The modern workplace is no longer confined to a single office or a fixed schedule. As hybrid models become the new standard, organizations are looking for new ways to build connection, communication, and culture across distributed teams. One tool that is increasingly being used to bridge this gap is digital signage.

Used effectively, office digital signage provides a visual, dynamic way to engage employees both on-site and remotely. It reinforces key messages, celebrates wins, and keeps company culture visible even when teams are not always physically together.

The importance of engagement in hybrid work models

Employee engagement has been a critical business focus for years, but hybrid work adds new challenges. According to Gallup's State of the Global Workplace Report 2023, only 23 percent of employees worldwide are engaged at work. The rest are either passively disconnected or actively disengaged - a term known as soft quitting. 

In hybrid models, where employees may split time between the office and home, the risks of disengagement increase. Remote workers can easily miss informal updates, social cues, or even recognition for their contributions. 

Meanwhile, office-based employees might feel disconnected from broader initiatives or teams they no longer see regularly.

Strong communication practices are essential to counter these challenges. Digital signage offers a flexible, visual communication channel that helps unify the workforce around shared goals and culture, regardless of where they are working.

Why digital signage is well-suited for hybrid engagement

Unlike email or chat tools that compete for attention, digital signage is ambient. It reaches employees in common areas without requiring them to click, open, or log in. For remote employees, digital signage content can also be mirrored via intranet sites, apps, or home office displays.

Benefits include:

  • Consistent communication across locations



  • Easy updates to keep messaging fresh



  • Visual formats that break through information fatigue



  • Highlighting real-time achievements and KPIs



  • Reinforcing corporate culture without overloading inboxes



Importantly, digital signage serves as a "pull" channel rather than a "push" channel. It offers information that employees can absorb at their pace, in ways that are non-intrusive yet consistently present.

Step one: Define engagement goals

Before deploying or expanding digital signage, organizations should define what engagement outcomes they want to achieve.

Common goals might include:

  • Increasing participation in company events or programs



  • Improving awareness of company initiatives and news



  • Recognizing team and individual achievements



  • Reinforcing mission, vision, and values



  • Encouraging wellness or learning initiatives



Without clear goals, digital signage risks becoming background noise. Each screen and playlist should be mapped to specific objectives that matter to your organization and your people.

Step two: Identify key communication hubs

In a hybrid workplace, it is important to think beyond traditional office walls. Screens should be located not just in high-traffic physical spaces but also integrated into digital spaces where remote workers interact.

For office-based staff, good locations include:

  • Reception areas



  • Break rooms and cafeterias



  • Elevator lobbies



  • Collaboration spaces



For remote employees, digital signage content can be extended to:

  • Company intranet pages



  • Team collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams or Slack



  • Home office display integrations using tools like ScreenCloud Cast or browser-based players



The aim is to create a unified communication experience no matter where someone logs in from.

Step three: Plan relevant and varied content

Successful engagement through digital signage depends heavily on the relevance and freshness of content.

Examples of content that drive engagement include:

  • Employee recognition: Celebrate birthdays, work anniversaries, project milestones, and individual achievements.



  • Company news: Share leadership updates, strategy rollouts, and organizational changes.



  • KPI dashboards: Display real-time metrics tied to department or team goals.



  • Wellness campaigns: Promote mental health days, fitness challenges, or mindfulness resources.



  • Social media feeds: Showcase internal campaigns, event photos, or employee-generated content.



  • Training highlights: Share tips from ongoing learning and development programs.



According to a study by the Brandon Hall Group, companies that consistently recognize employees see a 14 percent improvement in employee engagement compared to those that do not. Public displays of appreciation through digital signage help reinforce this at scale.

Content should rotate regularly to maintain interest. Stale or outdated messaging can signal neglect rather than connection.

Step four: Empower local and team-specific content

Centralized corporate messaging is important, but engagement often happens at the team level.

Empowering local managers or department leads to create or curate signage content can make communication feel more personal and relevant. This might include showcasing team successes, project updates, or even fun employee spotlights.

The right digital signage software should allow for tiered permissions. ScreenCloud, for example, enables organizations to set up different user roles, so local offices or departments can update their own playlists without affecting company-wide messaging.

This approach allows for a balance between consistent brand voice and local flavor.

Step five: Integrate live and dynamic data

One of the advantages of digital signage over traditional posters or intranet announcements is its ability to display real-time information.

Data-driven displays can include:

  • Sales dashboards



  • Customer satisfaction scores



  • Production line KPIs



  • Real-time safety metrics



  • Live event countdowns



Dynamic content like live dashboards taps into the human instinct to check for updates and reinforces transparency. It also ties daily work to broader organizational goals, helping employees see the bigger picture.

Research by Deloitte indicates that organizations where employees feel connected to company goals are 1.7 times more likely to be high-performing [Source: Deloitte, 2022].

Step six: Focus on visual design and accessibility

Design matters. Even the best content can be ignored if it is not visually engaging or easy to read.

Basic principles to follow include:

  • Use large, legible fonts



  • Keep text brief and to the point



  • Incorporate brand colors and consistent styling



  • Use high-contrast backgrounds for readability



  • Avoid overcrowding screens with too much information



Accessibility should also be a priority. Consider using screen readers or alt text for key displays where needed, and ensure content is designed to be understood at a glance.

Testing content across different screen sizes and resolutions will help maintain consistency across locations.

Step seven: Measure impact and adapt

Finally, organizations should not treat digital signage as a set-it-and-forget-it solution. Measuring the impact of signage efforts can inform future improvements.

Metrics to track include:

  • Employee surveys on communication satisfaction



  • Participation rates in featured programs or events



  • Digital signage CMS analytics such as screen uptime or content playback statistics



  • Feedback from local managers or team leads



Regular reviews of content performance, audience engagement, and technical uptime help ensure the system continues to deliver value over time.

If certain types of content consistently underperform, it may be time to rethink either the messaging or the format.

Conclusion

In hybrid workplaces, digital signage offers an increasingly valuable way to build connection, communicate consistently, and create shared moments across physical and digital spaces.

When aligned with broader engagement goals, carefully planned, and regularly refreshed, signage can play a vital role in reinforcing culture, celebrating success, and supporting employee wellbeing.

The right technology partner makes all the difference. With powerful integrations, easy content management, and remote device monitoring, digital signage tools are designed to meet the demands of the hybrid world.

Employee engagement is not a one-time campaign. It is a continuous investment in trust, communication, and belonging. Digital signage, used thoughtfully, can help organizations meet that challenge... One screen, one story, one connection at a time.