Just having a comms platform doesn’t mean people will actually use it and if your comms platform is just a digital bulletin board, employees won’t engage.

That was the central theme of Ilse Verkuil’s breakout session at our customer event.

As the Marketing & Communication Manager at Bidfood (formerly at Autobink and Groenendijk), Ilse knows firsthand how companies struggle to turn their internal comms tools into something employees actually engage with.

The biggest mistake? Thinking implementation is the finish line.

The biggest mistake? Thinking that implementation is the finish line.

“Too often, I see companies roll out their platform, do a big launch, and then… silence,” Ilse said. “Everyone assumes that because the system is live, engagement will just happen. But that’s not how it works.”

Her key message? The most successful companies don’t just launch a tool—they build a community. That means understanding who your employees are, what they need, and why they should care about the platform in the first place.

Lesson 1: Your comms tool should feel like part of the company’s DNA

The way a company introduces and positions its comms platform can make or break adoption. Ilse shared two contrasting examples:

• Bidfood took a personal, high-touch approach when launching their platform, Joep. “We didn’t just tell employees to download the app,” Ilse explained. “We went into branches, sat down with people, helped them install it, and didn’t leave until it was done.” By making the rollout a celebration, with engaging content and real-time updates, employees saw Joep as part of their daily routine, not just another tool.
• Autobink, on the other hand, took a branded storytelling approach. Their app was introduced using humor and lighthearted branding. “We played into their existing communication style, which was casual and fun. We even created a cartoon-style explainer video to introduce it,” Ilse said. While this worked for Autobink, she emphasized that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. The rollout strategy has to match the company culture to feel authentic.

The key takeaway? Employees won’t adopt a tool that feels disconnected from how they already work and communicate.

Lesson 2: A comms tool without a strategy is just noise

A platform filled with content no one reads? That’s a digital playground for the communication department—where only HQ posts updates, and employees passively (or completely) ignore them. 

I’ve seen this happen over and over. If employees don’t feel like the content speaks to them, why would they engage? Ilse Verkuil Marketing & Communication Manager at Bidfood

So how do you avoid this? A clear content strategy.

• Content must be relevant. “Every post should answer one simple question: Why should employees care? If they don’t see the value, they won’t engage.”
• Content must be balanced. Too many messages, and employees tune out - this is due to information overload. Too few, and they forget the platform exists. Companies that flooded timelines with updates from every department actually saw engagement drop—forcing them to rethink how they structured communication.
• Content must be brand-aligned. Some companies used their platform only for operational updates. Others infused it with company culture, adding recognitions, celebrations, and more interactive content to make it engaging.

At Bidfood, Ilse and her team took a structured approach to keep content engaging:

• Push notifications made critical updates stand out
• A leaderboard for managers encouraged healthy competition, tracking engagement levels
• A mix of serious and lighthearted content kept employees checking in regularly

The moment you start alternating content—safety updates alongside employee stories, recognition posts next to key business updates—you create a rhythm that keeps people coming back. Ilse Verkuil Marketing & Communication Manager at Bidfood

Lesson 3: Build it like a community, not just an information channel

Ilse challenged attendees to rethink their comms platform: Is it just a place where updates get posted? Or is it an employee hub?

“A successful platform should be more than just a notice board,” she said. “It should be a place where employees want to check in—not just because they have to, but because they actually get value from it.”

What does that look like in practice?

• Employees should get informed. Whether it’s company updates, important news, or announcements, they should be able to rely on the platform as their go-to source for information.
• Employees should feel connected. Recognitions, celebrations, and shared stories create a sense of belonging. “If someone has a work anniversary or a baby on the way, why not celebrate that in the app? It makes the space feel more personal,” Ilse pointed out.
• Employees should have a voice. “If your comms tool is just a top-down broadcasting system, engagement will tank,” Ilse warned. Interactive elements like comments, reactions, and user-generated content encourage two-way communication.

One of the biggest game-changers? Peer-driven content.

Employees don’t always want to hear from corporate. But if they see their colleagues sharing updates, stories, or best practices, suddenly the platform becomes more relevant to them. Ilse Verkuil Marketing & Communication Manager at Bidfood

Final takeaway: If it’s just another channel, it won’t last

The companies that truly transformed their comms platform into an employee hub didn’t just expect employees to use it. They created an experience worth coming back to.

• They invested in activation, ensuring employees saw value from day one
• They kept content engaging and relevant, rather than bombarding employees with information
• They treated the platform as a community, not just a corporate bulletin board
• And most importantly, they never assumed that engagement would happen on its own

If your comms platform isn’t adding real value, employees simply won’t engage - you have to build it into their work, make it useful, and most of all—make it theirs. Ilse Verkuil Marketing & Communication Manager at Bidfood

‍