Why frontline engagement projects are just another empty party
We all know why we’re here. Frontline workers are quitting en masse: more than 55% of the US frontline left their posts in 2021. With many contributing factors, employee engagement remains an important part of the solution.
Unfortunately for C-suite execs at frontline organizations, unless decisive action is taken quickly, things will only get worse.
While the problem of frontline turnover has many contributing factors, from salary competition to changing workforce demographics, one important part of the solution remains constant: employee engagement.
And here lies the problem: most of the time, it doesn’t work.
“If you build it...they won’t actually come”
Frontline businesses have invested in engagement solutions and projects before, but regardless of the type of organization, these are generally met with tepid responses.
The list of fallen soldiers here is considerable: town halls, employee surveys, intranets, ERGs. And often, the response sounds something like this:
“Great, another thing to remember”
“It’s not a natural part of my day”
“It’s a one-off thing”
“It’s too hard to use”
Hours of time from leadership, People teams, Internal Comms functions and supervisors go into projects that rarely succeed in their mission. This is like the birthday party where the decorations are up, the cake is ready and the music’s on – but nobody’s showed up.
The result? Frontline workers aren’t sustainably engaged, the cycle of attrition continues and there’s little meaningful data in order to understand exactly what to do to fix it.
The solution: chips and dips
Turning this around warrants changing the way we think about employee engagement. For most businesses, employee engagement is a thing that we ‘do’ - it’s a project, an initiative, even a tool or an app. But this is where we’re going wrong.
The solution lies in approaching frontline engagement as something that we ‘earn’ - it’s an outcome, not an output.
To illustrate this, let’s return to our party. Anyone who’s ever been to a house party will be able to tell you exactly where most people end up: the kitchen. And why are they in the kitchen? Because that’s where the drinks, the mixers, the snacks and the ice is. There’s useful stuff there, and so they gravitate there, and the good times start rolling.
So to return to frontline engagement: put out the ‘chips and dips’. In other words, focus on providing frontline workers with services and tools that not only fit into their busy days, but make them better – and use that space to invite engagement.
How it works: chips, dips and paystubs
Blink is a new type of frontline engagement app that the average worker opens ten times per day! Blink brings the processes that frontline workers and their managers need all into one place – from payslips to scheduling and critical documents, all with one login. This is our ‘chips and dip’.
For leaders and managers looking for engagement, this is the time to swoop. The whole of the frontline’s eyeballs are on the app, which means that surveys get seen, important messages from the CEO and HQ are read, and the work being done to improve the working day gets cut-through.
If a once-yearly employee engagement survey is the equivalent of putting out samples at Costco in the hope that a nameless stranger will take a drive-by snack, this is the equivalent of the work cafeteria – the place where the whole companies gathers, day after day.
How to be a good frontline host: Elara Caring’s story
Elara Caring – one of the largest US-based providers of personal care, home health and hospice care – had a frontline engagement problem when we first met them last year. With a 62% turnover rate of their more than 32,000 personal care attendants (PCAs), the leadership team needed sustainable engagement badly.
In adopting Blink, Elara looked to empower its PCAs and make their lives easier – and get engagement and loyalty in return.
They used Blink to remove the burden of paper-based admin: Elara’s PCAs had to constantly fill out expenses and other forms on paper. Blink’s solution was to integrate these manual processes and systems into a single app. Payslips, expenses and mileage reporting, key information from Sharepoint, schedules and rotas were all suddenly available to Elara’s PCAs at their fingertips.
The benefits for Elara’s PCAs? Time savings, with more attention devoted to their “real jobs” than ever before.
The benefits for Elara Caring? Sustainable engagement, with 95% of employees saying that they now feel more connected to the company. PCAs have begun to use Blink to create a community – and sub-communities – within the organization, creating the connection and cohesion that makes them stay.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dINw_Y7CjWQ
In conclusion: good parties don’t skimp on the guac
In a war for a diminishing talent pool, the need to directly address frontline engagement has never been more acute. But it’s also shown where there are failings in trying to get engagement from the activities and programs that work for desk-based, white-collar workers. The key to success for the frontline is to not only fit into frontline life, but to make frontline life better and easier – and use that digital space you’ve created to finally connect your people.
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From fairy tales to blockbuster movies to conversations with family and friends, we’re surrounded by stories — and have been since we were tiny babies. Stories are how we learn and make sense of the world.
Stories also have a powerful impact on the brain. Neuroscience shows that stories awaken our senses, help us remember information, and create a sense of human connection.
Using storytelling for business is, therefore, a really effective way to engage employees with your messaging. It’s also a great way to convey information quickly and effectively to time-poor frontline workers.
We know not everyone is a creative writer. But we also believe that with the right approach, you can make business storytelling an integral part of your organization.
So in this article, we’ll walk you through some of our best tips for using company storytelling for your internal communications. Let’s start by looking at some common storytelling structures.
Some popular storytelling structures
Storytelling has existed since the development of language itself. As Yuva Noah Harari explains in his book Sapiens:
“It is the distinctive ability to believe in stories that separate sapiens from other creatures. You could never convince a monkey to give you a banana by promising him limitless bananas after death in monkey heaven.”
Storytelling is one of the foundational pillars of society. It’s shaped our understanding of right and wrong for generations. From 30,000-year-old cave drawings in France to Aesop’s fables to the urban legends teenagers share today, all cultures in history have told stories.
And despite there being stories about every topic and every character imaginable, stories tend to fall into a surprisingly small number of categories. Knowing these categories can help when you’re creating your own corporate stories.
The seven basic plots
Some people argue that you can put every single story ever created into one of these seven categories.
Rags to riches. A character finds power, money, or love, loses it, and then wins it back. Example: Cinderella.
The quest. The main character has to reach a location or fulfill an objective, conquering obstacles along the way. Example: The Lord of the Rings.
Rebirth. A character changes their ways and becomes a better person. Example: A Christmas Carol.
Overcoming the monster. A hero has to overcome an evil force. Example: Any James Bond movie.
Comedy. A story designed to make people laugh by subverting expectations and mixing the familiar with the absurd. Example: Bridget Jones’ Diary.
Tragedy. The main character makes a big mistake or demonstrates a character flaw which leads to their undoing. Example: Bonnie and Clyde.
Voyage and return. A character goes to a strange land, overcomes the challenges there, and returns home with newfound experience or knowledge. Example: Gulliver’s Travels.
The hero’s journey
The hero’s journey is another popular story structure. A hero is living happily in their comfort zone when something unexpected happens and they’re forced into an adventure.
Here are some examples:
Harry Potter lives with the Dursleys. Hagrid comes to take him to Hogwarts.
Frodo Baggins lives with Bilbo in Hobbiton. Bilbo sets off on a journey leaving the ring to Frodo.
Barbie lives in Barbieland. But when she starts behaving strangely, Weird Barbie sends her to the real world.
This same basic template can be found across countless books, movies, and TV shows — and it tends to follow the same 12 steps.
A hero is called to an adventure. They experience tests, allies, and enemies. They reach a low point before finding a solution and returning back to their original lives as a hero.
How these popular story structures can support business storytelling
We’re not suggesting that you go and write a whole novel or screenplay about your organization. But there are a few things we can learn from these storytelling structures.
First, storytelling is not just a talent people are born with or without. There are structures you can follow and techniques you can learn. It’s perfectly possible for your internal communications team to tell compelling corporate stories.
Second, structures like the hero’s journey lend themselves beautifully to storytelling in corporate communications. Challenges intrigue your audience and get them to empathize with the hero. But the hero always achieves their goal. So success is another important and inspiring part of the story.
By incorporating key story elements — compelling characters, emotional ups and downs, and a popular story structure — into your internal communications, you can create messages that engage your employees. You make your messages more memorable and create a sense of connection between employees and your organizational values.
How to supercharge engagement with internal communication storytelling
There are lots of ways to boost employee engagement with your internal communications.
You can give employees a voice with communication tools that support bottom-up communication. You can celebrate achievements and recognize hard work.
Simply giving employees the right information improves their motivation and morale. Employees who receive enough information to do their jobs well are 2.8 times more likely to feel engaged in their work.
Business storytelling is another strategy to add to your list. And however you choose to use storytelling for business, here are some tips that will help you make your stories more engaging for employees.
1. Make it easy
Many organizations use outdated internal communication software that makes it hard to share stories. Some are still using email newsletters or paper memos as their only channels of internal communication. So storytellers find it hard to get their stories seen.
You can make it easy for everyone to tell corporate stories by assessing your internal communication tech and — if it isn’t streamlined and user-friendly — consider other internal communication software providers.
2. Share corporate stories as they happen
The more relevant a story, the more impact it tends to have. Workers like to see authentic stories that are happening in real-time, not stories about an event or accomplishment that happened weeks ago.
Share corporate stories as they happen and employees are more inclined to respond to them in the moment. They’ll then amplify the story by sharing or commenting on it.
3. Mix it up
When storytelling for internal communications, you can get creative. You can use stories to convey all sorts of information. Here are a few ideas.
Share a customer success story. Share a case study explaining a customer pain point, describing how a frontline team member supported the customer, and the outcome your customer achieved. Use quotes from the customer and a video or photos, so employees can put a face to the name.
Share the story of your organization. Tell the story of how your company came to be. This type of story works really well during the onboarding process. Be authentic. Share the challenges founders faced, how they overcame them, and what their plans are for the future.
Paint a picture. The characters in your stories don’t have to be real. You can use imagined characters to paint a picture for employees. For example, when explaining how a new process will benefit customers, create a customer character — let’s call her Sarah — and describe the process from her point of view.
Celebrate an employee milestone. Rather than simply recognizing an employee for their hard work, describe the journey they’ve taken within the company. Start with their nervous first days and lead on to their current successes.
There are countless ways to weave stories into your internal communications. So don’t be afraid to mix it up and try new things.
4. Bring stories to town hall meetings
Whether you conduct town hall meetings in person — or involve remote and frontline workers by live streaming — starting with a story is a great way to build rapport.
When leaders tell stories — any stories — they come across as more human. This makes it easier for employees to trust the organization’s leadership and makes them more likely to contribute to the meeting with their own questions and comments.
According to Ally Bunin, Global Head of Internal Communications Stories at Russell Reynolds Associates:
“Starting with a story is the best way to open a town hall. We encourage our team to share a personal story, even if it's not related to the topic of the town hall meeting. A story makes them more relatable, and it's so important to be a human first.”
5. Be authentic
Stories are compelling because — sometimes — things go wrong for the hero. So don’t gloss over the failures or challenges involved in your stories, even those that come from senior leaders.
Stories told with honesty and authenticity are much more engaging for employees. Therefore, leaders should aim to tell their own stories, rather than relying on polished scripts.
Even if the business is struggling right now and you’re sharing bad news, you’ll make a better impact with a sincere story than with an airbrushed version of events.
The more open you are in your storytelling for internal communications, the more inclined your workers are to believe in what you say. And they’ll not shy away from lending their support.
6. Avoid information overload
When marketing to customers, a company takes steps to ensure that its messages are relevant to each segment of the audience. You should try to do the same for employees.
Corporate stories only resonate with employees when they’re relevant to them and their roles. So —as part of your internal communications strategy — be sure to segment your audience and personalize messages for each sector of your workforce.
This helps to avoid information overload. And because employees come to expect relevant internal communication messages, they’re less likely to switch off from your communication channels.
7. Use the power of repetition
While you want to avoid information overload, you need to make your most important stories stand out and sink in.
Stories tied to your mission, brand, values, and identity should stick in the hearts and minds of employees. To achieve this, you need to repeat those stories often.
Take inspiration from Howard Schultz, the former CEO of Starbucks. Schultz often recited an anecdote about his travels to Milan. It was in Italy that he discovered brewed espresso for the first time and became convinced that coffee shops could be big business in the US.
Schultz shared this story at many different times, events, and locations. He did this to inspire workers, to show his human side, and to emphasize that the Starbucks brand is about more than just selling coffee. It’s about delivering an experience.
Search for Howard Schultz and his name is now synonymous with this story. Repetition has helped him to create a company legend that has engaged and motivated Starbucks employees for years.
Internal communication storytelling for your organization
Company storytelling is a powerful way to improve your internal communications.
Company stories are engaging. They prompt emotion in employees, which makes them feel more bonded to your organization. And while the corporate world tends towards numbers and charts, there’s scientific proof that stories live longer in the memory than even the most impressive stats.
These storytelling benefits can help you achieve your internal communication goals. You can encourage more employees to use your intranet or employee app. You can get more employees to read and engage with your content. You can ensure that important messages are being read and remembered.
In today’s modern workplace — with the help of internal communication tech tools, like Blink — it’s easier than ever to use storytelling for business. You don’t have to rely on edited corporate announcements that receive little engagement.
Instead, you can create and curate stories from across the organization. You can tell stories using engaging multimedia content, like video or live stream. Employees can comment on news feed stories — and create their own content, too.
What’s more, because Blink is a mobile-first employee app, you can put business stories at the fingertips of every employee, whether they work in the office or on the frontline of your organization.
Gamification = a better employee experience, right?
Gamification sounds like an easy win for employee experience — sprinkle in some points, add a leaderboard, boom: engagement. Right?
Not so fast. When gamification is all gimmick and no grounding, it doesn’t inspire employee motivation. It just causes irritation. But when it’s rooted in human connection, meaningful progress, and the way employees actually work? That’s where the magic happens.
Ready to level up your workplace gamification strategies and really move the dial on employee experience? Let’s explore how.
Why gamification works
At its core, gamification taps into what makes work feel energizing — progress, recognition, and a little bit of healthy competition.
Traditionally, it takes game elements we see in customer experience, social media, and other aspects of our personal lives — like point scoring, badges, leader boards, challenges, and levels — and applies them to workplace activities.
Done right, gamification makes routine tasks more engaging and builds momentum around key goals or behaviors. By celebrating wins, making progress visible, and providing social validation, it helps to drive employee engagement.
In fact, 90% of employees say gamification makes them more productive at work. So how exactly does it work? Time for a little neuroscience.
Gamification fires up the brain’s reward system. When we make progress towards a goal or receive recognition, our brains release dopamine — the “happy hormone.”
We feel good. So we’re more likely to repeat the behavior that gave us that dopamine hit.
This is why Duolingo’s streak counter keeps millions of users practicing languages (and now chess!). It’s why Fitbit’s step goals push people to walk just that bit further. And it’s why many organizations have jumped on the gamification bandwagon.
That same psychology is what makes micro-moments of progress on modern intranet apps — think quick reactions, streaks, and bite-sized challenges — so sticky for today’s workforce.
The best programs boost employee productivity and satisfaction with regular dopamine hits throughout the day. But gamification schemes aren’t always successful.
Without a set purpose and complementary employee experience strategy, gamification can end up feeling like a gimmick and the fun quickly fades from the experience.
When “fun” feels fake: Where gamification falls down
Gamification can boost everything in the employee lifecycle, from the onboarding experience to performance management — but only when it’s done with empathy and intention.
Not every challenge, badge, or leaderboard adds value to the employee journey. In fact, when gamification is rolled into internal comms without empathy or intention, it can easily backfire.
Here’s where gamification can go wrong:
Meaningless badges. If employees don’t understand what a badge represents — or if a badge doesn’t feel connected to real progress — it’s just another notification to ignore. Badges should feel earned and reflect achievements that matter to employees and your organization.
Forced competitions. Friendly competition can feel motivating. But forcing it on people who are already stressed and stretched too thin? It becomes a source of pressure, not playfulness.
Public shame for low performers. A leaderboard that constantly highlights the team’s “losers” is a quick way to erode morale. Not everyone wants their performance broadcast across the company.
Praise for only some personalities. Games skewed to extroverts or competitive types leave large segments of your workforce disengaged. Everybody should have the chance to win points and prizes.
Focus on company goals. Gamification can achieve big things for your business. Think better employee retention and improved cultural experience! But make corporate KPIs your only focus and employees see games for what they are — another performance metric, not a genuine engagement tool.
Time to reboot your gamification strategy? Let’s look at what employees really want.
Time to level up with smarter gamification strategies
Great workplace gamification isn’t about tricking people into working harder. It’s about making progress visible, recognition effortless, and participation feel natural — without the noise of points-for-the-sake-of-points.
Strategic gamification gives employees organic recognition and reward within their everyday workflow. Here’s how to improve employee experience by weaving gamification through your workday.
Figure out what you want to achieve
Gamification only works when it’s solving the right problem. Too often, organizations roll out leaderboards or points systems hoping to fix issues that need a very different kind of intervention.
For example, if your people are disengaged because they’re burnt out, they don’t need a competition. They’re more likely to need better workload balance and well-being support.
Start by asking: What’s the real challenge here? And work to fix root causes first.
Then, layer gamified digital experiences that are linked to real business goals and employee needs. When you set clear, measurable outcomes, gamification is more likely to have the desired employee experience results.
Celebrate micro-wins
Not every victory deserves a burst of confetti and a standing ovation. But every small success deserves something.
Those micro-wins are the secret sauce — tiny jolts of momentum that keep people moving forward without the corporate fanfare. And celebrating these moments in the flow of work creates a steady rhythm of employee recognition.
Aim for something like this:
Daily. Quick kudos or emoji reactions when small tasks are completed.
Weekly. Shoutouts for team collaboration or creative problem-solving.
Monthly. Digital badges or spotlight features for outstanding contributions.
The dopamine boost from these mini celebrations is real. And it adds up. By regularly highlighting micro-wins, you embed organic gamification into your company culture and start building a great place to work from the inside out.
Harness the power of peer recognition
If workplace gamification had a co-op mode, it’d be peer recognition.
Badges and leaderboards are nice to have. But a simple high-five from a co-worker can provide a much more meaningful motivation boost. That’s because public peer recognition is visible, instant, and social — everything good gamification should be.
So give employees the internal communication channels they need to award kudos, nominate co-workers for a reward, or add their congratulations to a recognition post.
These organic moments of appreciation are great for company culture. They work wonders for the motivation of both those receiving recognition and those dishing it out.
And an added bonus? When recognition happens in the moment — not buried in a quarterly award ceremony — it becomes a natural part of how your workplace culture works, not a box to tick.
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Launch news feed challenges
Your intranet platform isn’t just a noticeboard. It can be an employee’s go-to place for connection, interaction, and fun. But only if you venture beyond the standard corporate memo.
Add a few game mechanics to everyday moments throughout the employee journey. Set regular news feed challenges that create friendly competition and a sense of shared achievement. Some ideas?
Run a caption challenge tied to a weekly theme
Invite people to share short day-in-the-life clips or “work hacks”
Let teams submit photos of wins, then vote for the standout moment
These micro-challenges use the same principles as gamification — visible progress, social validation, and small rewards that keep people coming back for more.
Make it interactive
Gamification thrives on interactivity — it’s the difference between reading instructions and actually picking up the controller. You can bring that same energy into your employee communications by designing moments where people see change and impact in real time.
Here are a few ideas:
Pulse surveys and polls. Let people click and vote. Show engagement survey results instantly or follow up with a summary of employee feedback and a plan of action to show cause and effect. Mix and match employee surveys with pulse survey tools to minimize survey fatigue and better enable 360 feedback.
Progress bars. Add visual progress indicators — for training modules, or even as an online video story plays. Also, share employee data that others will care about. For example, 82% of you have completed cyber-security training this week — can we get to 100%?
Countdown timers. Create excitement for live events or new initiatives with a countdown. The ticking timer creates buzz, curiosity, and a sense of employee satisfaction when the new content drops.
Keep it authentic
If there’s one golden rule of gamification, it’s this — never fake the fun.
Nothing tanks engagement faster than games that feel mandatory, corporate, or designed to squeeze a little more output from already-stretched teams. Employees can spot the difference between something genuinely built to improve employee experience and something built with the company’s bottom line as a priority.
People join in when games are fun and playful. So keep things human. Make participation voluntary. And, most of all, keep things simple.
When your gamified moments feel natural — fitting with the flow of everyday work — they make the biggest difference to employee experience.
Our POV? Real engagement, not artificial rewards = employee experience results
Gamification doesn’t need to be flashy. It doesn’t need a complicated leaderboard or digital trophies. Instead, the best gamification feels purposeful and playful — and fits seamlessly within your workflow.
At Blink, we’ve seen how intuitive, mobile-first design turns everyday actions into effortless bursts of engagement. Quick reactions become micro-rewards. Employee surveys act like mini-challenges. Stories feel like new levels unlocking. When these moments are woven naturally into the workday, they spark real connection — without a single gimmicky badge in sight.
And when you base your gamification strategies around social interaction, connection and community become a reward in themselves. It stops being about badges and points, and starts being about people — meaning a more organic and meaningful employee experience.
Keith has been with Metroline since 1997 and is currently based at the Willesden Junction Garage in London. Starting first as a bus driver, he transitioned to the role of Driving Instructor in 2001 and is now a skilled PCV Driving Examiner.
Keith is passionate about delivering a high-class, professional service whether training others or conducting tests on behalf of the DVSA. New drivers appreciate his empathy, experience, and great sense of humor. Keith is also incredibly supportive of new members in the department, including the very person who nominated him: Andrew Price.
While he loves the transport industry, his other great love in life is Ipswich Town FC Football Club. When he’s not training new drivers, he’s at Portman Road Stadium cheering on the Tractor Boys in the Premier League.
What does he want to do next?
Continue to improve the standards at which we conduct training to produce the best in class drivers and improve their experience along the way.
Nominated by: Andrew Price, Senior Driver Trainer and Delegate Driving Examiner
Grant has been with Brighton & Hove for 37 years and now he organizes the buses run out for us.
He is in at 04:00 every day and is never sick. He liaises with Engineering for available buses, plans the run out order, and keeps our bus board updated. He will make sure that the buses run out smoothly and on time and helps all of the drivers as well as the coach drivers, with any queries or if they need assistance with maneuvering, etc. He assists us Supervisors where required with ticket machine problems etc and willingly takes ownership of the state of the garages.
Grant is a true frontline hero and we don’t always show our appreciation enough Thank you Grant!
How has Blink helped in his role?
Grant uses Blink to communicate with the other departments, drivers, and supervisors to ensure that all relevant information is passed on.
What does he want to do next?
Grant has found his niche and is happily counting the days until he can retire.
At Blink, we’re continuously evolving our employee experience platform to meet the dynamic needs of organizations and their diverse teams. Our Summer 2025 product release showcases the newest features that will soon be coming to the Blink platform.
Staying true to our commitment to exceptional employee experiences — whether in the field or at the desk — we’re thrilled to introduce our latest innovations. These updates are about more than shiny features. They’re about helping you build the kind of employee experience your people deserve: personal, powerful, and actually easy to use.
From streaming that stops the scroll to governance that keeps content clean, our Summer 2025 release is all about creating smoother, smarter communication — for everyone.
#1. Live streaming: A better way to broadcast
All eyes on your next big announcement. Blink Live now delivers a high-end, broadcast-quality experience — straight to the devices your people already use.
Whether it’s a town hall or training, your live streams just got a serious glow-up.
What’s new:
Instant replay with DVR mode: Viewers can rewind in real time — no more “Wait, what did they say?”
Auto on-demand playback: Every live stream is automatically saved, so people can catch up on their own time.
Captions for accessibility: Every word, loud and clear — and readable.
Preview studio for presenters: Test your mic. Fix your lighting. Go live with confidence.
Coming soon: Streaming on mobile — because your frontline deserves a front-row seat.
This isn’t just another video tool. Blink Live is built for scale, mobile, and moments that matter.
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#2. “Save for later” mode: Access your Hub, no WiFi needed
No signal? No problem. With new “Save for later” functionality in the Hub, employees can now save posts and resources for later — perfect for planes, underground tunnels, or dodgy breakroom Wi-Fi.
Everything syncs automatically when employees are back online. It’s a seamless experience that keeps everyone in the loop — no matter where work happens.
What’s new:
Save any post to view offline — perfect for on-the-go teams
Automatic syncing when connection is restored
Built-in functionality, no extra tools or downloads required
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#3. Review cycles: Enhanced content governance
Good governance shouldn’t slow you down. This release brings built-in review cycles and post approvals to the Hub — so your comms stay compliant, on-brand, and typo-free.
It’s easier than ever to manage content at scale — without needing extra tools or workarounds.
What’s new:
Set custom review and approval workflows directly in the Hub
Assign reviewers and approvers by team or content type
Track post status in real time — draft, in review, or approved
#4. Translations & localizations: Speak their language
Whether you’re global or just growing, Blink now supports seamless translations and localized experiences across the platform.
From Hub posts to notifications, your people will see content in the language that works best for them — automatically.
This is more than a translation tool. It’s a step toward a more inclusive employee experience.
What’s new:
Automatically deliver content in your employees’ preferred language
Support for global teams with localized experiences across the platform
Built-in translation tools — no copy/paste or third-party apps needed
#5. Post approvals: Open the feed, keep the control
The best content often comes from the frontlines — but without controls in place, organizations often lock down the Feed to avoid risk.
Post Approvals let you safely open up content creation to a wider audience. When enabled, user-generated posts require approval before they go live. Group Admins and Org Admins can review posts for quality, tone, and relevance — so you can encourage participation without compromising your message.
It’s moderation without micromanagement.
What’s new:
Control content at the group level by enabling “Requires Approval” in the Admin Panel
User-generated posts are held for review when targeting approval-enabled groups
Group Admins or Org Admins approve posts, depending on the audience
No edits after submission — approved or declined posts are final (for now!)
#6. Ghostwriters: Your voice, their words
Sometimes, the person with the message isn’t the one with the time to write it. Enter Ghostwriters — a smarter way to keep leadership visible, consistent, and active on the Feed.
Now, trusted users (like your comms team) can post and comment on behalf of others — say, your CEO, a store director, or anyone else who needs a hand shaping their message. It’s transparent, trackable, and totally above board — everyone involved gets notified and stays in the loop.
It’s like sharing a voice — not a password.
What’s new:
Assign trusted users to post or comment on behalf of others — like execs or team leads
Posts appear as the original author, with their name and profile photo
Authors and ghostwriters are notified, and ghostwriters can only post where they have access
Setup is simple via the Admin Portal under “Publishing Profiles”
#7. Voice notes: A new era of workplace communication
Not everything needs to be typed. Sometimes, the fastest way to explain, empathize, or just say thanks is with your actual voice.
Voice Notes let your team send audio messages in chats and channels — perfect for fast updates, shift changes, or a quick “you’ve got this” before a big day. They’re human, easy to use, and ideal for mobile-first teams who work with their hands, not keyboards.
Now your comms can sound a little more like… you.
What’s new:
Record and send voice messages in chats or channels (mobile only)
Listen on mobile or web with full playback controls
Pause, scrub, reply, forward, or report — just like a regular message
Connecting your team, whether they're remote, in-office, or frontline, requires seamless communication and engagement.
Team communication apps centralize your team chats, updates, engagement, and experience, unifying your workforce by enabling everyone to stay aligned, regardless of location.
Our list reviews the best internal communication tools for small businesses with under 500 employees and the best internal comms app for large enterprises.
Telling you what each one does best, who it's for, and what you'll pay.
Let's see what the 9 best team communication apps for 2026 offer and which one suits your business.
How to choose the best team communication app
Clear, real-time communication is mission-critical for every team, regardless of industry or organization size. The 2025 International Employee Communication Impact Study found that a whopping 61% of employees felt that communication at their organization had broken down to a point that they considered leaving.
When poor communication affects employees, there’s a trickle-down effect that leads to missed deadlines, unhappy clients, and concerned stakeholders — all of which impact your bottom line.
So what’s the best solution? Team communication apps.
These apps provide key functions and features to help your team — whether remote, in-office, or frontline — stay connected and in sync. Using team chat, video calls, file sharing, and other vital workflow integrations, team communication apps have everything you need to keep your team aligned.
Highlights
The right team communication app aligns with how your team works, not the other way around. Prioritize tools that support your team’s size, location, and communication style (chat, video, file sharing, etc.).
Top apps for 2026 include Blink, Connecteam, Troop Messenger, Slack, Staffbase, Flock, Sling, Workvivo, and Simpplr, each tailored for different business types — from small, mobile-first teams to large global enterprises.
Key features to look for include real-time messaging, file sharing, video calls, admin tools, integrations (with HR, CRM, and project management software), mobile accessibility, and security compliance.
To find the best fit, run a short pilot with real tasks, validate usability and adoption, and ensure the platform enhances collaboration, engagement, and company culture, especially in hybrid or remote work environments.
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Here's how you choose the best team communication app
The goal, as Blink emphasizes, is to choose a team communication app that fits your team's way of working, not the other way around.
Decide on your team's communication style: Is it instant messaging, video, or file sharing?
Consider your team's location (are they remote, hybrid, or on-site?)
Think about your team's size, growth plans, and any data-related rules you need to follow
2. Lock in those core features
Ensure your team can communicate using tools such as instant messaging, threads, calls, file sharing, and organized channels. Note: Only 26% of people use online chat tools to communicate with co-workers, while 17% use project management tools, and 9% use other tools, including Microsoft Teams and WhatsApp (source: Project.co).
Confirm your tools' admin controls (user management, permissions, guest access) to ensure they align with your setup
3. Confirm integrations
Prioritize project management, CRM, calendar, file storage, HR, and payroll to check that the app integrates seamlessly and doesn't fragment workflows
4. Check usability and adoption
Look for reliable desktop and mobile apps with intuitive user integration, fast onboarding, and strong search/navigation/notification features. Because if your team doesn't (or can't) use the app, the features won't matter
5. Validate security and compliance
If your business handles private information, confirm the app's encryption, user access controls, storage policies, and certifications
6. Model scale and total cost
Plan at least 12–24 months ahead, considering licenses, storage, add-ons, mobile usage, training, and support/SLAs (like support responsiveness and uptime) to ensure pricing and user licensing scale smoothly
7. Fit your culture
Choose a tool that aligns with how your brand works (consider updates and teamwork), and ensure it includes user rules for guests and sharing outside the company
Handy tip
Try out your new team communication app with real tasks to see how well your team communicates and works together.
And if you're choosing team communication tools for SMBs, shortlist two options and run a two-week pilot following the advice above.
Mobile-first employee communication and engagement tool, built for frontline/deskless workers, is also one of best internal comms app for large enterprise.
News feed, secure chat, digital forms/surveys, analytics, recognition
From $4.50/user/month (business plan)
Connecteam
All-in-one management tool (communication, scheduling, timeclock, tasks) for non-desk/shift workers
Scheduling, time-tracking, GPS/geo-fencing, forms/checklists, communication hub
Free up to 10 users; Basic $29/month (first 30 users, annual), then per-user add-on
Troop Messenger
Secure team messaging & collaboration; focused on chat/calls
1:1 & group chat, audio/video calls, screen sharing, guest access, unlimited search history
From $2.50/user/month (Premium); higher tiers up to $9/user/month
Slack
Advanced team collaboration/messaging platform with many integrations — ideal for knowledge workers
Blink's mobile-first employee experience platform connects and engages every worker (especially frontline and deskless employees) through a single digital hub by unifying internal comms with video calling and chat, news feeds, recognition, digital forms, and analytics.
Making it one of the best internal communication tools for small businesses with under 500 employees that rely on mobile staff.
Best suited for:
Startups, SMBs, and larger companies, with a significant number of non-desk employees (such as retail, manufacturing, logistics, hospitality, and field projects).
Blink pros:
Combines chat, news feed, forms, recognition, and analytics in one app
High engagement potential, Blink claims to reach 95% of the workforce
Built for mobile/deskless workers, ensuring inclusion and access
Enhances your team's alignment, recognition, and connection
Blink cons:
Blink's strengths are communication and engagement, rather than scheduling or shift management
Businesses with large frontline teams can find the per-user pricing setup expensive
Integrations:
Blink works with single sign-on/identity providers (including Okta and Active Directory Federation Services)
It integrates with HR systems like Workday, ServiceNow, and UKG
Blink connects to various cloud tools and knowledge bases
Blink key features:
Analytics and insights on team engagement and content impact
Recognition and employee contribution features (e.g., Kudos)
Records employee journeys to provide onboarding support
Live streaming/events for broadcast-style communication
Knowledge base for policies and procedures
Mobile-first chat and secure messaging
Digital forms and survey tools
Social-style news feed
Blink pricing:
Free: Blinks offers a 30-day free trial.
Business plan: $4.50/user/month (up to 1,000 users)
Enterprise plan: Custom pricing for larger organizations
Connecteam is an all-in-one employee management app for mobile, deskless, and shift-based workforces.
It combines scheduling, time tracking, task lists, forms, HR, and skills in one platform, and is ideal for frontline and remote teams that need more than chat.
Best suited for:
Businesses from startups to SMBs and mid-market with mixed desk and non-desk workers. Organizations in retail, hospitality, field services, and logistics will find the app especially useful when they need to upgrade their scheduling, tracking, and communication.
Connecteam pros:
Combines scheduling, time tracking, communication, forms, and task management
Free small business plan for up to 10 employees with full feature access
Designed for non-desk and operational teams
Includes HR and skills tracking tools
Connecteam cons:
Some advanced features (like GPS tracking or automation) are only available in higher tiers
Complex to set up and use because of its many features
Pricing can increase as your business grows
Integrations:
Connecteam’s Application Programming Interface (API) enables simple automation and syncing
Company chat/communications connect with existing tools
Handy time tracking, HR systems, and payroll features
Connecteam key features:
Mobile communication/chat and knowledge feed
Shift management and scheduling
Task and checklist management
Onboarding and training tools
HR and skills tracking module
GPS tracking and time clock
Forms and reporting
Connecteam pricing:
Free plan: Up to 10 employees, then $0.50/user/month per user.
Basic: $29/month for up to 30 users (annual billing); additional users beyond 30 are $0.80/user/month
Troop Messenger is a secure team collaboration and communication tool with chat, audio messaging, video chat, file sharing, and enterprise-grade options. Perfect for teams that want real-time messaging without the overhead of a large platform and that don’t need HR or scheduling modules.
Best suited for:
Small to medium teams (SMBs) that need real-time communication, chat, calls, and sharing, especially where cost matters, and complete workforce management modules aren`t essential.
Troop Messenger pros:
Includes chat, audio/video, screen sharing, guest access, searchable history
Scalable with enterprise-level options
Affordable entry-level pricing
Troop Messenger cons:
Limited integrations and fewer advanced operations/workflow modules than other, more expensive team communication apps
Whilst giving you control over the settings, its on-premise/custom deployments can complicate the pricing
Integrations:
APIs for enterprise or custom deployment to partners and external developers
Dropbox, Google Drive, Jira, and Zapier
Troop Messenger key features:
Identity and authentication management systems, LDAP/Active Directory, and SSO
Collaboration tools: Including code editor, meeting notes, and tasks
A leading team communication platform with direct messaging (DMS), file sharing, fast integrations, and workflow automation, Slack is built for knowledge-based and distributed teams that rely on multiple apps.
Best suited for:
Medium to large outfits, especially knowledge workers and remote teams, depending on integrations, automation, and real-time collaboration.
Slack pros:
Strong messaging, channels, automation, and search
Free tier available for small teams
Thousands of integrations
Slack cons:
Overpowering for teams with simple communication needs
For large companies, the per-user pricing adds up quickly
No optimization for frontline and non-desk workers
Integrations:
Too many to mention, with integration available for thousands of apps, bots, custom integrations, workflow automations, and APIs
Slack key features:
App integrations, including but not limited to HR, CRM, and DevOps
Staffbase is a mobile-first internal communications platform for large, distributed teams, offering branded employee apps, targeted messaging, and analytics to reach the right people at the right time. A solid solution for large enterprises needing strategic internal comms at scale.
Best suited for:
Large companies with frontline/deskless workforces in multiple sites/countries that require a strategic internal comms platform with deep targeting and analytics.
Staffbase pros:
Strong targeting and engagement analytics
Made for mobile and deskless workers
Scales well for large enterprises
Staffbase cons:
Set-up and management require significant internal communication
Custom pricing is high (see pricing below)
Integrations:
Analytics platforms, HR/CRM systems, and mobile app frameworks
APIs for custom modules and branded experiences
Staffbase key features:
Content management/feed/news stream
Multi-location and multi-language support
Analytics/dashboards on engagement
Branded employee mobile app/hub
Targeted messaging/segmentation
Staffbase pricing:
Custom pricing depending on size and modules. An estimated starting cost is $30,000/year for 1,000 employees.
Teams looking for a budget-friendly, lightweight alternative to Slack will find their perfect fit in Flock. It's easy to use and offers most of the features you'd want in a team communication app.
Best suited for:
Smaller teams and start-ups that need a comprehensive yet affordable team communication tool with task management and messaging that integrates with apps like GitHub and Google Drive.
Flock pros:
Easy onboarding and a layman-friendly interface
More affordable than its premium competitors
Flock has a free starter tier
Flock cons:
Has fewer integrations and advanced features than its pricier competitors
It doesn't suit larger or complex organizations
Caps some features in lower tiers
Integrations:
Flock offers standard integrations with productivity tools, bots, video call apps, and task management systems
Designed specifically for local hospitality businesses (think hotels and restaurants), Sling is a scheduling and shift-planning tool with built-in communication.
Best suited for:
SMBs with hourly/shift workers who need scheduling and simple communication between team members.
Sling pros:
Combines scheduling with announcements and chat for real-time updates
The free tier has core scheduling and shift management features
Cost-effective for small businesses
Sling cons:
Besides scheduling, the app has limited internal communication features
Basic analytic options compared to more expensive team apps
Large or complex operations may find it unscalable
Integrations:
Basic chat/announcements module
Payroll/time-clock systems
Sling key features:
Time clock/attendance tracking
Shift scheduling and planning
Task and shift management
Team chat/announcements
Simple reporting
Sling pricing:
Free plan: Up to 30 users
Premium: $1.70/user/month (annual) or $2.00 monthly
Workvivo's employee experience platform (EXP) combines internal communications, recognition, engagement, analytics, intranet features, and a social-style feed into one platform, helping large organizations communicate, connect and engage with their employees.
Best suited for:
Mid-to large-sized organizations with distributed, hybrid, or multi-location teams that require a mobile-first platform that promotes culture, engagement, and unified communication.
Simpplr is an AI-powered employee experience and intranet platform (EXP) that combines multiple tools and analytics into a single solution to improve internal engagement, communication, and productivity.
Best suited for:
Large organizations that use Microsoft Teams and need a digital workplace hub that combines a business's communication platform with chat, knowledge sharing, analytics, and personalization across a global workforce.
Simpplr pros:
Mobile app allowing employees to access their digital workplace anywhere and anytime
Provides automated workflows and integrates with other workplace apps
Supports personalization, content management, and knowledge sharing
Advanced intranet and employee experience features
Scalable for large organizations
AI search feature
Simpplr cons:
Requires ongoing management and content maintenance
Too heavy for teams seeking simple chat
Expensive custom-based pricing model
Integrations:
Knowledge management systems (including SharePoint, Google Drive, Confluence, Dropbox, and Salesforce), content management, and analytic platforms
AI-powered personalization and intranet modules
Simpplr key features:
Knowledge management and content distribution, including social newsfeeds and newsletters
AI-powered tools for communication and personalized content
Content engagement analytics and insights
Employee recognition and survey tools
Mobile accessibility for employees
Intranet and digital workplace hub
Simpplr pricing:
Custom quotes by size and complexity. Starts at $12/user/month for full EX functionality.
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Final thoughts: Choosing the right team communication app
When choosing communication tools for small businesses with fewer than 500 employees, prioritize easy-to-use, mobile-friendly options.
Choose a platform that reflects how your team works, not just what shines on a features page.
For a large company’s internal communications app, ensure it includes strong governance, audience targeting, data tracking, and deployment assistance.
Start with a short pilot, measure adoption, grow from there, and remember:
Blink meets 95% of the workforce where they are and provides the solutions for the team communication problems they face today. So, if you’re ready to start communicating on a whole new level…
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