For thousands of employees across the UK’s social care sector, accessing company updates can be far from simple – especially when most are on their feet supporting residents rather than sitting behind a screen. At the recent Employee Engagement Summit, one speaker on the Internal Communications stage captured this challenge perfectly, sharing how his organisation transformed communication for a 20,000-strong, largely deskless workforce – and the results were nothing short of inspiring.
Dave Purcell, Internal Comms Manager at HC-One story began with a familiar problem: overloaded home managers acting as the main channel between head office and care homes. Printed PDFs and noticeboards were the norm, but they couldn’t keep up with a fast-changing environment. Even small updates meant long delays and gaps in communication. Many team members didn’t have corporate email addresses, and digital skills varied widely – a common reality in social care.
Instead of searching for a complex, external solution, David and his team looked inward. The breakthrough came when they realised the tools they needed were already in their digital toolbox. By leveraging Microsoft’s frontline licences (F1 and F3), HC-One rolled out limited access to Teams, SharePoint, and Viva Engage without needing to issue everyone an email account. It was a smart use of existing infrastructure – and it opened the door to a new, more connected way of communicating.
To make the system seamless, the team partnered with ContactMonkey, a tool that integrates directly with Office 365. This meant they could create content once and publish it everywhere – from Teams to SharePoint, and even email. For care home staff, the change was immediate: no more digging for updates in printed binders. Everything from shift updates to wellbeing resources became available in one place, accessible via mobile or shared devices.
David’s team didn’t stop there. They supported colleagues through every step – producing explainer videos, running hands-on training, and simplifying content. Early lessons showed that shorter, clearer messages landed best. “Less is more,” David reminded the audience, describing how focusing on relevance and simplicity helped build engagement across roles and literacy levels.
One of the standout takeaways was his emphasis on inclusion. Every employee, from carers to kitchen staff, was considered in the design of the new approach. By defining audience personas and consolidating tools like payroll and benefits under a single login, the team built trust and routine digital confidence – making online tools feel both approachable and essential.
The result? A single source of truth for internal comms and real-time insights into what’s working. Engagement metrics became centralised, transparent, and actionable – a game-changer for both communicators and leaders. As David put it, sometimes the best solution isn’t the flashiest – it’s the most practical. “Think horses, not zebras,” he said with a smile, summing up a philosophy that clearly resonated with the audience.
To register for the 2026 Engage Employee Summit click here.