An employee app must be as individual as your company – no “one-size-fits-all” solution can fully cover the diverse requirements of modern teams. Today’s employees expect more than traditional communication channels such as emails or intranets: they want a central, intuitive platform that makes their everyday lives easier and promotes communication.
The path to your own employee app doesn’t have to be complicated. With a clear plan and the right steps, you can implement an app that is perfectly tailored to the needs of your organization in just 4 weeks.
In this article, we will show you what such a process looks like, which functions your app should contain and what you should pay attention to during the rollout so that your employees enthusiastically accept the app.
The roadmap to your employee app
The decision for the right provider has been made – now your employee app is becoming a reality! With clear steps, from setup to launch, you can create a platform that will revolutionize your internal communication. This roadmap shows you how to successfully prepare and introduce the app.
Week 1: Laying the foundation for your app
The first week is all about laying the technical and organizational foundations for your employee app. The aim is to make all the important settings, adapt the app to your company structure and ensure that users are optimally integrated from day one. With a SaaS solution, you benefit from maximum flexibility and the ability to tailor the app to the needs of your employees.
Modules that make a difference
Which areas should the app cover? Whether news, social feed, chat or employee directory – the functions must support your employees in their day-to-day work. In close coordination with the teams or departments involved, you define the focal points that will make your app successful later on.
Set up accounts and accesses
A crucial step in week 1 is the technical preparation. Administrators are given access to the content management system (CMS), which can be used to create and manage content. In addition, the first employee accounts are created to enable access to the app. The log-in configuration can be individually tailored to the requirements of your company – whether via single sign-on (SSO) or individual access data.
Configure further settings
The most important settings are made in this phase so that the app is ready for immediate use:
Activate multilingualism
This also makes the app accessible for international teams.
Create groups
Content can be provided specifically for certain user groups such as departments or locations.
Customize design
The app is visually adapted to your corporate design. Colors, logos and fonts create a uniform brand perception and strengthen employees' identification with the app.
Week 2 & 3: Creating content and configuring features
Now it’s getting practical – during these two weeks, your employee app will be filled with relevant content and individually configured. The app will not only be tailored to your employees’ day-to-day work in terms of functionality, but also in terms of content. The aim is to create a platform that offers direct added value and is intuitive to use.
Content that inspires
Filling the app starts with relevant and practical content. Whether it’s the latest company news, FAQs, team presentations or topic rooms – the content should be specifically tailored to the needs of your employees. It is important that the information is clearly structured and made available at a glance. This initial content ensures that the app immediately offers recognizable added value and is perceived by users as an important part of their everyday working life.
Features that fit you
In addition to the content, the app’s features will be customized during these weeks. One example: In the employee directory, you can specify which information should be displayed, e.g. name, department, position or contact details. You can also customize the layout of the directory to make it clear and appealing.
Structure and navigation that convince
A good app stands and falls with intuitive operation. In week 2, navigation is optimized so that all content and functions are easily accessible. Categories and menus are structured in such a way that they fit seamlessly into everyday working life. Clear navigation ensures that your employees can quickly find what they need – without any detours.
Week 4: Rollout and launch
The final week marks the climax: your employee app is officially launched and made accessible to all employees. After the preparations and tests of the last few weeks, it is now a matter of successfully integrating the app into everyday working life and ensuring that all employees have optimal access to it.
Communication and launch campaign
A successful rollout depends on an attention-grabbing introduction. Use creative measures to integrate the app prominently into everyday working life. A highlight at the launch will arouse employees’ curiosity and create positive associations with the app.
Examples:
- Organize a digital or physical launch event with live demos and interactive elements
- Create an introductory campaign with teasers, e.g. via e-mails, posters or newsletters
- Develop playful elements such as a “first mission” in the app that directly involves users
Training and support
To ensure that your employees can use the app optimally, you should provide simple and practical tools. These help to avoid uncertainties and to use the app’s most important functions effectively right from the start.
Examples:
- Place an easily accessible help center or FAQ section directly in the app
- Provide a central contact person or a support team for queries
- Develop short “step-by-step” videos that explain the app and its functions
Go live and promote feedback
After communication and training, the app goes live and is available to all employees. Even after the rollout, it is important to actively gather feedback from users. This iterative approach ensures that your employee app remains relevant and useful in the long term.
Examples:
- Integrate a simple feedback form directly in the app
- Communicate openly which improvements have been implemented based on the feedback
- Reward valuable suggestions, e.g. with a small thank you or a mention
Why Polario is the perfect solution
The introduction of an employee app must be simple, flexible and future-proof – that’s exactly what Polario stands for. With the modular SaaS solution, you get an app that is not only perfectly tailored to the needs of your company, but also a solution that is constantly evolving. Polario combines fast implementation and intuitive operation to create a solution that takes your internal communication to a new level.
Modular and individual
With Polario, you put together the app from exactly the functions that your company needs. Whether news, individual pages, surveys or employee directories – each function can be specifically activated and customized. The employee app remains lean and user-friendly, without superfluous features that your teams don’t need. If your needs change over time, additional modules can be added flexibly.
Always a step ahead
Polario is not only flexible, but also scalable. Regardless of whether you want to use the app for a small team or roll it out internationally – the platform grows with your company. New employees, departments or locations can be added easily without having to change the existing structure. This scalability ensures that Polario remains a long-term and future-proof solution for your organization.
Quick start, easy administration
Polario is quick and easy to implement. Thanks to SaaS technology, there is no need for complex IT processes and your app is ready for use within a few weeks. Managing the app is also very easy: content and functions can be maintained intuitively in the CMS – without any prior technical knowledge.
Conclusion
With a clear structure and a targeted plan, it is possible to develop and successfully launch a customized employee app in just four weeks. From defining the basic settings in week 1 to filling the app with relevant content and configuring individual functions in weeks 2 and 3 – every step contributes to creating an app that is optimally tailored to the needs of your employees.
The fourth week then marks the climax: your app is integrated into everyday working life with a well thought-out launch campaign, clear communication and practical training. This ensures that the app is accepted and actively used right from the start. At the same time, feedback processes offer the opportunity to continuously improve the app and keep it relevant in the long term.
This blog post shows that introducing an employee app doesn’t have to be a complex IT project. With a structured approach, flexible solutions and a focus on the needs of your employees, you can create a central platform in the shortest possible time that will sustainably strengthen communication and collaboration in your company.
