Clear, consistent communication is the lifeblood of any successful organization. It’s how companies build trust, drive alignment, and keep employees engaged—whether they’re in the office, on the floor, or out in the field. But what does great communication actually look like in action?
In this blog, we go beyond theory and dive into real-world case studies from companies like Ardent Health Services, H&M, Lowe’s, Nordstrom, and RHI Magnesita. These organizations have tackled communication challenges head-on—whether that meant reaching a deskless workforce, navigating a crisis like COVID-19, or creating a culture of transparency and inclusion.
You’ll discover:
What makes communication truly effective (it’s not just about sending messages!)
Proven strategies companies use to engage employees across roles and locations
Tangible results from using the right tools and tactics
Let’s explore how leading companies are setting a new standard for internal communication—and what you can learn from them to improve yours.
Let’s first talk about what makes communication between employers and employees really work. It’s not just about sending messages back and forth—it’s about making sure both sides understand each other clearly (no room for second-guessing!) and can act on what they’ve learned. So, what does “good communication” in the workplace look like? Here are some key ingredients:
Ever been bombarded with info that doesn’t matter to you? It’s the worst. Great communication means sharing what’s actually relevant to employees’ roles—and doing it fast. No one likes to feel left out of the loop.
Think about this: when’s the last time you felt like a company’s message really spoke to you? Tailoring communications to employees’ needs and preferences shows you’re paying attention. It’s like saying, “Hey, we see you.”
Nobody wants to feel like they’re shouting into the void. A solid communication strategy gives employees a way to share their thoughts—anonymously if needed—whether it’s feedback, suggestions, or even venting.
Here’s a fun one: catching people doing something right. Highlighting employees’ wins and hard work isn’t just nice—it builds a positive vibe that can ripple across the workplace.
This one’s a biggie. Trust is built on being upfront about what’s going on—good or bad. Employees appreciate when leadership shares expectations, challenges, and decisions openly. It shows respect and fosters trust.
A good example of employer and employee communication would be the strategy adopted by Google with its “TGIF” meetings.
These weekly all-hands meetings create a platform where employees can directly ask questions, voice concerns, or provide feedback to leadership. Google’s commitment to transparency is evident in how they address even tough questions from employees, ensuring everyone feels heard.
By fostering open dialogue and sharing critical company updates, Google has set a benchmark for how clear, two-way communication can cultivate trust and collaboration across all levels of an organization.
Here are some good examples of employer-employee communication and the positive effects they have on engagement and productivity:
Ardent Health Services, a leading provider of healthcare services, is committed to making care more accessible across the communities it serves. With a largely mobile and deskless workforce—comprising nurses, physicians, and frontline clinical teams—Ardent needed a better way to connect with employees who don’t have regular access to email.
Recognizing that traditional methods like emails and printed newsletters weren’t effective for its mobile workforce, Ardent adopted theEMPLOYEEapp to reach employees directly on their mobile devices. This ensured timely access to important updates, especially for clinical teams on the go.
“Our employees don’t always have time to read email, attend a town hall meeting, or read a monthly newsletter. So, we leverage theEMPLOYEEapp to share updates, resources, and encouragement.”
— Amanda Armstrong, AVP of Talent Marketing, Ardent Health Services
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ardent used the app to push real-time updates to staff working on the frontlines. From safety protocols to vaccine information, the platform became a trusted source for critical updates. It also served as a way to boost morale—Ardent shared inspiring stories of community and team resilience through the app.
Beyond operational updates, Ardent used the platform to share wellness content and mental health resources. By pushing out bite-sized, easily digestible content on coping strategies and self-care, they helped employees manage stress during a turbulent period.
App adoption grew from 20% to 60% within a year, driven by simplified and relevant communication.
Content creation rose by 14% in the first year and another 18% the next year, as internal teams embraced the app’s ease of use.
H&M is a well-known brand name in fast fashion and accessories that deals worldwide. One day, H&M realized that they had over 22,000 employees working in 640 off-site locations spread over 7 countries. This amounted to a heavily distributed and diffused workforce, posing serious challenges for seamless communications.
H&M decided to employ the powers of internal communications in three key ways to unify their workforce and reinforce engagement and belonging to the brand:
The brand began to share locally relevant messaging and content to engage its employees and build a regional community. These messages showcased common brand goals and direction that helped create purpose between colleagues, even though they worked in different locations.
The North European offices of H&M leveraged employee stories and anecdotes to create engaging videos to share over company network. These stories involved a variety of aspects of their work, including engaging presentations they made, or results that they helped drive, etc. which helped establish a familiarity and relatability between employees and the employer.
H&M shared various community-created content, such as success stories, campaign launches, training videos, seasonal messaging, recruitment videos, etc., to drive employee engagement and foster motivation.
Lowe’s is a well-known American brand in home improvement. Ever since their inception, they have worked on the philosophy that training needs to be continuous and uninterrupted. Lowe’s operates countless retail outlets where a lot of their staff is continuously on the shop floors, working. This is where they leveraged the power of internal communications to facilitate training and learning to these employees where they were:
Lowe’s created bite-sized training videos and company communications that were digitized and available for access on any device. This ensured that even employees engaged in work on the shop floor had access to training and company communications right on their devices.
Realizing that different departments required different types of training and information, Lowe’s personalized each module and communication available to employees according to the department they were deployed in.
To ensure that every employee had access to training and communication modules, Lowe’s provided this content in various modes, such as photos, quizzes, activities, illustrations, etc. It enhanced the inclusivity of internal communications and ensured the content was engaging.
A well-known luxury department store chain, Nordstrom, is known for keeping its communications simple. It has established its internal communications on the same principle by using simple, direct, and succinct language to make a point.
The Code of Conduct and Ethics of this brand is neat, simple, and straightforward, eliminating any room for miscommunication or errors in comprehension. The entire document focuses on one rule: “Use good judgment in all situations.”
The power of simplicity in this internal communication can be seen in other instances where the code describes simple steps to determine what an “ethical decision” means. It uses simplicity and a logical flow of questions to create a guidebook-like document that is intuitive and engaging to read.
For example, the code asks employees to “Always report a concern,” but what happens after that? The document promptly answers, “What happens once I report a concern,” and follows up with an assurance, “We don’t tolerate retaliation against employees for reporting a concern.”
It is not just the code of ethics that follows this pattern at Nordstrom – all their internal communications are designed using the same principle.
RHI Magnesita is a leading supplier of refractory materials and employs over 14,000 people, most of whom are plant workers. This brand demonstrates how an employee app can become the center of all information and clear communications to enhance revenue growth.
After the merger between RHI and Magnesita, the company launched the MyRHIMagnesita app, which helped them easily replace outdated communication materials (like their printed newsletters).
The company also leveraged this app for change management after the merger and to keep its employees informed of the latest practices, policies, and developments.
The company published the MyRHIMagnesita app manual in eight languages, allowing all employees to access it in their preferred language. By removing language-based communication barriers, the company created an inclusive, considerate company culture.
The company also published press releases about their fact sheets, brochures, event registration forms, surveys, quizzes, etc. over the app to enhance participation and keep the employees informed. RHI Magnesita launched a company credits app over which they managed the cultural transformation.
Ardent Health Services makes healthcare more accessible to communities by using consumer-friendly processes. To drive change, the company implemented a robust internal communications system to overhaul its traditional communication methods (emails and newsletters).
Ardent has a deskless workforce in the form of physicians, nurses, and clinical staff. When they are on the floor, it isn’t always possible for them to access work emails. The company leveraged an employee app to establish a direct line of communication with these frontline employees to keep them updated with the latest information.
Ardent leveraged the employee app to communicate daily updates to on-ground staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, which proved instrumental in establishing clear communication during an emergency.
They also used the app to share uplifting stories that highlighted community support. The app also made the latest vaccine information available to employees, facilitating the drive and bringing change.
In addition to sharing resources, Ardent also used the employee app to disseminate mental health bites and wellness practices to help employees overcome difficult times.
Consistent check-ins create a rhythm of communication that ensures employees feel supported and valued. These check-ins can take various forms:
Employee surveys are a powerful tool for understanding what employees think, need, and expect. Surveys can reveal insights into workplace culture, communication gaps, and employee satisfaction.
Not all employees feel comfortable voicing their opinions publicly. Anonymous feedback channels provide a safe space for honest communication, enabling employees to share concerns, suggestions, or grievances without fear of retaliation.
Managers play a critical role in bridging the gap between employers and employees. Investing in their communication skills can dramatically improve workplace dynamics.
Technology can simplify and streamline communication across the organization, especially for remote or hybrid teams. Digital tools enhance accessibility, transparency, and collaboration.
Poor communication isn’t just frustrating—it’s costly. According to a 2023 Grammarly report, ineffective communication increases employee stress by 7% and slashes productivity by 15%.
That’s where theEMPLOYEEapp comes in. Designed specifically for organizations with dispersed or frontline teams, this mobile-first platform makes it easy to streamline internal communication, keep everyone aligned, and reduce information gaps.
With theEMPLOYEEapp, you can:
Deliver critical updates instantly through push notifications
Set up curated news feeds and internal content hubs
Share calendars, events, documents, and policies in one place
Integrate with your existing systems for a seamless experience
Empower your workforce with clear, consistent communication—no matter where they are.
Internal communication at a company establishes an efficient exchange of information between two individuals, teams, or departments, which helps enhance productivity and efficiency.
Yes, employee apps are popular today as tools of internal communication. They allow widespread communication of important alerts, updates, notifications, and other company news to every employee.
You can use an employee app to set up internal communications, distribute surveys, gather feedback, disseminate important training on the ground, check team availability, share events and timing, and much more.
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