audience for each piece of content.
Use different communication channels. A closed team chat or an employee community are great places to share hyper-relevant content.
4. Failing to seek feedback from employees
Fail to seek employee feedback, and you can’t know for sure that your employee communications are effective. This makes it difficult for you to make meaningful improvements to your employee communication strategy.
How to fix it:
Send out regular employee surveys and polls. Get to know employee needs and expectations. Find out what they think about your communication platform, channels, and content.
Use intranet analytics. A good communication platform will provide in-depth data on your employee comms performance.
Create a feedback loop. Acknowledge employee feedback and explain what you plan to do next to sustain employee faith in the feedback process.
5. Using the wrong channel or platforms
Using multiple communication channels and platforms can cause confusion and overwhelm. Unless there’s a clear strategy for what goes where, employees will struggle to find the information they need.
Likewise, unless all employees can access your communication channels, you end up with fragmented and ineffective messaging. This can harm company culture, collaboration, and productivity.
How to fix it:
Clearly define your channels. Decide which content goes where. For example, company news could go on the news feed and evergreen content could go on your content hub. This approach ensures employees know where to go for different types of information.
Pick a platform that everyone can access. Ensure that all employees — those working in the office, at home, and on the frontlines of your organization — have equal access to employee communications and workplace tools.
Pick an all-in-one tool. Choose a feature-rich platform that provides deep integrations so employees don’t have to switch between lots of different workplace tools.
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Bring employee communications into 2026 with an all-in-one communication tool
Effective employee communication supports the smooth running of your organization and the satisfaction of your staff. It benefits employee motivation, productivity, collaboration, engagement, and retention.
When it comes to delivering employee communications and assessing their impact, the right employee communication software makes the task a whole lot easier.
A good employee communications platform provides:
A selection of engaging, two-way communication channels
Analytics tools that help you track KPIs
Desktop and mobile interfaces so you can reach your whole workforce
Integration with other workplace tools to prevent app overload
With an employee app, like Blink, it’s easy to maintain clear, consistent, two-way communications across your entire organization.