Culture is more than a trending corporate buzzword; it’s the glue that holds your people, processes, and purpose together and rewards you with revenue and growth. Research confirms that companies with good cultures report up to 4X higher revenues. 

While most organizations understand this and value culture today, a gap often arises when there are multiple locations, varied job roles, and a frontline workforce that doesn’t sit at a desk. For instance, while HQ usually rallies around strategy decks and mission statements, the employees in the warehouse, on the shop floor, or caring for patients feel disconnected. This is more common than you think, and is a tell-tale sign that internal culture isn’t reaching the people who need it most. But why does it happen? 

The short answer is that your communications aren’t reaching the people powering your business. If your frontline teams feel disconnected from the brand, the mission, and each other, with feelings of “I don’t belong,” the culture suffers. When culture suffers, so does execution—a vicious cycle indeed! But what’s the fix? 

This blog examines signs that your internal communications aren’t working to bridge the culture gap. We also explore five proven strategies to follow and close the gap using smart, scalable communication.

The biggest signs your internal communication isn’t bridging the culture gap

Simply keeping people informed isn't enough for organizations with a large deskless workforce. What’s needed is to help them understand company values and feel like they belong. This is where most companies' internal communications miss the mark. In such cases, culture often fractures between corporate and frontline teams, and even within frontline teams.

How do you know if your internal communication is missing the mark? There will be signs. 

Your people will tell you… in not-so-subtle ways. Pause and observe if you’re seeing:

• High turnover and absenteeism (hello, ghost shifts)
• Missed updates or safety protocols (aka operational risk)
• Low participation in company initiatives or feedback loops
• A culture of “we vs. them” between the corporate and the frontline

And maybe the biggest red flag? Silence. Because when people stop engaging, they’ve often already checked out.

But here’s the opportunity: you can bridge the divides with the right internal communication strategy. You can turn disconnected teams into a unified culture where every employee, from warehouse to wellness center, feels seen, heard, and part of something bigger. Now, let’s look at how to get there.

5 internal comms strategies to bridge the culture gap

1. Share success stories across locations

Recognition is one of the most effective tools you’ve got. No, it doesn’t have to be fancy. A quick video, a news article, or a spotlight in your internal feed can turn one team’s win into everyone’s motivation.

“We launched a recurring video series where we spotlight a ‘shining colleague’ or a fantastic customer moment each month. It’s simple, fun, and incredibly powerful for recognition and community-building.”
— Daniël Kusters, Internal Communication & Employer Branding at Jan Linders AH

To recognize effectively, highlight frontline employees, celebrate team achievements, and share how one location solved a problem in a way others can learn from. Post achievements on your company’s social intranet, so that the workers feel seen. 

2. Create culture moments on the go

Encourage connection across locations through fun, bite-sized content formats. Sharing micro-moments can go a long way to build macro-connections across time zones and job roles. Here are some ideas to try:

• Local flavor features: Ask teams to share a regional dish, holiday tradition, or fun fact from their region. Compile them into a “Culture Around the Company” story series.
• Let managers record 30-second shoutouts on their phones: “Hey team, amazing job crushing today’s numbers; Bakery crew, that shelf never looked better.”
• Create a shared “Culture Feed”: Encourage employees to post team selfies, morning coffee rituals, or behind-the-scenes shots of their day.
• “A shift in my shoes” videos:  Let your frontline workers create and post 60-second selfie-style clips that show what it’s really like to work in different roles or locations.

3. Use tools that actually build connection

While you work on building a connection, use the right tools for the right kind of message to increase visibility and impact. When teams feel like they’re part of the conversation (not just the recipients), culture starts to feel much more real. 

Here’s a quick breakdown of how to make the most of your internal comms toolbox for the frontline:

• News: Mission-critical updates that must be seen. Think policy changes, urgent alerts, or compliance info. These posts can grab attention with push notifications and email alerts, and you can track who’s seen them (and request acknowledgment, if needed).
• Updates: Your go-to for informal shoutouts, daily reminders, and casual company news. They feel friendly and lightweight and are perfect for keeping the vibe upbeat. Throw in a GIF, ask a question, or share a team win.
• Polls: When you need quick, honest feedback without putting people on the spot. They’re great for checking sentiment, running fun internal surveys, or gathering anonymous input to guide leadership decisions.
• Events: Ideal for managing RSVPs and getting the word out about everything from all-hands meetings to pizza Friday. Basically, no more “Oh, I didn’t know!” moments.

Many frontline workers juggle a million tasks a day. That's why bite-sized content like videos and interactive polls are so powerful.
— Tobi Anderson, Head of Customer Experience at Speakap

While you leverage these content formats, remember to do it in a way that keeps your frontline teams engaged without overwhelming them.  

4. Empower line managers as culture ambassadors

Culture doesn’t trickle down from HQ like a memo; it’s built (or broken) on the frontline. Your line managers are the ones who set the tone day-to-day. According to research, team leaders’ talent, skill, and knowledge can exponentially improve company culture and productivity. There is a whopping 70% difference in culture quality between companies with lousy and great team leaders. 

So, make sure you give leaders more than a job description. Equip  with the tools and training to lead with clarity, consistency, and confidence. Learn more about empowering line managers to communicate better here .

5. Use data to close the gap

Culture feels intangible, we get it. But hey, your comms data isn’t. You can use engagement analytics in your employee experience tool to spot where messages are resonating (or not), and where morale might be slipping. This will give you a clear map of what needs attention. Based on the findings, make it a point to encourage the local leaders to take informed action and improve.

Real-world insights from companies that’ve already made it work

How Kalahari Resorts turned wellness into workplace culture

When it comes to culture-building, theory only gets you so far. The real magic happens when strategy meets action. Just ask Kara Ruchti, Director of Corporate Culture and Retention at Kalahari Resorts, who is now officially named HR Leader of the Year in the Ragan Workplace Wellness Awards. 

Kara’s secret? Turning personal purpose into collective impact.

“In 2021, I started my own wellness journey. That became the spark for Be Well—Kalahari’s wellness program designed to support our associates in every area of life.” — Kara Ruchti

Kalahari Resorts’ Be Well wasn’t just another HR initiative. It was a full-on culture shift. Wellness days, spa vouchers, mental health support, and even an in-house assistance fund were just the start. But here’s what stood out: internal communication was the glue that held it all together. Kara and her team used MyKalahari, a customized internal app powered by Speakap, to bring wellness directly to their frontline, as a solid part of the culture.

“We integrated event updates, wellness education, and support resources right into the app. It made wellness part of our daily culture—not an afterthought.” — Kara Ruchti

Results? Sky-high engagement, honest, heartfelt feedback, and a more connected, resilient workforce. Point being: When you align wellness, communication, and culture with the everyday realities of your frontline, you don’t just boost morale; you create a place people want to stay.

TL;DR from the Kalahari playbook:

• Think beyond benefits, build a culture of care.
• Use employee engagement tech (like Speakap) to simplify, scale, and personalize internal comms and ingrain the culture across the board.
• Collect feedback often, and celebrate wins visibly.

Read the full story: HR Leader of the Year in the Spotlight: Kara Ruchti on Building a Culture of Wellness.

Final word: culture isn’t one-size-fits-all, but communication can be

When communication brings everyone into the conversation, your culture becomes more than words. It becomes your advantage. You don’t need every location to look the same. But you do need everyone to feel part of the same mission. That only happens with consistent, intentional, and inclusive communication.

At Speakap, we help organizations bridge the gap between HQ and the frontline, between intention and impact, between strategy and culture with powerful employee experience tools. Request a demo to know more.

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