Oak Engage transform Burger King UK’s employee experience with the launch of BK Hub

The Challenge

Leading fast food chain, Burger King UK, needed a way to communicate with its diverse workforce, which included a wide range of job roles. The primary challenge was to keep their employees informed and engaged, without overwhelming them with unnecessary information. Plus, with 98% of its workforce operating offline, there was a pressing need for a mobile friendly solution that allowed staff to easily access information, share achievements and seek support. 

“Oak has delivered a tool that’s addressed our communication challenges head on. Not only will it transform how we communicate and connect with our people, but it will allow our teams to access the information they need so much quicker and easier than ever before. It will also streamline so many of our internal processes for our managers, saving them all time that they can be spending with their teams instead, rather than on admin. There are so many other benefits that will change the way we work as a business such as email workflows and translation into over 127 languages.”

Nick Hollis, Head of Engagement at Burger King UK

The Solution 

BK Hub

BK Hub, powered by Oak Engage is an innovative platform that was tailored to meet the unique needs of Burger King UK providing a range functionalities including content sharing, recognition, social timeline, advanced search and a document library. The branded mobile app, which has been designed to cater to the needs of the predominantly offline workforce, provides a seamless user experience.

Nick said: “Aside from the excellent service we have received throughout the entire process, the platform is highly versatile, has received many enhancements in recent years and continues to develop. We want to deliver the very best to our people and this gave us confidence when choosing Oak.  As a platform and service, they continue to improve to meet the needs of their clients in order to create the best experience possible for end users.”

Saving valuable time and effort

One of the most significant benefits of BK Hub is its ability to save time and effort for both employees and management. 

Nick added: “Oak Engage’s solution has drastically reduced the time our managers spend on administrative tasks, allowing them to dedicate more time to leading their teams and focusing on our core mission of providing exceptional service to our customers.”

BK Hub has given staff one place to easily access everything they need. The ease and user-friendliness of the Oak platform is evident with 7,500+ searches since launching in March. 

Nick said: “Oak’s advanced search functionality is hugely effective and will allow users to find the content and support they need quickly and easily within the system, saving time and reducing frustration.”

Translation on demand

Understanding the diverse needs of its workforce, BK Hub incorporates a translation feature that supports over 127 languages. This functionality ensures that all employees, regardless of their language, have access to important information and can fully participate in the company culture. 

Nick said: “Translations is just one of the features that will give our employees a voice and ensure our communications are truly accessible and inclusive. This will allow for seamless communication and collaboration across the organisation.”

Cutting through the noise

A critical part of BK Hub is its ability to deliver relevant information to employees without overwhelming them. Oak has allowed Burger King UK to deliver targeted and relevant content to their staff to reduce noise and increase engagement. 

Nick said: “The platform’s intelligent delivery mechanism ensures that our employees only receive the information that they need, effectively cutting through the noise and enhancing the overall engagement and communication within the company.”

Social and mobile friendly

Employees can access BK Hub from anywhere, at any time. This accessibility is crucial for Burger King UK. Oak Engage’s social features also allows staff to share their own content updates on a social timeline to foster an inclusive environment. It also allows employees to celebrate and recognise each other’s achievements. 

Nick comments: “Oak Engage has given us a mobile friendly app that allows our people to share all of the great things they do within our restaurants, day-in, day-out. It also allows them to share best practices and fun updates for others to enjoy and be inspired by.”

“The mobile app’s sleek design and ease of use have made it an invaluable tool for our team members, enabling them to stay connected and informed, regardless of where they are.”

An app that employees love

Whilst it’s still early days, there has already been overwhelmingly positive feedback on the platform. 

Nick adds: “Oak has not only improved employee engagement and general communication across the business, but it has helped to improve operational efficiency and saved our managers time on their admin, so they can spend more time with their teams. It has also allowed us to create a closer relationship between our Head Office and individual restaurants.”

The onboarding experience

BK Hub provides new starters with the information they need, without overwhelming them.

New crew are welcomed straight into their restaurant community through the BK Hub’s restaurant messenger chat, so they can receive a warm welcome and have any questions answered. Targeted, automated messages are delivered throughout their first few weeks to let them know about company benefits, policies and procedures, how to raise concerns and more.

Oak’s onboarding experience has positively impacted employee retention and engagement, which is crucial in an industry facing high turnover rates. This has drastically improved Burger King UK’s retention rates, with a 32% reduction in turnover of hourly paid crew in new sites from February to May 2024 and it continues to fall.

Reduced new starter drop-out

In addition to the improvements in turnover, the onboarding process that engages colleagues before they start their new job has had a significant impact on new starter drop-out rates. Prior to launching BK Hub, a significant amount of new hires would not show up on their first day, resulting in a loss of time and resource for HR and the restaurant teams.

Following the launch of BK Hub and the integrated, automated, personalised onboarding process through the app, Burger King UK has seen an incredible 40% reduction in new starter drop-out rates in the 6 months since it launched.