So many workforces operate remotely, are mobile or have employees that don't have company email addresses. So why do so many employee engagement platforms rely so heavily on email to initiate an employee survey?
In this article we explore the benefits of using WhatsApp and why the familiarity of this widely used app can lead to higher engagement and response rates in the employee feedback process.
A brief history of WhatsApp
WhatsApp was founded in 2009 by former Yahoo employees Brian Acton and Jan Koum as a simple messaging app designed to replace SMS. The app quickly gained popularity due to its user-friendly interface, lack of ads, and end-to-end encryption, making it a favorite for secure, cost-effective communication worldwide. By 2014, WhatsApp had amassed over 400 million active users, making it one of the fastest-growing messaging platforms.
In February 2014, Facebook (now Meta) acquired WhatsApp for $19 billion, one of the largest tech acquisitions in history. The purchase was a strategic move for Facebook, allowing it to dominate global messaging and strengthen its presence in developing markets where WhatsApp was widely used. Unlike Facebook Messenger, which was tied to Facebook accounts, WhatsApp operated independently, appealing to users who preferred privacy and simplicity.
For Facebook, the acquisition provided access to a massive user base and valuable data insights, despite WhatsApp’s initial ad-free model. Over time, Facebook integrated WhatsApp with its ecosystem, exploring monetization strategies like business messaging and payments. The acquisition cemented Facebook’s dominance in social communication, ensuring long-term growth and expanding its influence in the mobile messaging space. WhatsApp remains one of the most popular messaging apps globally.
TenSpace - Our decision to use WhatsApp
We made the decision to use WhatsApp on Day One! In fact the first thing we built in our platform was the ability to send messages from a Ten Space WhatsApp account. It started when WhatsApp opened its API for businesses in August 2018 with the launch of the WhatsApp Business API. This allowed companies to integrate WhatsApp messaging into their customer service and communication systems, enabling automated messages, customer support, and transactional notifications. Over time, Meta expanded availability, announcing that the WhatsApp Cloud API would be free for all businesses, making it easier for developers to integrate WhatsApp messaging into their platforms.
But as well as its availability, we immediately identified a few other great reasons to use it for employee feedback. And when we started using the platform with customers they quickly validated our assumptions. Here's some of the genuine feedback we've had over the years from customers....
"This is a WAY better experience for our employees!"
Lets face it - WhatsApp is far cooler than email and browser-based surveys. The experience of recieving a message in WhatsApp and responding in WhatsApp is just better. Whenever we show our customers the experience they always agree (and we can demo this to you really easily).
"We already use WhatsApp a lot in our workplace"
The biggest barrier to a high response rate is a lack of trust and familiarity with the technology being used. If your employees require a set of instructions ahead of the employee survey, chances are they won't complete it. This can also lead to discontent aimed at the HR team. If your employees are already comfortable with WhatsApp as a means of internal communication then don't force them to move away from it.
"A lot of our employees don't really use company emails"
In many companies, email addresses are not issued to employees. Sectors such as hospitality or logistics have many workers that don't require a company email address. This often puts a barrier in the way for HR teams who think that email is the only official channel. Sure, you can use personal email addresses, but often people don't check their personal emails which can have a big impact on response rates. Many of our clients gain consent during onboarding so they can send engagement surveys via WhatsApp.
"We think a lot of our employees start but don't finish their surveys"
Email / browser based surveys often don't collect data as they go, relying on survey completion before responses are submitted. With WhatsApp, every answer is submitted as the question is answered. If an employee only answers the first survey question (especially if this is an eNPS question) then some quality engagement data has been collected.
"Many of our employees are on the road or don't have desks"
For many people, WhatsApp is an 'always on' channel. Once consent has been given, your employees can respond to engagement questions at a time that is most convenient for them. WhatsApp also makes it easy to stop mid-survey and come back later. We can encourage completion by sending nudges to your employees if they haven't started their survey or if they have only partially completed.
Try it today!!
Do any of the topics mentioned above resonate with you? If yes, then why not try using WhatsApp for your next employee engagement or pulse survey. We're confident you'll see a major difference in participation and engagement in the process. SEND AND ENQUIRY to our Customer Engagement team and we'll be happy to show you how this great medium can work for your business.
