Transform shared physical spaces into unmissable communication hubs to deliver messages in a recognizable and trusted way. Ensure organizational updates are viewed and land with impact by extending your digital reach to high-traffic areas like lobbies, break rooms, and production floors. Showcasing company news in work areas is a powerful way to bridge the communication gap for your non-desk workforce. It makes sure every employee is informed, included, and connected to your company’s culture and mission. The steps below will guide you in turning your existing news content into dynamic digital signage.

In this article:

Key Facts | Video Tutorial |  Steps | Measure Success | Best Practices | How Screens Look for Users | Additional Resources 

Problem Statement: Frontline and non-desk employees often miss timely corporate and cultural messages, leading to information gaps, disengagement, and disconnection from the wider organization.

Business Objective: Transform high-traffic areas into dynamic communication channels to maximize message reach, reinforce culture, and boost the engagement of non-desk teams.

Staffbase Features:

• News: The central content engine that feeds your screens, allowing you to publish and display information across different screens.
• Screens: The workspace where you create and customize dynamic slideshows for digital displays in your workplace using news channels, news pages, and media.
• Device Management: The control hub within Screens, helping you to securely connect and manage display devices from a single, centralized page.

Audience: All employees, with a focus on non-desk and frontline workers who do not have regular access to the App or Intranet.

Outcome: Key messages are amplified and consistently visible to the entire workforce. Non-desk employees are better informed and feel more connected to the company's mission and culture, leading to higher engagement and a more unified workplace.

You can use this step-by-step guide to set up this use case in Staffbase.

Connect Your Display Device

1. In the Studio, navigate to Screens > Device Management.
2. Click Connect Device to generate a unique URL.
3. Open the URL on the device you want to use as a screen (e.g., a smart TV's browser).
   A verification code appears.
4. Enter the verification code back on your Connect Device screen and click the blue arrow.
5. Click Rename Device to give your device a recognizable name, such as "Lobby Screen" or "Cafeteria TV".

6. Click Rename.

   Learn more about managing your devices in Screens.

Create and Publish a Slideshow

1. In the Studio, navigate to Screens > Create Slideshow.
2. Give your slideshow a name.
3. Select an existing News Channel or News Page as the content source for the slideshow.
4. Click the Layout tab to customize the slideshow.
5. In the Media tab, add standalone images or videos to the slideshow.
6. Click Save.
7. In the Slideshow tab, click in the Link to devices field.
8. Search for and select the device(s) you connected earlier.

9. Click Publish.

   Learn more about configuring a slideshow. Your news content will now appear as a slideshow on your connected screen.

Keep Viewers Engaged

• Create engaging news posts with visual content.
  Include news posts that regularly have high-quality images or videos to draw attention to screens.
• Promote the QR code feature to drive app adoption.
  Enable the QR code option, as it bridges the gap between the screen and the App, encouraging employees to engage with the content.
• Place screens strategically for maximum impact.
  Place screen displays in high-traffic areas where employees congregate, such as lobbies or break rooms.

These are different ways you can track the success of this use case.

Track Content Visibility and Reach

• Look for a steady or increasing number of views indicating the content is being seen by employees.
• Use the News tab in the Analytics Dashboard to monitor the views and visitors for the news channels powering your screens.

Measure News Engagement via Screens

• Look for Digital Signage as a traffic source in the post statistics to see exactly how many employees are scanning the QR code to read the full article.
• Measure how screens contribute to better content engagement.

Gather Qualitative Employee Feedback

• Create a pulse survey or use the Forms plugin to ask employees if they find the screens informative and engaging.
• Use their direct feedback to refine your content strategy and prove the value of the channel.

Staffbase has a few recommendations to ensure the best experience for your users.

Design for Clarity and Distance

• In the news posts, use catchy headlines and limit descriptions as readers only have a moment to view the message.
• Use high-quality, full-resolution images and videos to convey messages and emotions faster, while maintaining a professional, polished look.

Optimize Content for Location and Dwell Time

• Tailor content to the location's audience, for example, display safety alerts on the factory floor or company values in the lobby.
• Use short, bold messages and impactful images in low-dwell areas (hallways), and longer content in high-dwell areas (break rooms).

Keep Your Screens Dynamic and Engaging

• Mix content to maintain interest, for example, company news, employee recognition, event announcements, or even your social wall.
• Refresh content regularly, ideally weekly, to prevent "banner blindness" and ensure employees always have a reason to look up.

• Screens eLearning Course
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Additional Helpful Information

• Overview of Screens for Digital Signage
• Managing Devices in Screens
• Configuring a Slideshow for Screens
• Overview of the Analytics Dashboard