Five low-tech ways to reach your frontline team for real
Internal communication ideas without the platform overload
When internal comms don't land with frontline teams, the consequences show up fast: disconnect, confusion, safety issues, lower productivity, and churn.
And yet, so many organisations still struggle to reach with their frontline teams in meaningful, human ways, especially when email and apps aren’t the answer.
The good news is you don’t need a fancy platform to make it work. Here are five low-tech, creative ways to connect and communicate with the people who keep your organisation moving.
1. Feed the huddle with micro-stories
If daily or weekly huddle / stand-ups or team briefings are already happening, piggyback on them. Give your team leads micro-storries to read aloud.
It could be a one-liner, a quick prompt to start a discussion, a ‘did you know’ fact. This one’s super low-effort, and leaves lots of room to play and experiment creatively, and strategically.
2. Map the journey and make a connection
Map out the physical journey people might take and work out the places and things that people can’t avoid. Lockers, the break room, ID badges, mugs, the label on a high-vis jacket - how can you use them to create moments of connection, share an important reminder, or support your goals? (I’m not always convinced about toilet comms, personally, but if it works, it works.)
3. Play with the medium
Beautiful glossy printed material is lovely, but there are more ways to create and share messages in a tactile and memorable way. Blackboard paint, or whiteboard vinyl could create a living message wall. Make the most of the fact that it’s not permanent to have some fun, play with humour and use bold visuals to surprise people. Ask teams to get involved and own the message each week.
4. Home comms for your peoples’ people
If you want something to stand out, send it home. A short letter, postcard or employee magazine can be a great opportunity for employees to share with their families. This is great especially for big campaigns and recognition.
5. Short sound-bites – recorded by the people they know
Some people love them, some people hate them - voice notes. (I’m a big fan). But have you thought about using them as a way for your leaders to connect with their frontline teams? A quick audio clip - think under 60 seconds, informal and fast - can help humanise corporate communication and bring people closer together.
Paying attention to your frontline team's communication needs is the first step to making sure you meet them where they are effectively, and avoid disengagement and high turnover.
And a high-tech solution is not always the answer. Often, simple, low-cost, people-first methods can work wonders to build trust, boost morale, and create strong connections.
If you’d like help getting started, we’d love to chat. This is the work we love most.
