Scaling people communications with precision and consistency.
A four-month review of how Fathom Companies used ChangeEngine to deliver onboarding, culture, and HR communications at scale — with strong engagement and meaningful hours returned to the team.
Communications, automation,
delivered at scale.
Onboarding, culture and values, check-ins, and HR priorities all delivered with precision and consistency.
A solid structure for streamlined communication today, and effortless expansion as new initiatives are introduced.
Zero burnout. Scaling reach and personalization.
Time reinvested into strategy, culture initiatives, and employee experience.
Reach that lands — trends that compound.
Comms volume by month
1,050+ totalOver 1,050 communications were delivered across the four-month period, supporting onboarding, check-ins, culture initiatives, and HR priorities while maintaining strong engagement.
A 71% open rate is well above the industry benchmark (~35–40% for internal comms), showing employees are actively engaging with messages and finding them relevant.
A 15% click-through rate is exceptionally strong (industry average is 2–5%), signaling that recipients aren't just opening — they're taking action on the content.
Highest engagement
Top- The Current NewsletterCulture & Values72%
- 06 PoliciesOnboarding82%
- Memorial DayUS Holidays53%
Lowest engagement
Watch- 02 First DayOnboarding33%
- Anniversary 03Recognition47%
Where engagement needs lift.
| Rank | Department | Open Rate | Delivered | Opens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Steward Department | 48.0% | 25 | 12 |
| 2 | Housekeeping Department | 56.7% | 157 | 89 |
| 3 | Banquet Department | 59.5% | 37 | 22 |
| 4 | Laundry Department | 60.0% | 5 | 3 |
| 5 | Culinary Management | 60.0% | 35 | 21 |
Messages sent to personal inboxes are more likely to land in spam or promotional folders.
Banquet, Steward, Housekeeping, and Restaurant teams have limited email access during shifts.
Key messages gain more visibility when echoed through team meetings and internal channels.
How Fathom stacks up.
| Metric | Fathom | Top Quartile | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comms Published | 1,050 | 800 | Repeat best practices, templatize successful campaigns, and consider rotating spotlight moments (e.g., culture, wellness, DEI). |
| Email Open Rate | 71% | 65–70% | Let's test personalized “From” names, subject line variants, or delivery times to push this toward 85%+. |
| Click-through Rate | 15% | 25–45% | Use CTAs, surveys, quick polls or “read more” links to drive employee action. |
| Hours Saved | 205 | ~250 | Focus on expanding into under-automated lifecycle moments like offboarding, recognition, and benefits education. |
The foundation is built. The next phase is about deepening impact across every level of the organization.
Where we grow from here.
Equip managers to reinforce key messages at the team level.
Build consistent recognition moments into the communication cadence.
Deliver role-specific content to frontline teams where they are.
Embed lightweight feedback loops to surface what employees actually need.
The right message, at the right time.
Tailor content by department, role, or location so employees immediately recognize the message as applicable to their day-to-day work.
Analyze engagement trends to identify the days and times employees are most likely to open and interact with communications.
Establish a consistent cadence for recurring communications — for example, recognition on Fridays, wellness tips on Mondays, training updates mid-week.
Deliver the right message, to the right audience, at the right time, to improve open rates and create a more predictable communication experience.
Enable managers with just-in-time coaching.
Use the platform not only to engage employees directly, but also to enable managers with just-in-time coaching and communication resources that help them build stronger connections with their teams.
Building Trust
- ›Creating stronger employee relationships
- ›Active listening techniques
- ›Building psychological safety
Recognition
- ›Giving meaningful recognition
- ›Celebrating wins effectively
- ›Recognition best practices
Career Development
- ›Conducting growth conversations
- ›Coaching for development
- ›Supporting career progression
New Manager Essentials
- ›Leading with confidence
- ›Effective delegation
- ›Setting clear expectations
Difficult Conversations
- ›Delivering constructive feedback
- ›Managing conflict
- ›Addressing performance concerns
Team Engagement
- ›Increasing team connection
- ›Driving meeting participation
- ›Strengthening collaboration
Leading Through Change
- ›Communicating during change
- ›Supporting team resilience
- ›Reinforcing key messages
Employee Wellbeing
- ›Recognizing burnout signs
- ›Supporting wellbeing
- ›Encouraging healthy boundaries
Inclusive Leadership
- ›Creating inclusive teams
- ›Reducing bias
- ›Fostering belonging
Manager Toolkits
- ›1:1 conversation guides
- ›Recognition templates
- ›Team meeting resources
Engagement cadence
Simple, repeatable practices that strengthen team connection.
| Weekly | Recognize one team member |
| Monthly | Conduct a development conversation |
| Quarterly | Celebrate team accomplishments |
| Semi-Annual | Career growth discussion |
| Annual | Personalized employee appreciation message |
Expected outcomes
- ✓Increased manager visibility
- ✓Stronger employee-manager relationships
- ✓Higher retention and engagement scores
A centralized destination to connect, celebrate, and stay informed.
The Fathom Companies Culture Hub brings together recognition, rewards, communications, and resources in one place—creating a more connected, engaged, and people-first employee experience.
Within the hub, employees can:
- ›Recognize and celebrate colleagues for their contributions and achievements
- ›Receive rewards and gift cards from managers
- ›Stay informed with company announcements and important updates
- ›Access team news, highlights, and milestones
- ›Find employee guides, policies, and helpful resources
- ›Explore manager playbooks, leadership tools, and best practices
- ›Participate in culture, engagement, and community-building initiatives
Designed to strengthen connection, recognition, communication, and engagement across the organization, the Fathom Companies Culture Hub serves as the central home for everything that supports a thriving workplace culture.
See it in action
Explore a live example of ChangeEngine Pages experience to see how it comes together for employees.
View example pageContinuous learning, elevated guest moments.
Deliver ongoing hospitality tips, service best practices, and employee development content that empowers teams to create exceptional guest experiences every day.
By delivering continuous learning and hospitality-focused communications, organizations can reinforce service standards, enhance employee confidence, and elevate the overall guest experience.
Feedback embedded where work happens.
Gather real-time employee feedback through surveys and quick polls embedded directly within communications. For frontline teams who may not regularly access company systems, embedding feedback opportunities into communications removes friction and drives higher response rates.
Onboarding Surveys & Check-Ins
- ›30/60/90-day onboarding feedback
- ›Training effectiveness
- ›New hire support needs
Employee Pulse Surveys
- ›Engagement and job satisfaction
- ›Wellbeing and burnout risk
- ›Sense of belonging
Manager Effectiveness
- ›Manager communication
- ›Employee support
- ›Recognition frequency
- ›Career development conversations
Stay Interviews & Retention
- ›What keeps employees engaged
- ›Retention risk indicators
- ›Workplace improvement opportunities
A quick check-in from the People team
Your wellbeing matters to us. Take a moment to share how this week is going—your response is anonymous and helps us spot where teams need more support.
How are you feeling at work this week?
Manager support check-in
Strong manager relationships drive engagement and retention. Tell us how supported you feel right now—your feedback shapes the coaching we offer leaders.
Do you feel supported by your manager?
Welcome aboard — how did your first weeks go?
You've been with us for a few weeks now. We'd love a quick rating of your onboarding so we can keep improving the experience for new hires.
How would you rate your onboarding experience?
Do you have what you need?
From systems to equipment to training, the right tools make a real difference. Let us know where you stand so we can close the gaps.
Do you have the tools needed to be successful in your role?
Help us build your next learning moment
We're planning the next round of learning sessions. Tell us where you'd value support most and we'll prioritize accordingly.
What training would help you most?
A quick workload check
Sustainable workloads keep teams performing at their best. Share where you're at so managers can rebalance where needed.
How manageable is your current workload?
By making feedback easy and accessible, organizations can hear from more employees — not just those who are highly engaged or office-based. Regular surveys and quick polls demonstrate that leadership cares, helping employees feel heard, supported, and valued.
Feedback on the Interview Process email
ChangeEngine Pulse Survey
Manager Effectiveness Survey
Welcome Aboard onboarding check-in
Meet frontline teams where they are.
Banquet, Steward, Culinary Management, and Housekeeping departments showed the lowest email open rates. As frontline teams, this may reflect limited access to email during shifts, reliance on mobile devices, or communications not reaching employees at the most effective time.
Embed quick polls directly within communications for easy participation.
Share department-specific content, recognition, and announcements.
Increase frontline engagement by reinforcing communication channels and team announcements. Encourage employees to regularly check both their work and personal email accounts, as some communications may be delivered to personal email addresses. This will help ensure important updates, announcements, and engagement initiatives are seen and acted upon in a timely manner.
Test communication timing to improve visibility and engagement.
More relevant and accessible communications can help increase engagement, improve message reach, and strengthen connections with frontline employees.