6 Employee Engagement Challenges and How to Overcome Them

The workplace is evolving — and so is the way we communicate.

Gone are the days when communication flowed in just one direction, from the boardroom to the break room. Today, the most successful organizations view internal communications as a conversation — not a broadcast.

Consider this: Companies with highly engaged employees are 21% more profitable. And what’s one of the biggest drivers of engagement? Employees who feel heard.

That’s where two-way communication comes in. It’s not just a strategy; it’s the key to creating a thriving, connected workplace. Let’s explore what two-way communication really means — and why it’s the backbone of modern employee engagement.

What is two-way internal communications?

Traditionally, employee communications were one way. Leadership would put out a message, which would then be cascaded downward to managers and employees.

A top-down approach established the C-suite as the primary source of internal communication. It also made it difficult for employees to speak up and be heard.

Two-way communication is different. It incorporates three types of communication:

• Top-down communication
• Bottom-up communication
• Peer-to-peer communication

With channels that support these three types of communication, information moves in all directions. Leaders still share company updates — but this multi-pronged approach gives employees the chance to contribute to the company conversation, too.

They can respond to employee surveys, comment on posts in the company news feed, ask questions in town hall meetings, and send instant messages to peers and managers. Information is shared quickly and openly, just as it is on the social media platforms we’ve all grown accustomed to.

In a culture of two-way communication, employees are no longer just passive consumers of internal communications, but active participants in it. And the benefits this can bring to any organization are substantial.

Why does two-way communication matter?

Poor communication is bad for the employee experience: You’re unlikely to foster a positive employee experience without an effective internal communications strategy.

And poor communication isn’t just bad for culture — it’s bad for business, costing an estimated $15,000 per employee per year on loss of time, productivity, and profit.

Adopting two-way communication is a meaningful way to improve communications at your organization — and it comes with a host of business benefits. Here are all the reasons two-way communication lies at the foundation of any modern workplace.

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#1. Better engagement with internal communications

Imagine a conversation with the chattiest person you know. They’re talking nonstop and you struggle to get a word in edgeways. Because you don’t get a chance to speak, you disengage and stop really listening to what is being said.

It’s the same in company-wide conversations. When employees are allowed an active role in communications, they engage more with your message. They’re a lot less likely to ignore your internal content — and a lot more likely to read your comms and take the desired action.

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#2. Better overall employee engagement

Two-way communication doesn’t just improve engagement with internal messages. It enhances employee engagement across the board.

We know that highly engaged employees are 3x more likely to say they feel heard at their workplace than their highly disengaged counterparts. When employees know that their thoughts and opinions matter to leadership, you improve their satisfaction, motivation, and sense of belonging.

#3. Creating a feedback loop

When you facilitate two-way communication, you get constant feedback from employees. Employee comments, questions, and survey responses help you build a picture of what works — and what doesn’t — in regards to your internal communications.

You’ll develop a better understanding of which messages are cutting through and which are creating employee uncertainty. This knowledge helps you to craft better, more effective employee communications going forward.

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#4. Fostering a culture of transparency and trust

No matter the content controls you put in place, opening up your communications to employees requires transparency and trust on the part of your leadership team. 

Leaders must be willing to share information on company goals and challenges. They also need to be happy to field employee questions in response to that information.

When leaders demonstrate this level of transparency and trust, employees are more likely to follow suit. You create a company culture in which open communication is valued — and where employees feel comfortable sharing their opinions and concerns.

#5. Promoting inclusion

According to The Workforce Institute, 83% of UK employees say people at their organization are not heard fairly or equally — and 46% say that underrepresented voices are undervalued.

Adopting a policy of two-way communication gives space to previously unheard voices. With the right ethos — and the right internal communications platform — you ensure that all employees are empowered to speak up and be heard.

This leads to greater mutual understanding. It also helps you to create a more inclusive workplace, where everyone feels valued.

#6. Creating coworker connection

Peer-to-peer connection is another beneficial result of two-way communication in the workplace. Over internal communication channels, employees get the chance to build meaningful relationships with coworkers.

This is particularly important for remote and frontline employees, who may spend the majority of their days working alone. Two-way communication channels prevent isolation and disconnection and promote a sense of belonging.

#7. Boosting employee productivity

74% of employees say they are more effective at their jobs when they feel heard.

In a culture of two-way communication, employees get information on policies, tasks, and expectations. But they also get the chance to clarify any uncertainty. With a clear idea of their role and responsibilities, employees are more efficient and less likely to make mistakes.

It’s also easier for coworkers to collaborate with one another. Whether they’re based in the same office — or in completely different locations — employees can share their knowledge and insights, granting a further boost to workforce productivity.

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#8. Reducing employee churn

Research shows that 1 in 3 employees would rather quit or switch teams than voice their true concerns to management. This makes open, trusting, two-way communication channels a crucial part of employee retention.

When employees feel that they can voice their concerns with managers, managers get a chance to respond. They can make changes to the employee experience and encourage employees to stay.

How can you foster two-way communication in your workplace?

Two-way communication requires effective internal communication tools and channels — and this is where a modern employee experience platform (like Blink) can help.

Whether you’re reexamining your current employee communications platform and exploring alternatives, start by looking at solutions that give employees a voice.

A great way to power two-way communication is by starting to use interactive channels like:

• A news feed
• Instant messaging
• Employee surveys
• Digital forms
• Modern intranet

Your platform should make it easy for leadership to share company updates. And for employees to share their thoughts and questions with coworkers, managers, and the C-suite.

By embracing these technologies, internal comms teams can create an inclusive environment where every voice is heard and every employee feels connected.

Blink. And see how you can facilitate two-way communication in your workplace.

“Blink for Everyone" allows nonprofits to maintain connectivity and engagement 

Boston – May 28, 2024 – Blink, the leading employee engagement super-app, today announced the formal launch of "Blink for Everyone," a program offering non-profit organizations access to its platform free of charge. This initiative builds on Blink’s commitment to support nonprofits with the essential tools they need to stay connected and engaged, especially during transitional times. 

Meta’s decision to pivot away from Workplace has left many non-profits facing increased costs or a loss of critical connectivity. Blink for Everyone addresses this gap by offering a mobile-first, unified platform that enhances communication and collaboration among team members.

“Nonprofits are essential to society and our communities and we want to enhance their impact by offering access to an all-one-one people engagement platform,” said Sean Nolan, CEO and founder of Blink. “With the closure of Meta’s Workplace for Good, many organizations are searching for alternatives. Blink for Everyone is our commitment to help non-profits continue their vital work without the burden of additional costs. We believe in equality of access, where every worker, whether desk-based or deskless, has the tools they need to thrive.”

Nonprofit organizations using Blink have already reported significant improvements in their operations and employee engagement.

"Blink has significantly enhanced our organizational communication with its intuitive interface, leading to a positive shift within our workforce," said a representative from St. Amant. "Since adopting Blink, our dispersed teams have become more informed and connected, fostering a sense of unity and collaboration."

Chris Lawley, board member, Destiny Rescue remarked, “Blink has revolutionized how we connect, communicate and collaborate as an organization. As a globally dispersed team, we were struggling with keeping our teams connected in real-time. Blink's support for non-profit organizations allowed us to adopt their world-class technology without a license fee. Important information is now being shared seamlessly across continents, making our operations safer and more efficient."

Blink features and benefits 

• Two-way communications: augmented with an integrated activity feed and a centralized resource Hub.
• Mobile-first approach: a single application for all company-focused interactions, ensuring accessibility for all employees.
• Seamless experience: Facilitates smooth communication and engagement across the entire workplace.
• Scalability and Configurability: Easily scales and supports organizations of all sizes, ensuring flexibility and adaptability.

Blink’s mission is "connect everyone, so everyone thrives." This initiative reflects Blink’s commitment to ensuring that all organizations, regardless of their size or budget, have access to the best tools for communication and engagement.

Nonprofits interested in Blink for Everyone can register their interest on Blink's website. 

About Blink

Blink is a provider of a leading super-app designed for frontline organizations. The company aims to revolutionize employee work life by bridging the digital divide between deskless and desk-based employees, enabling effective communication and engagement in distributed organizations. Blink is used by industry-leading companies, including RATPDev, Elara Caring, and Domino’s. Each user opens the app an average of seven times a day, helping lower frontline attrition by up to 25%. Founded in 2015 and with offices in London, Boston, and Sydney, Blink is a Leader in the G2 Grid® for Best Employee Engagement Software. Visit Joinblink.com for more information.

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Anytime a good employee leaves your company, you’re bound to feel sad. You may also start to get nervous. 

While it’s upsetting to see them go, it’s normal: many employees leave a company each year. 

But how do you differentiate a typical turnover from a severe turnover problem? 

That’s where calculating your employee retention rate comes in. 

What is employee retention rate?

Retention rate is a ratio of the total current employees and the employees at a previous point in time in the same positions at your company. You can calculate it annually or quarterly. 

It provides a snapshot of how satisfied your employees are at your company. 

A high retention rate indicates your employees enjoy the work they’re doing, fit in with your culture, and receive fair pay. 

Conversely, a low retention rate means that one or more of those elements are less than ideal. Since retention rate is inversely related to employee turnover rate, low retention means high turnover. 

Knowing your employee retention rate’s status, you can evaluate and adjust your employee retention strategies. When your employee retention rate improves, you know your retention efforts are paying off. 

Measuring employee retention rate

To find your organization’s employee retention rate, you need data on the total number of employees with your organization at the beginning of a period and the number of employees who remain at the end. From there, you can quickly calculate your retention rate. 

How to calculate employee retention rate

Find how many employees left your company in a period. Subtract that number from your total headcount at the start of the period. Divide the remaining number of employees by the initial headcount. The result should be a decimal. Multiply that number by 100 to find the retention rate in percentage.

Here’s what that looks like in the employee retention formula: 

For example, let’s say you want to calculate your annual retention rate.

You started the year with 56 employees and ended with 50 employees. Here’s how you can find the retention rate: 

56 - 6 = 50

50/56 = 0.8928

0.89 x 100 = 89

So in this scenario, the retention rate is 89%

Employee retention rate vs. employee turnover rate

Whenever we talk about staff retention rate, it’s also common to hear staff turnover rate. We use them interchangeably because they’re two sides of the same coin. 

While retention rate measures how many people stayed, turnover is the measure of how many people left. 

Similarly, you might be confused about attrition rate and employee churn rate. They are just other names for turnover rate.  

How to calculate employee turnover rate

You can do so by:

1. Sum the total employees at the beginning and end of the time interval.
2. Divide by two to get the average number of employees. 
3. Divide the total number of separations for a given time by the average number of employees.

For monthly turnover, you will work with this:

Suppose a company begins the month with 32 employees. Four employees leave, and six new employees join. So the company ends the month with 34 employees. 

The average number of employees is: 

(32+34)/2 = 33

Next, we find the turnover:

4/33 = 0.1212

Multiplying by 100, the turnover rate is 12%.

What is a good employee retention rate?

A good employee retention rate varies from industry to industry. 

Retail and restaurants tend to have lower industry average retention rates than other sectors, while government and federal sectors have the highest retention rates.

The overall market and economy also affect your retention rate. During times of high uncertainty or in a strong talent market, retention may decrease for every industry. For example, turnover in 2020 was 57.3%, making it 20% higher than the previous year. 

According to Built In, average retention rates range from 70-90%. 

Following this logic, a good retention rate is somewhere above 75%. But for frontline organizations that deal with restaurant and retail, a retention rate above 50% is also decent. 

Final thoughts: how to find your employee retention rate

Calculating your employee retention is an important metric while running your business. It can tell you a lot about how your employees feel at your company. 

The same is true for turnover rate as that lets you know where the fault lies.

Use both metrics to get a complete picture of your business and employ retention strategies to keep your top talent around. 

If you’re looking for a new way to keep your employees engaged, Blink is an all-in-one employee communications app that can help you stay connected to your employees and boost retention. 

During their first month, employees spend an average of 12.7 hours per week asking coworkers for help. And it doesn’t get much better after the first month. Most workers spend an average of five hours per week waiting to connect with people with the information they need.

If you want to maximize productivity, you need to make information accessible.

That's where knowledge-sharing platforms come in. They facilitate the flow of information and expertise across the board.

What is a knowledge-sharing platform?

A knowledge-sharing platform is a software that enables employees to interact with each other and exchange information. It helps subject matter experts contribute guides, policies, and documents to develop a company's internal knowledge base. 

Key features knowledge-sharing tools should have

With many knowledge-sharing tools available, knowing which one to choose depends on your company's goals, budget, size and your workers' specific needs.

Here are four features to look for when choosing a knowledge management system for your organization:

Cross-platform access

Most of your employees use their smartphones even during working hours. Reviews.org shares that Americans spend an average of 2 hours 54 minutes on their phones daily. Even more important is to remember that 80% of the workforce is in frontline roles - in other words, they rarely have access to a desktop computer at all, and are entirely reliant on smartphones.

It's therefore critical that you opt for a knowledge-sharing solution that employees can access from a smartphone, laptop, tablet, or workstation. That'll help your staff perform their tasks efficiently whether they’re in the office or on the move. 

Smart search

Panopto shares that 60% of employees find it difficult to get the information they need. To ensure that a knowledge-sharing solution truly solves this, you need a platform that provides intelligent search options.

The platform should enable your employees to organize the shared content by labels and tags, so both your remote and deskless employees can find the relevant information quickly.

Integrations

The right knowledge-sharing tool allows you to deliver access to information without having to uproot your existing systems. Most businesses already have their critical documents housed in multiple areas - a good knowledge management tool will allow you to integrate with those systems to draw those documents through rather than having to move them.

Equally important to consider is how user access is controlled - creating another set of sign-ons for users to have to remember (and invariably, request support and resets for) can potentially be more trouble than it's worth. Explore solutions with Single Sign-On (SSO) capabilities, integrating seamlessly with your existing stack.

Reports and analytics

To know that adoption is going well and that your investment in your new tool was worthwhile, you need ways to measure engagement. That’s even more true if you’ve got deskless and remote workers. 

Your knowledge-sharing tool should have reporting features to track how much information is being shared, which content is more popular, and which employees contribute the most. All this data can help you identify knowledge gaps and create strategies to mitigate those gaps.

Best knowledge-sharing platforms

1. Blink

2. Notion

3. Bloomfire

4. Microsoft SharePoint

5. Nuclino

6. Confluence

7. Helpjuice

Here are the six best knowledge-sharing tools to facilitate the flow of information and expertise in your organization:

1. Blink

Blink is an employee experience app that gives frontline and remote workers access to the people, communications, and applications they need to do their job on their personal phone. 

You benefit from increased productivity, employee retention, and two-way conversations that bridge the gap between executives, management, and employees.

Blink is ideal for executive teams committed to giving more to their frontline workers. It is flexible, feels like the apps employees use daily, and can be launched in days or weeks.

Key Features:

• Powerful Hub dashboard with quick access to policies, rosters, payslips, and apps
• Secure group, team, or one-to-one chats for real-time two-way communication  
• Newsfeed with a personalized stream of bottom-up and top-down multimedia content including news, videos, and pictures
• Seamless integration with the apps you already love such as Microsoft 365, Workday, and ADP.
• Single Sign On (SSO) — log in to any app without your password
• Frontline intelligence — gain powerful insight into what makes your organization tick, from turnover to engagement and sentiment, to stop problems before they start and create a close-knit community.
• Micro-apps — get powerful branded apps personalized for your company 

Best for: Companies with a large distributed frontline or remote workforce.

Pricing: Starts at $3.40 per person per month (when billed annually).

2. Notion

Notion is a knowledge-sharing platform that combines your internal wiki, projects, and notes in one tool. You can create pages, lists, databases, and tables and interlink them to help your colleagues understand the company-wide web of information. 

Many teams and companies globally use Notion to keep their staff informed and collaborate in one place. 

Notion creates transparency by centralizing all knowledge and work and making it highly customizable. As a result, it saves time and increases productivity for teams of all sizes.

Key Features:

• Content blocks — present information as you want it
• Clean, custom, and easy-to-use text editor
• Easy linking between documents and pages
• Support for multimedia — make your knowledge pages as detailed as possible

Best for: Small technology businesses that manage many documents and projects and want to collaborate easily.

Pricing: Free with limited features. Premium plans start at $8 per user per month (when billed annually).

3. Bloomfire

Bloomfire connects individuals and teams with the information they need to excel at work. It stores relevant information and makes it easily searchable.

This platform powers all departments — from customer support to sales and marketing — with the right information. Your employees can always find the desired information at the right time to make informed decisions that propel them to success.

Bloomfire also uses artificial intelligence (AI) to spark engagement and help your team grow collective intelligence efficiently.

Key Features:

• AI-driven search for quick access to information
• Flexible user roles and permissions
• Custom integrations with open API

Best for: Mid-sized teams, departments, and organizations looking to share knowledge in a meaningful and collaborative way.

Pricing: Premium plans start at $25 per user per month.

4. Microsoft SharePoint

Microsoft SharePoint is a knowledge-sharing platform designed around a traditional intranet structure. It helps teams collaborate effectively by letting them share content, applications, and knowledge. 

You can use blocks — including text, videos, forms, and images — to customize page layouts without complex coding. You can also add announcement feeds and news to knowledge pages to ensure they're constantly updated with current information.

Since it’s a Microsoft platform, SharePoint integrates best with other Microsoft tools. 

Key Features:

• Code-free content customization
• News and announcement feeds
• Solid integrations with other Microsoft tools
• AI-powered content suggestions

Best for: Office-focused companies integrated into the Microsoft ecosystem. 

Pricing: Starts at $5 per user per month.

5. Nuclino

Nuclino is a user-friendly, lightweight knowledge management software that empowers teams to collaborate without the chaos of context switching, files and folders, or silos. You can use its simple editor to create rich wiki pages — with text, videos, and images.

You can opt to view data as graphs, lists, or boards to ensure you understand how everything works together. You can also collaborate on every page with team members in real-time, with comments letting you exchange feedback on the spot.

Key Features:

• User-friendly interface
• Minimal setup time
• Real-time content collaboration
• Fast and reliable search

Best for: Startups and small teams looking for a lightweight wiki solution.

Pricing: Free with limited features. Premium plans start at $5 per user per month.

6. Confluence

Confluence is a knowledge-sharing solution and intranet owned by Atlassian. The platform lets users create and manage workflows efficiently. 

You can use Confluence to capture, organize, and preserve your most valuable assets — project plans, company updates, or other vital information. 

The platform’s page tree view and powerful search function make it easy to find the exact file you're looking for.

Key Features

• Multiple integrations
• Customizable templates for all business needs
• Real-time collaborative editing
• Real-time notifications and comments

Best for: Mid-size technology companies looking to improve information exchange in functional departments such as project management groups, technical teams, marketing, finance, HR, and legal.

Pricing: Free with limited features. Premium plans start at $5.50 per user per month.

7. Helpjuice

Helpjuice knowledge base software streamlines the process of knowledge sharing for both your team and your customers. The platform is easy to use, with an editor that's straightforward making content creation fast and simple. Their intelligent search feature is designed to allow your customers and team to find the information they need, when they need it.

One notable feature is their decision tree logic which allows you to build step-by-step guides that help direct users to the information or solutions they need, based on their specific circumstances. This can improve the user experience and reduce time spent searching for relevant content.

Helpjuice's platform is also designed to be flexible. You can customize the look of your knowledge base to reflect your brand, making it easy for customers and team members to navigate. The goal is to provide a platform where information is readily accessible, promoting better customer service and efficient internal knowledge sharing.

Key Features:

• Intelligent, Google-like instant search
• Real-time collaboration features 
• Easy-to-use editor with multi-language support and decision-tree logic
• Fully customizable

Best for: Companies that want an easy-to-use, yet comprehensive knowledge base software solution that’s fully customizable, and capable of fostering effective internal knowledge sharing as well as providing comprehensive external customer support resources.Pricing:  Pricing begins at $120 per month, which includes all features and supports up to 4 users.

Boston – June 11, 2024 – Blink, the leading employee engagement super-app, today announced the next generation of its platform. The latest release introduces AI-driven advanced employee intelligence to reshape how organizations understand and enhance employee engagement, retention, productivity, and overall workplace satisfaction for both deskless and desk-based employees.  This new level of insight and analysis triggers real-time nudges and mobile alerts across all levels of the business to aid in decision-making and prompt action. 

Key Features and Benefits  

• Gather the team - Activation analytics which track employee engagement from day one, help achieve a 95% employee activation rate. Leaderboards pushed to managers to encourage healthy competition and discussion. 
• Optimize operations - Usage analytics provide insights into the use and performance of internal apps, shift booking rates, form completion and critical updates. This improves operational efficiency and user experience across the organization. 
• Captivate with comms - Communications analytics monitor how employees interact with internal comms, helping to identify preferences and needs and create more effective internal comms campaigns.
• Building bonds to shape culture - Engagement analytics track the use of chat and channels, helping to curate effective channel sizes, increase awareness and suggest suitable channels to employees. This fosters engagement and communication across the business.
• Listen to and understand employees - Survey analytics developed with HR experts offer detailed insights from employee surveys.  AI-powered sentiment analysis provides a clear picture of employee sentiment and areas of improvement. This feature also helps to improve participation through real-time participation alerts. 
• Understand turnover risks - By integrating with HR systems like Workday,  Blink tracks highly segmented employee turnover data to identify problem areas. Correlating turnover with other engagement metrics provides a full picture of where, how, and when to act on turnover risks.

Blink’s advanced analytics leverages extensive data from the platform to provide a detailed view of engagement and adoption across an organization. The analytics dashboard allows HR leaders to examine specific metrics and trends, and to clearly understand employee behavior and communication patterns. These insights enable organizations to make informed decisions to improve employee experience and performance. 

For a comprehensive overview of Blink's superapp, click here to explore the full product capabilities.

Elara Caring Implements Blink's Advanced Analytics

Elara Caring, a leading home healthcare provider, has successfully implemented Blink's advanced employee intelligence to enhance its onboarding and retention strategies. By utilizing Blink's new hire surveys and analytics dashboards, Elara Caring gained critical insights into their employees' experiences during the first few months of employment.

"With Blink’s insights powering our ElaraCare Application, we’ve created actionable strategies to improve team member experience," said Thomas Firmani, president, Personal Care Services at Elara Caring. "New caregiver feedback data – obtained through multiple touch points – has enabled us to refine our team member engagement process. Leveraging Blink’s in-app features, we have more personalized posts, enhanced support channels, and improved recognition platforms.”

"People feeling engaged in their work and happy are critical for the success of any organization," said Sean Nolan, CEO and founder of Blink. "Our enhanced platform provides the necessary advanced tools for organizations to gain deep insights into their workforce. By understanding employee sentiments and behaviors, leaders can make informed decisions that enhance the employee experience, productivity and ultimately reduce turnover."

About Blink

Blink is a provider of a leading super-app designed for frontline organizations. The company aims to revolutionize employee work life by bridging the digital divide between deskless and desk-based employees, enabling effective communication and engagement in distributed organizations. Blink is used by industry-leading companies, including RATPDev, Elara Caring, and Domino’s. Each user opens the app an average of seven times a day, helping lower frontline attrition by up to 25%. Founded in 2015 and with offices in London, Boston, and Sydney, Blink is a Leader in the G2 Grid® for Best Employee Engagement Software. Visit Joinblink.com for more information and follow on LinkedIn and X.

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Media Contact

Elyse Familant

Transatlantic 

elyse@transatlanticent.com

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What is internal communication?

Internal communications is the practice of keeping all employees, at every level of an organization, connected and in the loop. The primary goal of an internal communications strategy is to ensure that all members of an organization are well-informed and able to collaborate effectively. 

Clear and streamlined communications are an essential factor in the success of any company, whether it has ten employees or one thousand. Over 40% of workers say that their trust in their leadership and team has been compromised due to poor communication. 

From frontline workers to admins behind a desk, when each individual has a clear understanding of business goals, values, and guidelines, it makes for a much more connected workflow.

Read on to understand everything you need to know about internal communications, the types of internal communication, and the benefits that come from implementing a solid internal communications strategy.

Understanding internal communications

Internal communications can take a variety of forms – email, intranet, chat apps, newsletters, in-person meetings, bulletin boards, or an app specifically designed to streamline internal communications.

An effective internal communications strategy helps every employee feel connected to the larger company vision, and therefore aware of how their individual roles contribute to the overall success of the organization. A JobsinME poll found that a massive 85% of workers feel more connected to their jobs when there is effective communication in the workplace.

A solid internal communications strategy goes a long way in fostering that engagement – employees feel involved in the company mission and understand the role they play. 

Regular communication also helps build trust between employees and leadership, strengthening that sense of belonging. Plus, those open channels of communication allow employees to share their ideas, concerns, and feedback, making them feel valued and empowered.

In frontline organizations, an effective internal communications strategy is even more critical. Deskless employees can be harder to reach through email or memos, as they’re not constantly checking email or messages (or may not even have access to these tools). But these frontline workers are even more in need of clear communications, to mitigate misunderstandings, enhance safety and compliance, and share urgent updates.

An internal communications app, like Blink, is ideal for organizations with frontline workers,  connecting everybody and placing everything they need in one place.

Types of internal communication

1. Formal top-down communication

This type of internal communication flows from higher levels of management to lower levels. It starts with the C-suite, who makes all the calls, then disseminates their instructions, policies, and decisions to the organization’s employees through managers and leaders. 

Within an internal communications strategy, top-down communications are a structured approach that ensures important directives and guidelines are communicated uniformly. Top-down comms not only maintain consistency but also help in disseminating organizational objectives effectively throughout the workforce. 

Formal top-down employee communication methods include company-wide emails, official announcements, regular town hall meetings, or memos from upper management.

For example, in a hospital's internal communications strategy, this could look like an all-staff email sharing new patient care protocols. In a manufacturing plant, a bulletin board could display dates for upcoming safety training sessions. Or in retail, a company-wide text message can share information about a new product that management wants workers to upsell.

Pros

• It is an efficient way to communicate broad messages.
• Messages are controlled and aligned with organizational goals, reducing misunderstandings.
• Conveys a sense of professionalism in conveying critical information.

Cons

• It doesn’t consider how employees can share feedback.
• The passive reception of information may lead to disengagement.
• Information flow can be slow, causing delays in decision-making and implementation.
• It’s impersonalized, which can give employees a sense of being undervalued.

2. Formal bottom-up communication

This is the process where employees at lower levels of the hierarchy communicate their feedback, suggestions, concerns, and ideas to higher levels of management or leadership. 

This type of communication involves conveying information from the "bottom" of the organizational structure upward, allowing employees to have a voice, contribute their insights, and influence decision-making processes.

Three-quarters of employees are more engaged and feel more effective when they feel their voice is heard, Workforce Institute found.

When included as a part of an internal communications strategy, formal bottom-up employee communication not only empowers workers but also fosters a culture of inclusion and innovation within an organization. It's a valuable channel for capturing on-the-ground insights, which can often be missed by higher management. Less than half of employees feel as though they have an easy way to share feedback on key communications; a solid bottom-up communication strategy is one way to mitigate this.

In a frontline organization, there are many ways to implement formal bottom-up communications. Employee surveys are a popular way to gather feedback from an entire team at once, and Blink’s in-app survey tool allows HR teams to get real-time data straight from the mouths of employees.

For example, in a healthcare setting, nurses and medical staff might use formal bottom-up communication to suggest improvements in patient care protocols or to report safety concerns. 

Other formats for bottom-up communications include anonymous feedback forms and regular one-on-one meetings between employees and their managers. 

By actively encouraging and acting upon this type of feedback, organizations can harness the collective intelligence of their workforce and adapt to the evolving needs of the industry.

Pros

• Employees feel heard and valued, leading to higher employee engagement.
• A range of diverse perspectives can be gathered, leading to more well-rounded and innovative solutions.
• Frontline employees can identify challenges that might not be apparent to higher-level management.
• When employees are involved in change processes, they are more likely to support and adapt to new initiatives.

Cons

• Gathering, reviewing, and responding to a large volume of employee feedback can be time-consuming.
• It can be resource-intensive, requiring specific software.
• Not all employee suggestions may align with organizational goals or be feasible to implement.
• Formal bottom-up communication may result in inconsistent messaging across teams.

3. Formal horizontal communication  

This is the sharing of communications between individuals or departments at the same hierarchical level within the organization, for example, cross-functional meetings or interdepartmental emails.

Unlike the vertical communication we discussed above, which involves information flowing up or down within an organization, formal horizontal communication is between colleagues who hold similar positions within the organization. 

Leadership consultancy Fierce, Inc. found that 86% of employees feel that a lack of proper collaboration and miscommunication between teams lead to workplace failures.

Formal horizontal communication helps facilitate the smooth functioning of departments, coordination, collaboration, and information sharing. For instance, in a retail setting, it's crucial for the sales team to communicate effectively with inventory management to ensure products are stocked efficiently.

In frontline organizations, formal horizontal employee communication connects the various cogs that make up the company and keeps it functioning. Within the structured internal communications strategy, it can take many forms, including project reports, regular email updates between departments, and the establishment of specific cross-functional teams.

When done right, formal horizontal communication enables seamless collaboration and makes the company culture one of teamwork and shared goals

The key here is constant communication. Using an internal app with a chat function - whether it’s private messaging or a group chat - will promote regular collaboration. Blink’s chat feature enables seamless conversation, to encourage employees to work together and share ideas.

Pros

• Promotes knowledge sharing between peers with different expertise.
• Allows teams to align their efforts and activities with each other, avoiding overlap or conflict.
• Improves communication within the organization, leading to better company culture.
• Allows colleagues to provide feedback on each other's work, which they’re often more receptive to than feedback from above.

Cons

• A reliance on formal channels may discourage spontaneous creative interactions between colleagues.
• Communication may become siloed within specific departments.
• Can sometimes be time-consuming, especially when multiple people need to be involved.
• May not adapt well to rapidly changing circumstances or unexpected needs.

4. Informal communication

Unlike other aspects of an organization’s internal communications strategy, informal communication isn’t facilitated or regulated by the organization’s internal communication channels. It happens spontaneously between colleagues – water cooler chat, if you will.

This style of communication often occurs in casual settings or through personal relationships and can take place at various levels of the organization, including between employees and managers, and even across different departments.

Informal comms include face-to-face conversations, social media interactions, instant messaging, and phone calls. It serves as a complement to formal communication channels and plays a significant role in building relationships and shaping the company culture. 

We can look at Bank of America as a case study. Breaks for customer service employees used to be staggered so as not to have a shortage of staff fielding customer complaints. However, an internal audit found that productivity increased when workers took breaks together and socialized over lunch.

Oftentimes, frontline employees are working in silos and isolated from their coworkers. In frontline organizations, informal communications go beyond just sharing practical insights, it also gives these frontline workers a sense of camaraderie and belonging. In high-stress environments like hospitals or retail, where teams need to work seamlessly to serve customers and patients, these informal connections are invaluable.

Furthermore, workers can share valuable information that they learn on the job, which might not necessarily warrant discussion in formal channels. For example, tips for handling certain customers, which patient rooms have better heating, or even finding help to cover a shift.

The informal nature of these interactions fosters a culture of approachability, ultimately contributing to a more resilient and united frontline workforce.

The main Feed in Blink is designed specifically to foster this informal communication that keeps an organization running. It brings the whole company together in one place, without the formality of a memo or email chain. The Feed looks and feels like the social media apps we’re already accustomed to, making it easy for everyone to use. 

Pros

• Quick and easy, especially in fast-paced environments.
• Helps to build personal relationships and a sense of camaraderie among employees.
• Allows frontline workers a way to connect and engage with their coworkers, especially those who don’t have these opportunities come naturally.
• Practical knowledge, tips, and best practices are shared more easily through informal conversations.

Cons

• Frontline workers are limited in their opportunities for spontaneous chat, requiring the need for a centralized informal communications platform.
• It can lead to the spread of inaccurate information or rumors if not properly managed.
• Individuals who are not part of specific conversations or social circles may be inadvertently excluded.
• Important issues might not receive the attention they deserve when discussed informally.

Why is internal communications important for your business?

For a truly effective internal communications strategy, a workforce should be three things: connected, engaged, and aligned.

A connected workforce

The right internal communications strategy bridges the gap between remote, frontline, and office employees. Without a wide-reaching net, internal communications can become stilted or even ineffective. 

READ MORE: 5 communication strategies for better employee engagement

Frontline employees are consistently at a disadvantage due to the fact they most times do not have a company email or a desktop, like the organization’s office workers. 

More than 80% of the global workforce is deskless. Whether your company is in healthcare, manufacturing, or transportation, these frontline workers need to feel just as involved and valued as the ones behind a desk.

For these organizations, effective internal communications reduce turnover, increase profits, enhance employee experience, and boost productivity. Read more about deskless worker team communication here. 

An engaged workforce

Transparent communication empowers employees and boosts morale. 

When employees are informed about the company's vision and the reasons behind certain actions, they feel a sense of ownership and inclusion.  Transparency fosters trust, as employees perceive that their contributions and concerns are valued, leading to increased engagement and overall satisfaction.

Two-way internal communication is essential for employee engagement – as we covered above, top-down communication can lead to passive reception of information, which is a killer for engagement.

An effective internal communications strategy gives employees the ability to voice concerns and provide feedback or suggestions to management. This gives them a direct hand in decision-making, directly increasing their engagement with their work. 

An aligned workforce

Aligning teams and goals across the entire organization, from the CEO to frontline workers, is crucial for success.  

This involves ensuring everyone is across the broad business goals and objectives and understands how their individual work is crucial for reaching these goals. A study conducted by IBM found that 72% of employees don’t understand their organization’s core strategy, due to poor communication. 

Don’t let that 72% be your employees. An aligned workforce ensures that the messages being communicated resonate with everyone, and are understood in the intended manner.

Effective internal communications leads to better collaboration, within teams and across departments. 

Strategies to implement successful internal communications

Only 7% of workers agree that internal communication within their workplace is accurate, timely, and open.

Building a cohesive internal communications strategy is the key to uniting and motivating your workforce. We’ll touch on some strategies to help you create a successful internal communication plan, or you can read our in-depth step-by-step guide to writing an internal communications strategy.

Utilize technology for internal communication

These days, there are endless tools and software available to help organizations stay on top of internal communications. We’re no longer in the age where we have to rely on printed memos and morning meetings. 

Blink, and other digital communication tools which promote collaboration and information sharing, can totally revolutionize an organization. They provide efficient, real-time means to disseminate information, engage employees, and foster collaboration. 

Not only can these platforms allow employees to ask questions, provide feedback, and participate in discussions, but they also act as a centralized place for policies, procedures, and guides that employees can access.

A recent Emergence study found that more than half of deskless workers are dissatisfied with the software solutions provided by employers. 

Particularly for decentralized teams and organizations with frontline workers, technology-driven internal communication plays a pivotal role in keeping employees informed, connected, and aligned with organizational goals.

Understand how to best reach your employees

Obviously, organizations are made up of different types of employees, and traditional top-down internal communication strategies generally don’t take this into account. In order to make sure your message is relevant to your audience, you need to tailor your message based on who you are communicating with. 

For example, a message intended for frontline staff may focus on practical details and how it impacts their daily tasks, while a message for senior management might emphasize strategic implications and long-term business goals.

Consider the different workers that need to be reached with your internal communications strategy, and segment your audiences based on:

• Job role
• Seniority level
• Communication needs
• Whether they are desk-based or frontline workers

Then, you can analyze previous engagement data to see what type or format of content works best for each audience – eg. Email, live chat, video, etc., and the best times to communicate for the most engagement.

Utilizing technology can be very helpful here. Blink offers real-time powerful analytics to help you understand what content performs best, when, and with whom.

By customizing the messaging approach, and using data to optimize what the content is and when you are sending it, internal communication becomes more effective, increasing employee engagement and alignment with goals.

Establish regular feedback

Without regular feedback, internal communications are simply one-sided, which does nothing for employee engagement and satisfaction.

Every successful internal communications strategy should have built-in practices to regularly collect feedback from employees at every level of the organization. This can be done through surveys, suggestion boxes, town halls, anonymous feedback, or weekly leadership check-ins.

Employee feedback allows an internal communications strategy to be actually shaped by the people it’ll affect, not just the high-up decision-makers behind desks. Highlighting areas where improvement is needed – before it escalates into a problem – is crucial, not just for the employee experience but also for the success of the business as a whole.

Case study: Our collaboration with Salutem

During the COVID pandemic, the health industry faced endless challenges. Employees and organizations were dramatically affected by high levels of stress, low staff morale, and a huge hit to communications. 

Salutem, a healthcare company that provides services such as care homes and healthcare staffing, needed a solution to overcome the challenges presented by the pandemic. To do so, Salutem used Blink to revamp their internal communications strategy.

With Blink’s easy-to-use super-app, Salutem was able to launch monthly surveys, collect feedback and plan face-to-face group meetings to encourage two-way conversations between managers and staff.

Salutem launched S.E.L.F (Salutem Employee Listening Forum) initiatives to connect staff and promote a culture of free communication within the organization. Each division had a rep – nominated by managers through the Blink Feed – who were responsible for moderating Blink Channels and following up with their respective teams.

Colleagues were encouraged to share thoughts and open up conversations around concerns or opportunities for growth, which started conversations and reconnected employees across all teams.

The improvements that came from the new internal communications strategy were nearly immediate. The organization saw a:

• 300% increase in survey responses
• 92% adoption rate of Blink 
• Tenfold increase in staff who were easy to communicate with

The integral role of internal comms in organizational success

There aren’t many constants in this world, particularly in the ever-changing landscape of a frontline organization. But one does remain: the vital role of an internal communications strategy. From formal top-down messages that steer the company's vision to informal water cooler chats that breed friendships, effective internal communication is crucial for the success of any organization.

By implementing a solid internal communications strategy, organizations can create a workplace where ideas flow freely, where feedback is valued, and where employees are informed, engaged, and motivated. It's a workplace where everyone, from frontline staff to top executives, feels heard, appreciated, and connected.

Internal communications shouldn’t just be a strategy, however. It needs to be a core tenet of your organization’s culture. Introducing an effective tool – like Blink – to encourage effective internal communication is key. By fostering open dialogue, valuing feedback, and leveraging technology, organizations can create an environment where everyone feels heard, informed, and engaged. 

It's not about reinventing the wheel, but about adopting effective internal communications strategies that keep your workforce connected and motivated. 

Want a preview of what Blink can do? Watch this 2-minute video to see it come to life.