TechForward Inc.: 37% Higher Employee Awareness Through Strategic Digital Signage
"Email open rates were abysmal. Intranet engagement was worse. We needed a way to reach employees where they naturally spend time—in common areas, break rooms, and lobbies. Digital signage became our most effective internal communications channel."
— Jennifer Walsh, VP of Human Resources, TechForward Inc.
Company Overview
| Company | TechForward Inc. |
| Industry | Enterprise Software |
| Employees | 2,800 |
| Offices | 6 locations (headquarters + 5 regional offices) |
| Workforce Mix | 40% hybrid, 35% on-site, 25% remote |
| Annual Revenue | $340 million |
| SignageStudio Customer Since | June 2024 |
The Challenge
TechForward Inc., a fast-growing enterprise software company, faced a growing internal communications crisis:
The "Information Black Hole"
- Internal emails had a 23% open rate—and falling
- Intranet page views had dropped 45% over three years
- Employees complained of "communication overload" yet missed critical updates
- Only 31% of employees felt well-informed about company initiatives
Disconnected Workforce
With hybrid and distributed teams:
- On-site employees felt disconnected from company culture
- Important announcements reached different employees at different times
- Cross-team collaboration suffered from lack of visibility into other departments' work
Recognition Gap
- Employee recognition happened in siloed team meetings
- Company-wide achievements went largely unnoticed
- 82% of employees said they wanted more frequent recognition
Engagement Decline
According to Gallup research, only 36% of employees feel engaged at work. TechForward's internal surveys showed they were below even this disappointing benchmark at 28%.
"We were spending millions on great benefits and programs, but employees didn't know they existed," explains Jennifer Walsh. "It was a communication failure, not a benefits failure."
The Solution
TechForward partnered with MediaSignage to deploy SignageStudio across all six locations:
Display Network
- 68 displays across all locations
- Lobby welcome screens with company branding and visitor information
- Break room displays showing culture content and recognition
- Meeting room digital signage for room availability and announcements
- Production floor dashboards (at their hardware R&D facility)
Content Strategy
Content Mix:
| Category | Airtime | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Company News & Announcements | 30% | Product launches, financial updates, leadership messages |
| Employee Recognition | 25% | Shout-outs, anniversaries, promotions, achievements |
| Culture & Events | 20% | Team photos, event promotions, DEI initiatives |
| KPI Dashboards | 15% | Sales metrics, customer satisfaction, sprint progress |
| HR & Benefits | 10% | Open enrollment, wellness programs, policy updates |
Key Features Implemented
- Real-time Recognition Feed — Managers can submit recognition via Slack/Teams, instantly displayed
- KPI Dashboards — Connected to Salesforce, Jira, and internal systems
- Event Countdown Timers — Building excitement for company events
- New Hire Welcome — Photos and introductions for new team members
- Meeting Room Integration — Display schedules and availability outside each room
The Results
After 14 months of operation, the impact on employee engagement has been substantial:
Communication Effectiveness
According to ScreenCloud research, 84% of decision-makers report digital signage positively engages staff—TechForward's results align perfectly.
Engagement Metrics
| Metric | Before | After | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Feel well-informed" | 31% | 68% | +119% |
| Employee engagement score | 28% | 44% | +57% |
| Recognition visibility | 18% | 76% | +322% |
| Benefits awareness | 42% | 81% | +93% |
| Email for announcements (open rate) | 23% | N/A | Replaced by signage |
Productivity Impact
Research shows digital signage can improve workplace engagement by 22%, leading to 41% fewer quality defects. TechForward observed:
- 25% higher productivity in teams with KPI dashboards
- Meeting room conflicts reduced by 67% through digital room signs
- Company event attendance increased 45%
- Benefits enrollment completion improved by 34%
Financial Impact
Investment:
| Category | Cost |
|---|---|
| Hardware (68 displays, players, mounts) | $142,000 |
| Installation across 6 locations | $38,000 |
| SignageStudio business license | $12,000/year |
| Integration development (Slack, Teams, Salesforce) | $25,000 |
| Total Year 1 Investment | $217,000 |
Returns:
- Companies with engaged workforces are 21% more profitable
- Improved retention saved an estimated $340,000 in turnover costs
- Productivity gains valued at $520,000+ annually
- ROI achieved in 5 months
Featured Implementations
The Recognition Wall
The most popular feature across all offices:
- Real-time recognition submissions via Slack command
/recognize @person - Automatically displays on break room screens within 60 seconds
- Weekly "Recognition Roundup" featuring all submissions
- Monthly winners announced with special display treatment
"The recognition wall changed our culture. People actually look forward to seeing who got recognized today. It's become part of our daily rhythm." — Engineering Manager
KPI Dashboards
Real-time business metrics displayed in relevant areas:
Sales Floor:
- Pipeline value and stage progression
- Won deals celebrated in real-time
- Monthly quota attainment
Engineering Areas:
- Sprint burndown charts
- Build status and deployment health
- Customer-reported bug trends
All-Hands Areas:
- Company revenue vs. target
- Customer satisfaction scores
- Employee NPS
Meeting Room Integration
Digital signs outside each conference room show:
- Current meeting status and attendees
- Today's schedule for the room
- Next available time slot
- One-touch check-in for scheduled meetings
Employee Feedback
"I used to feel out of the loop working from the satellite office. Now I know exactly what's happening at HQ. The product launch countdown made us feel just as included as the main campus team."
— Product Manager, Austin Office
"Seeing our sales dashboard on the big screen is incredibly motivating. When a big deal closes and it updates in real-time, the whole floor celebrates. It's created this healthy competitive energy."
— Senior Account Executive
"The meeting room signs are such a small thing but they've eliminated so much friction. No more awkward interruptions or double-bookings. Plus I can see at a glance where to find an available room."
— Software Engineer
Implementation Tips from TechForward
What Worked
- Start with recognition — It's universally positive and builds buy-in for the platform
- Connect to existing tools — Slack/Teams integration made adoption seamless
- Involve employees in content — User-generated content drives engagement
- Keep it fresh — Content updated daily maintains attention
- Location-specific content — Each office sees relevant local information
What They'd Do Differently
- Deploy sooner — "We should have done this years ago"
- More screens in traffic areas — Added 12 displays in year 2
- Video content earlier — Motion captures more attention than static
Future Plans
TechForward is expanding their digital signage implementation:
- Interactive touchscreens in lobbies for visitor check-in
- QR code integration linking to mobile content and surveys
- AI-powered content optimization automatically adjusting display mix based on engagement
- Remote worker inclusion extending content to home office displays
Transform Your Workplace Communications
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