Communication with Deskless Employees: How to Reach Frontline Teams

What tools help you effectively reach frontline employees?

Mobile apps, SMS messages, information kiosks, and voice announcements make it possible to reach employees without access to computers or email.

In practice, a large part of the manufacturing and field workforce does not use computers in their daily work. Classic channels, such as email or a company intranet, available only from the office, therefore miss a huge group of employees. According to industry reports, regular engagement with internal communication emails ranges from 26% to 75% — and even that mainly applies to employees who have access to an inbox.

That is why the most effective ways to reach deskless employees include:

• Mobile apps – dedicated platforms, such as Workai in the case of Żabka Polska, provide quick access to news, instructions, and training, also outside regular working hours.
• SMS messages and push notifications – short alerts with key information, even if an employee does not install an app.
• Information kiosks and digital screens on the production floor – centrally managed messages displayed on screens in social areas or near entrances.
• Voice announcements and automated messages – useful where screens cannot be used, for example, through speakers on the production floor or internal radio systems.

It is worth emphasizing that a mobile intranet is not just a “mini company website,” but a tool that genuinely improves access to knowledge, requests, and shift schedules directly from a phone. This type of solution was implemented by Żabka Polska: the Workai mobile app integrates communication, the knowledge base, and e-learning for more than 35,000 sales assistants, franchisees, and employees across 12,000 stores, making it possible to reach even those who are “deskless.”

Want to know how to build a consistent communication platform in distributed manufacturing? Read: A Practical Guide to Building an Internal Communication Platform for Manufacturing.

What types of content work best for this group?

Short, visual messages and video instructions are the most effective — they communicate key information quickly and increase engagement among frontline employees.

For people performing physical tasks or serving customers, simplicity and clarity matter most. Gallup’s 2026 report shows that only 20% of employees globally feel engaged, while as many as 64% remain outside active participation in company life. This is a signal that long, text-heavy messages often fail to cut through the noise.

What works best?

• Infographics, photos, and pictograms – a picture is worth a thousand words; simple visuals summarizing key changes or health and safety rules are easier to absorb.
• Video instructions – short videos of several dozen seconds showing new procedures or equipment use are easier to understand than written manuals.
• “To-do” notifications – task lists, reminders about training, or new guidelines available directly in the app.
• Simple push or SMS messages – for example, “Working hours change from 12 June” or “New equipment collection rules – watch the video.”
• Visual summaries – for example, progress charts, team results, or short slides with key indicators.

According to industry reports, only 17% of employees feel fully aligned with company goals, while a lack of communication clarity is responsible for an almost twofold increase in delays compared with 2025. This means that simpler, more visual, and more regular communication helps avoid misunderstandings and improves effectiveness even where access to digital tools is limited.

It is also worth monitoring which content actually reaches and engages employees. Platforms such as Workai provide analytics even for messages delivered through a mobile app, SMS, or information kiosks. This makes it possible to measure communication effectiveness and continuously improve it.

We also recommend reading: 8. Internal Communication Metrics in Manufacturing: What to Track, where you will find a list of measurable outcomes of well-run frontline communication.

Implementation example: Żabka Polska

Żabka Polska, a convenience store chain, employs more than 35,000 people and works with thousands of franchisees and sales assistants. One of the key challenges was effective communication with people working without company email addresses and across many locations. The implementation of the Workai mobile app enabled central information management and quick access to the knowledge base and news — directly from a phone, without the need to log in on a computer. The solution was recognized, among other things, for its integration with everyday work tools, including the mobile app and Microsoft Teams. As a result, messages also reach employees who were previously digitally excluded. More information is available in our implementation case study.

Want to learn how to support the adoption of new digital tools among manufacturing employees? Read: Digital Tool Adoption in Manufacturing: How to Support Employees.

Summary: How can you start communicating more effectively with employees without computers?

Effective communication with frontline employees requires moving beyond email and desktop computers. It is worth focusing on mobile apps, information kiosks, and visual content. Check which solutions actually work in your industry — and do not be afraid to test different message formats.