How AB connected 130,000 colleagues – most of them frontline – through Robin, a single employee app with real personality.
See how we did it
Improving internal communication across 130,000 employees – many frontline, shift-based and without desk access – is no small challenge.
At Royal Mail, multiple platforms – an intranet, social tools and standalone apps – had created a fragmented experience. Critical messages struggled to reach frontline teams, and just 36% of people had activated the primary social platform.
Royal Mail needed one platform, built for frontline accessibility, relevance and everyday use – somewhere news, recognition and the tools of the working day all lived together.
One place. One login. One experience the whole organisation could rely on.
One platform. One login. One consistent experience.
The answer was Robin, a single digital workplace powered by Workvivo. It brings the whole working day into one app:
Internal communications and updates that finally reach the frontline.
Payslips, holiday booking and everyday self-service in your pocket.
Shout-outs and value updates that celebrate great work.
Spaces to connect, share and build a sense of belonging.
Every great social platform has a clear identity – a personality people connect with. That thinking sat at the heart of the Robin brand. We wanted character and warmth, and – as often happens – the idea was a fusion of influences.
'Robin' works on many levels. It's one of the UK's most familiar garden birds, tied to Christmas – the busiest time of year for Royal Mail. And there's a lesser-known link: in Victorian times, posties were nicknamed "robin redbreasts", after their red jackets.
From that heritage, Robin emerged: friendly, a little cheeky, approachable and distinctly Royal Mail – a functional platform with personality that helped:
Launching a new platform in a complex organisation takes more than technology. We paired bold promotion with hands-on activation. Alongside comms, competitions and content, two things proved critical: a network of Robin Champions driving local uptake, and a branded coffee tuk-tuk touring sites across the country.
The Royal Mail comms team were on the ground – helping colleagues download the app, answering questions and removing barriers in real time. That human approach moved people from awareness to action.
"This wasn't a launch you could deliver from behind a screen."
Robin delivered strong results from day one – and generated wider organisational benefits, too:
Most importantly, it turned communication from one-way broadcast into a two-way, interactive experience – and AB continues to work with Royal Mail to keep Robin rich with engaging content.
Give it a voice, a tone and a role in people's working lives. Personality is what turns a tool into something people choose to open.
Local champions are your most powerful lever – especially where technology creates friction. Be on the ground, not behind a screen.
The numbers tell you what's working. Your champions, close to the frontline, tell you why – and that's where the next improvement comes from.
Get these right, and internal communication becomes a driver of engagement, culture and performance.
Planning a launch, a rebrand or a platform that frontline teams will actually use? We'd love to help.
or email abi.terry@abcomm.co.uk