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In today’s dynamic and increasingly digital workplace, keeping employees engaged is more challenging and important than ever. When we say ‘engagement’, it goes beyond perks and benefits, it is about connecting employees with their work, teams, the company’s vision and the company's legacy. Corporate decision-makers in internal communications and employee engagement teams are tasked with finding innovative ways to connect with employees, foster collaboration, and ensure alignment with company culture and values. Traditional communication methods like emails, newsletters, and intranets have their place, but more forward-thinking companies like Salesforce and Grant Thornton are now integrating immersive technologies, like Augmented Reality (AR) as well, to take their employee engagement strategies to the next level.
Why Augmented Reality?
AR is not just a buzzword or a futuristic concept, it's in the now and a powerful tool that adds an interactive, engaging layer to existing employee communication strategies. AR can transform everyday spaces into digital storytelling environments where employees can engage with the company’s messages, culture, and initiatives in real time. Through AR, internal communications can become more immersive, interactive, and memorable, helping companies create deeper connections with their teams.
Let’s look at how AR is making waves in corporate environments by enhancing internal communications and employee engagement through our innovative experiences for Salesforce and Grant Thornton.
Engaging Employees in Real-Time
At its core, AR is about storytelling. Think about it, onboarding by welcoming a new hire through an immersive AR experience where they can walk virtually through the company’s history, interact with the leadership team, and get a 360-degree view of their future workplace. Or consider using AR to create team-building exercises that foster collaboration in ways that go beyond the typical Zoom meeting.
AR makes it possible to turn passive content consumption into active engagement. Whether it’s showing presentations about company culture, conducting theme-based events or campaigns, or planning training, AR allows you to tell the story in a more captivating and meaningful way.
Salesforce: Transforming Employee Spaces into Storytelling Experiences
Salesforce, a global leader in customer relationship management, is also at the forefront of employee engagement innovation. Recognising the potential of AR to amplify their internal communications, Salesforce collaborated with us at Imvizar to create a series of AR experiences within their Dublin Tower.
Through this initiative, employees could engage with strategically placed AR content, turning their office into an immersive storytelling space. What was once a standard office building, transformed into an interactive canvas, with key messages about company values, history, legacy and achievements brought to life through AR. This initiative added a layer of excitement and engagement that made employees feel more connected to the company’s story.
The project spanned 10 AR experiences, each one delivering important messages in a new, compelling way. Salesforce was able to take their internal messaging and make it come alive, capturing employee attention and reinforcing their corporate culture in a format that felt fresh and exciting. Read the entire case study of the Salesforce Employee Engagement AR experience here!
Grant Thornton: Sustainability Storytelling Through AR
Another great example of using AR for employee engagement is Grant Thornton Ireland’s sustainability-focused AR project. As part of their Earth Week initiative, the company was looking for a way to inspire employees to take an active role in sustainability efforts. Instead of relying on passive email campaigns or intranet posts, they turned to AR to make their message more impactful and memorable.
Grant Thornton partnered with Imvizar to create an immersive AR experience that encouraged employees to engage with sustainability topics in a fun and interactive way. The initiative, titled "Planet vs Plastics," featured an AR journey that allowed employees to learn about plastic waste and its environmental impact while walking through their office space. The experience was designed to be both educational and engaging, turning a typically passive subject into an active and participatory experience.
By leveraging AR, Grant Thornton was able to achieve far higher levels of employee engagement than they would have through more traditional communication channels. Employees were not only informed about the company’s sustainability goals but were inspired to take action and become part of the solution. This experience shows the potential of AR to turn important internal messages into experiences that resonate more deeply with employees.
Why AR Works for Employee Engagement
What makes AR such an effective tool for internal communications and employee engagement? The answer lies in its ability to create immersive, memorable experiences. Here’s why AR can make a difference:
- Interactive Content: AR allows employees to actively participate in the storytelling process, rather than passively consuming information. This interaction fosters deeper connections with the material.
- Memorable Engagement: By turning everyday office spaces into interactive environments, AR makes communications more memorable, increasing retention of key messages.
- Creative Storytelling: AR opens the door to more creative forms of storytelling, allowing companies to showcase their values, culture, and goals in dynamic, visually compelling ways.
- Blending Digital and Physical Spaces: AR bridges the gap between digital and physical environments, creating a seamless, hybrid experience that resonates with employees whether they are in the office or working remotely.
How AR Can Transform Your Company’s Employee Engagement Strategy
For companies looking to elevate their employee engagement strategies, AR presents a unique opportunity to infuse creativity and interactivity into their communications toolkit. Whether it’s finding little nuggets of trivia about the building and its history or turning corporate values into AR experiences that employees discover throughout the workplace, AR can enhance every aspect of internal communications.
The Salesforce and Grant Thornton experiences illustrate how AR can be leveraged to create deeper engagement, enhance employee participation, and leave a lasting impact. As workplace dynamics continue to evolve, AR provides an innovative way for companies to tell their story and connect with their people in a way that is both meaningful and memorable.
Are you ready to explore how AR can complement your internal communications and employee engagement strategies? Let’s collaborate and create the next chapter in your company’s story, together.
