Caesars Solves Vast Employee Communication Problem with App
Caesars Entertainment Corporation partnered with app platform theEMPLOYEEapp to solve its challenge of communicating with 58,000 employees across diverse properties and locations—50,000 of which do not sit behind a desk or have access to a computer or email.
To understand the problem is to understand that Caesars has a diverse workforce, not only geographically speaking, but responsibility speaking—the internal team ranges from food professionals to table game dealers to valet attendants—and the company deems it imperative to the flow of business that these employees are kept up-to-date regarding major corporate announcements, as well as on news that just pertains to their location or job function. This was previously a significant communication challenge for the organization and its supervisors.
Realizing that the one thing almost all Caesars’ employees had in common is that they carried a cell phone, the company recently launched theEMPLOYEEapp, which it branded CaesarsToday. In doing so, it implemented a property-by-property deployment.
“Approximately two-thirds of Americans own a smartphone. Taking that fact into account, along with the notion that when you walk through a resort or hotel property, it is likely employees that are between shifts are spending time on their smartphones—it makes sense to provide some information on a smartphone platform for employees,” said Kitty Conrad, vice president of government affairs and communications at Caesars. “Ultimately, having a mobile app addresses the way our employees digest information--employees are not sitting behind desks and may not have corporate email--a poster on a wall or information published elsewhere on property is conveniently available on their phone. An app is one of many effective communication tools to reach employees.”
Since the rollout of the app, not only can employees get important updates, but they can access important info pertaining specifically to their job, like quick access to the company’s training manual. Additionally, they can request time off through the app as opposed to doing it on-site, as was previously required.
On the back-end, Caesars can make sure all information is safe and secure and that it only goes to the right people. Also they can send team- or company-wide push notifications to make sure important messages are sent to home screens of their phones.
In a nutshell, CaesarsToday enables the following:
· Privacy and security
· Only authorized Caesars employees have access to the app
· Unified communication
· Targeted communication
· Robust analytics
· Increased engagement between employees, supervisors and the company
· Real-time communication
· Alerts
Through an organized content folder structure co-developed by Caesars and theEMPLOYEEapp, employees have access to daily and important information specific to their particular job functions and location.
What’s more, Caesars uses its employee app to provide employees with easy access to information such as schedules, HR manuals, paychecks and messages from management. Through the analytics platform contained in theEMPLOYEEapp content management system (CMS),
Caesars can determine how its app is being utilized as well as what content drives the most engagement. Interestingly, the company determined through the analytics that the timing of publication of certain information together with payroll or schedules increased the likelihood that other corporate content reached the employees.
theEMPLOYEEapp CMS allows Caesars to create different groups of employees and to distribute specific and targeted information to each employee classification. An example of Caesars taking advantage of the group functionality can be seen by valet supervisors being able to send push notifications to the home screen of their team regarding parking alerts or large events at the property. This information, which is specific to parking attendants and not relevant other employee groups, like housekeepers, is only delivered to the parking attendants’ apps.
Because CaesarsToday is a native app and not a responsive website, employees have the option to receive push notifications/text alerts that appear on the home screen of their mobile device when new content is added. theEMPLOYEEapp also has a broadcast alert function that is helpful if there is a critical message, emergency or fast approaching health/wellness deadline.
When an employee leaves the company or changes roles within the company, the individual’s information aligns with his or her new role or departure. Those no longer employed by the company are no longer able to access the app and its content.
To understand the problem is to understand that Caesars has a diverse workforce, not only geographically speaking, but responsibility speaking—the internal team ranges from food professionals to table game dealers to valet attendants—and the company deems it imperative to the flow of business that these employees are kept up-to-date regarding major corporate announcements, as well as on news that just pertains to their location or job function. This was previously a significant communication challenge for the organization and its supervisors.
Realizing that the one thing almost all Caesars’ employees had in common is that they carried a cell phone, the company recently launched theEMPLOYEEapp, which it branded CaesarsToday. In doing so, it implemented a property-by-property deployment.
“Approximately two-thirds of Americans own a smartphone. Taking that fact into account, along with the notion that when you walk through a resort or hotel property, it is likely employees that are between shifts are spending time on their smartphones—it makes sense to provide some information on a smartphone platform for employees,” said Kitty Conrad, vice president of government affairs and communications at Caesars. “Ultimately, having a mobile app addresses the way our employees digest information--employees are not sitting behind desks and may not have corporate email--a poster on a wall or information published elsewhere on property is conveniently available on their phone. An app is one of many effective communication tools to reach employees.”
Since the rollout of the app, not only can employees get important updates, but they can access important info pertaining specifically to their job, like quick access to the company’s training manual. Additionally, they can request time off through the app as opposed to doing it on-site, as was previously required.
On the back-end, Caesars can make sure all information is safe and secure and that it only goes to the right people. Also they can send team- or company-wide push notifications to make sure important messages are sent to home screens of their phones.
In a nutshell, CaesarsToday enables the following:
· Privacy and security
· Only authorized Caesars employees have access to the app
· Unified communication
· Targeted communication
· Robust analytics
· Increased engagement between employees, supervisors and the company
· Real-time communication
· Alerts
Through an organized content folder structure co-developed by Caesars and theEMPLOYEEapp, employees have access to daily and important information specific to their particular job functions and location.
What’s more, Caesars uses its employee app to provide employees with easy access to information such as schedules, HR manuals, paychecks and messages from management. Through the analytics platform contained in theEMPLOYEEapp content management system (CMS),
Caesars can determine how its app is being utilized as well as what content drives the most engagement. Interestingly, the company determined through the analytics that the timing of publication of certain information together with payroll or schedules increased the likelihood that other corporate content reached the employees.
theEMPLOYEEapp CMS allows Caesars to create different groups of employees and to distribute specific and targeted information to each employee classification. An example of Caesars taking advantage of the group functionality can be seen by valet supervisors being able to send push notifications to the home screen of their team regarding parking alerts or large events at the property. This information, which is specific to parking attendants and not relevant other employee groups, like housekeepers, is only delivered to the parking attendants’ apps.
Because CaesarsToday is a native app and not a responsive website, employees have the option to receive push notifications/text alerts that appear on the home screen of their mobile device when new content is added. theEMPLOYEEapp also has a broadcast alert function that is helpful if there is a critical message, emergency or fast approaching health/wellness deadline.
When an employee leaves the company or changes roles within the company, the individual’s information aligns with his or her new role or departure. Those no longer employed by the company are no longer able to access the app and its content.