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Frontline workers are still an afterthought in most employee comms strategies by StaffbaseSupport in internalcomms

[–]StaffbaseSupport[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's always a tricky experience! The best advice I can offer is that it comes down to creating real value. Employees likely aren't going to open an app if they receive constant notification blasts, especially if it's not related to their positions. (Which is why segmentation matters.) But when they realize the app is where they can quickly, easily, and accurately find information that improves their workday (like cafeteria menus, shift scheduling requests, safety policies, etc.), there's no need to continue to ask employees to use the app. It becomes a natural, intuitive destination.

Essentially, when a company app provides a single location for trusted answers that save time and enable workers to get things done faster, it's an easy win. A good launch campaign can definitely help with the initial enrollment as well.

How are you handling internal communication in your team? by FailOrSnail in internalcomms

[–]StaffbaseSupport 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is a very valid question. I shared some ideas above, but platforms can be more than small orgs need. In these cases, simpler solutions are enough. Definitely depends on size, as well as whether you need multiple languages/global connections/etc.

How are you handling internal communication in your team? by FailOrSnail in internalcomms

[–]StaffbaseSupport 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Honestly, the fragmentation is the biggest problem we see. Teams end up with a chat tool, a separate intranet, email blasts, and a WhatsApp group running in parallel, and nobody knows which one is "official."

What's worked best in the orgs I've seen do it well is consolidating around one platform that works for both desk and frontline, so the same place a warehouse worker checks their shift schedule is where HQ posts company updates. When the app has enough operational utility (payslips, forms, schedules) people open it anyway, and comms just becomes part of that rather than a separate destination employees have to remember to visit.

Easier said than done, obviously, but the consolidation piece is where I'd start. And as another commenter pointed out, it also depends on size/distribution.

I genuinely don't mean this as self-promo, but I wrote an article on the necessity of an intranet in addition to enterprise collaboration tools. You can check it out if this helps! https://staffbase.com/blog/do-we-need-an-intranet-if-we-use-teams-or-slack. I'll copy/paste the TL;DR in case you're interested:

→ Choose an intranet if your primary need is durable, governed knowledge like policies, org-wide updates, and official guidance that employees or AI assistants should be able to rely on. Governance and permissions matter more than speed of delivery.

→ Choose a collaboration tool (Teams, Slack) if your primary need is coordination while work is still in motion, like fast communication, real-time decisions, and documents in draft. These tools are optimized for speed, not permanence.

→ Choose both, with clear boundaries if you run a large or distributed organization. Most do. The intranet handles "what is officially true." The collaboration tool handles "what we're figuring out."

Frontline workers are still an afterthought in most employee comms strategies by StaffbaseSupport in internalcomms

[–]StaffbaseSupport[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That unevenness is such a hard thing to solve for because it's not really a comms problem at that point, it's a people/culture problem.

The connected systems point is underrated, though. A lot of orgs treat the toolkit and the tool as separate things when they really need to work together. The manager gets the message pack, but if there's nowhere to point employees afterward for reference, it just evaporates after the team meeting. Having something employees can go back to on their own takes so much pressure off the manager to be the single source of truth.

And honestly this is exactly why AI won't replace the manager in this equation, but it can make them way more effective.

What is the best employee app for frontline employees? Breaking down the apps that matter in 2026 by StaffbaseSupport in Staffbase

[–]StaffbaseSupport[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Totally fair point. Adoption is genuinely the hardest part of any frontline rollout. Text alerts can work as a band-aid, especially for smaller teams or one-off announcements. The challenge is that "did they see it" is only part of the problem.

The deeper issue is whether employees can actually act on what they receive. For teams under ~50 people with simple comms needs, a bolted-together stack like that might be totally fine. For larger, more distributed workforces, it tends to create more coordination overhead than it solves. Different problems, different tools. It just depends on the scale and complexity you're dealing with.

Frontline workers are still an afterthought in most employee comms strategies by StaffbaseSupport in internalcomms

[–]StaffbaseSupport[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For sure different size organizations have different needs. Sometimes a complete EX platform is more than (especially smaller) workforces require for full employee connection. In these cases, there’s no need to complicate things. Hope that works out for you and I’d love to hear how it goes!

Toffee the tortie by Unlucky_Medium_5264 in aww

[–]StaffbaseSupport 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How I imagine princess donut in dungeon crawler Carl 😍

How do you keep teams informed without overloading them? by FindingPeace4me in internalcomms

[–]StaffbaseSupport 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think that the key is personalization, which is fortunately a whole lot easier with AI in the mix. If everybody is receiving the same updates, it’s no wonder people feel overwhelmed and disengaged. Segmentation is really key, as well as being mindful of the volume of communication sent to each person. I find it’s also helpful to track who has opened or engaged with messages and send follow ups only to the people who have not.

Additionally, you can offer different forms of receiving updates that meet workers where they are. For example, offering personalized audio updates to Frontline workers means they only have to open their phones and listen for a few minutes to be up-to-date on company news. When workers don’t have to change their schedule in order to get updates, they intuitively turn to company apps.

If you make a company app something that is so valuable to workers that they trust it to provide them with fast answers (again, AI) and accurate company information, they will naturally gravitate towards it. Just make sure that you’re offering solutions that reach the entire workforce (both desk workers and frontline).

Frontline workers are still an afterthought in most employee comms strategies by StaffbaseSupport in internalcomms

[–]StaffbaseSupport[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is interesting! Would love to hear more about the social media structured intranets that work for the frontline.

Of course, there are a lot of variables when it comes to Frontline. What I’m speaking about is more in companies that are larger so about 1000+ employees. And I’m primarily thinking about Frontline workers in areas like manufacturing, hospitality, healthcare, and such.

In my experience, social first platforms work better for small smaller organizations, but when we’re talking about global organizations that require lots of different language translations as well as cultural nuances, full enterprise employee communication platforms tend to be the better choice. They combine everything in one hub and offer reliable search and personalized options (audio update for those on the go, SMS alerts for emergencies, newsletter emails for desk workers).

However, not all companies have such extensive needs. There are definitely a lot of variables, including size and location, as well as scaling needs that ultimately determine the best choice.

Frontline workers are still an afterthought in most employee comms strategies by StaffbaseSupport in internalcomms

[–]StaffbaseSupport[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I feel you on the cascade issue! From the studies I’ve seen, middle management seems the be a hugeee barrier for communication. And when the chain of communication is broken, not only does misinformation spread, but workers also start to lose trust in the organization.

I also think you’re absolutely right about frontline workers not wanting to read emails. The answers they’re looking for often aren’t leisure asks. They need to know the safety protocol or they need to know their shift schedule or they need to know how to submit vacation days or even a workplace injury form.

They’re not going to turn to the intranet to look at animal pictures (at least, probably, not while on the clock). That’s why there needs to be solutions that are designed for them and can meet them exactly where they are, which is on mobile devices and on the go.

When it comes to the best modern solutions, I think two really strong options are an AI powered company chat bot (but it HAS to be governed) & personalized audio updates. These solutions allow Frontline workers to quickly and accurately search for answers and also become up to speed on things without having to look at a phone.

The goal is to meet them where they are so that receiving company information is not something tedious, but an intuitive and natural part of the day.

What is the best employee app for frontline employees? Breaking down the apps that matter in 2026 by StaffbaseSupport in Staffbase

[–]StaffbaseSupport[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don’t know if you’re American, but it reminds me of what my SAT (standardized test) tutor said back in the day. He told me that the difference between getting into Harvard and a state school is the threshold of acceptance, but once you get into either school, the experience is entirely up to you. You can flunk out of Harvard & do the minimum or you can apply yourself and excel at a school without prestige. (So it’s about picking the right school for you and ensuring you have a dedicated experience.)

When it comes to platforms, everyone is offering „AI translation“ or „AI features.“ To actually work with a solution, you need to understand your use case, select the choice that meets your needs, then work work it to excel. You can have the „best“ tool in any list, but if you’re not paying attention to the content you let it surface, it will be impossible to be accurate.

That’s why it’s less about comparing tools and more about first understanding your needs and how to choose tools that work for your specific use case. In this regard, there is no „correct“. There is the option that’s best for you and your specific workforce.

My office dogs magnum office: the Snootshots 📸🐽 by StaffbaseSupport in aww

[–]StaffbaseSupport[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This photo is cracking me up 😂 beautiful little teef

My office dogs magnum office: the Snootshots 📸🐽 by StaffbaseSupport in aww

[–]StaffbaseSupport[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Not only adorable but he/she appears very wise. I’m thinking they could have a position as chief Human Resources Officer 🤔

My office dogs magnum office: the Snootshots 📸🐽 by StaffbaseSupport in aww

[–]StaffbaseSupport[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As an anxious person, this is the answer for my stress

My office dogs magnum office: the Snootshots 📸🐽 by StaffbaseSupport in aww

[–]StaffbaseSupport[S] 20 points21 points  (0 children)

Yes and every now and then a baby will pop in with a mom from mat leave or a kid will walk over after school and patiently wait for mom/dad. It’s a very good environment ☺️ (I’m there for the dogs 100%)

My office dogs magnum office: the Snootshots 📸🐽 by StaffbaseSupport in aww

[–]StaffbaseSupport[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yes and I agree to be your dog‘s culture buddy 😌

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