the future of leadership is social: how social leadership helps krispy kreme inspire frontline teams
At Yapster, we’re advocates for Social Leadership, or the practice of using digital tools to influence people at work. In other words, we care about ensuring that the means through which we communicate with frontline teams are in tune with their needs and habits. Communication is a two-way street – especially in a frontline environment. When employees receive engaging content, their productivity and satisfaction increase. In turn, this drives growth for your business.
Krispy Kreme UK is a market-leading doughnut retailer originating from North Carolina. Proponents of Social Leadership, Krispy Kreme decision-makers chose Yapster as their business communication tool in 2017 with the initial goal of implementing a secure communication strategy, in compliance with GDPR policies. Since then, Krispy Kremers all across the UK have logged into Yapster to share their successes with their colleagues, receive important updates on their newsfeed, and increase engagement amongst their teams.
After the pandemic hit in 2020, Krispy Kreme leaders decided to double down on their communication strategy and bring frontline teams together through Yapster KPI Games and an optimised use of the comms platform. If you are struggling with GDPR compliance, employee engagement, or are simply looking to improve the experience of your frontline employees, Social Leadership may be just what you need!
And if you’d like to find out more about our previous showcase with Krispy Kreme, where we discussed all things retail leadership, click here!
The future of leadership is social – here’s how you can use Yapster to boost your frontline teams’ engagement and productivity
Social Leadership will help you implement a secure communication strategy – so you can protect your people and your data
GDPR compliance has come to the forefront of the retail industry scene, with many companies being sued over their use of WhatsApp and failure to protect corporate and personal data. When Krispy Kreme originally got in touch with Yapster in 2017, they aimed to implement a secure communication strategy for their frontline teams in a world where data breaches have become a common occurrence.
More than a GDPR compliance tool, however, Yapster has also helped Krispy Kreme’s leaders reinforce a positive work culture where work-life balance is encouraged. With more employees than ever declaring that they are unable to truly ‘log off’ after their shifts, companies who truly care about their frontline teams should invest in tools that allow them to relax when they’re off the clock. Social Leadership is also about fostering an optimal work environment for your frontline employees!
Through Yapster’s intuitive interface, Krispy Kremers are able to easily modify their notification settings to mute them when they’re off duty – and it makes all the difference.
A well-thought-out Social Leadership strategy can also reduce the occurrence of HR disputes, with Yapster’s functionality allowing Krispy Kreme employees to report offensive or inappropriate content easily. Once a message or thread has been reported, it is sent to a previously set up HR email address to be reviewed and for actions to be taken.
According to research by London School of Economics, employees who feel safe at work are not only happier, but also more performant and innovative. Secure communication at work is a key element for the health of your business!
Social Leaders show gratitude and reward their frontline employees at the touch of a button
Rewards and recognition are a key aspect of frontline employees’ job satisfaction and, ultimately, engagement. But integrating various rewards platforms may be downright impossible when communication occurs on platforms such as WhatsApp – or worse, over text! But don’t worry – we’ve got you covered! On the Yapster apps tab, leaders can easily provide their employees with an intuitive access to their rewards and recognition platforms.
Through Yapster’s newfeed, Krispy Kreme workers regularly upload images, texts, and videos celebrating their success and the progress of their colleagues. With these incentives being instantly shared at a site or company level, each frontline employee feels the support of their leaders and is encouraged to bring their best to the table to be rewarded in return!
Celebrate your wins with your colleagues through your Yapster newsfeed.
Access integrated rewards and recognition apps through your Yapster apps tab.
Through the implementation of Yapster KPI Games, Krispy Kreme has doubled down on their Social Leadership strategy to drive engagement and boost sales after the pandemic. These games were connected to Krispy Kreme’s EPOS data, thus fostering a healthy sense of competition between teammates and enticing frontline employees to sell more. Krispy Kreme Area Manager Dave Matthews reports a £2,700 increase in sales in his area during the period over which KPI Games were run.
KPI Games winners are enticed to pursue even higher goals. At the end of the day, ‘Work hard, play hard’ may be a positive attitude to adopt – with a grain of salt!
Worried that your frontline employees spend too much time on their phone? Digital devices may be the best tools to create engagement among frontline teams
In the digital age, getting your frontline employees to stay off their phones may prove difficult. But however counterintuitive this may sound… maybe you don’t need to! Because most frontline employees own a mobile device, reaching out to them digitally is one of the most efficient ways to keep them engaged and ensure that they read or watch the content you share. Social Leadership isn’t a fancy word; it’s a realistic approach to workplace communication.
“The best thing about Social Leadership that I found is that, instead of seeing that (frontline employee cellphone use) as a battle, I can then embrace that … Actually most of the time, that is when they are most reachable.” - David MAtthews, Krispy Kreme area manager
Krispy Kreme Head of Retail Matt Reeve regularly uploads videos on his Yapster newsfeed to share company updates or celebrate Krispy Kremers’ successes. This initiative not only boosts morale amongst teams, but also brings headquarters and frontline employees together through their cellphone.
According to Psychology Today, feeling disconnected at work can lead to burnout, dissociation, and discontent. By fostering a sense of community and breaking down metaphorical hierarchical barriers, Reeve drives compliance amongst his frontline teams, but also ensures they’re present and included.
“We are an anyone to anybody company.” - Matt Reeve, Krispy Kreme Head of Retail
Social Leadership is all about staying up to date with the way workers work. Outdated ideals cannot lead to innovation and progress. By welcoming change and riding the tide of digitilisation, Krispy Kreme is able to maintain its market-leading position, even through the ups and downs of the retail and hospitality industries.
Stay tuned and look out for our upcoming Social Leaders Showcase by registering on this link!