Let’s be honest — there are A LOT of employee engagement platforms, tools and apps out there.
Some are crammed with features you’ll never use.
Others look great in a demo, but fall flat when it comes to actually improving team happiness, or getting honest feedback.
So how do you choose the one that’s right for your team?
In this guide, we’ll walk you through what really matters when picking an employee engagement app – based on what we’ve seen work with hundreds of teams, big and small.
A must have for HR leaders. The Little Book of Big Conversations is one of Stribe’s most downloaded resources. It’ll help you strengthen your employees’ voices and create a culture of talking in your team. 👇
Before you even think about platforms, take a step back and ask yourself “What do we want to improve?”
For most teams, it’s one or more of the following:
Our main advice is to start small. You don’t need to fix everything at once – choose a focus and start there. By listening more consistently, the rest will follow.
Here’s what actually makes a difference when choosing a tool. These are the things you’ll thank yourself for later:
If it’s clunky or complicated, no one’s going to bother. Your engagement app should be something people enjoy using, not dread. With Stribe, surveys take minutes to set up, and it’s just as easy for employees to respond.
Not everyone is comfortable speaking up, especially if they’ve had bad experiences in the past. Stribe’s anonymous messenger lets people share their thoughts freely, with complete confidence.
Look for tools that let you run short, frequent pulse surveys whenever you need them. Gone are the days when you only check in with your team once a year.
Spreadsheets are nobody’s idea of fun. Stribe gives you clear dashboards and trend tracking so you can spot what’s working and what’s not – so you can take action quickly.
Buying software is easy. Getting help when you’re stuck? Not always. Our team at Stribe is UK-based and known for being friendly, helpful and hands-on – whether you’re just getting started or running your 100th survey.
Look out for hidden costs – some platforms charge extra for basic features. At Stribe our transparent pricing is built for growing teams and organisations that need a simple solution without unnecessary extras.
It’s easy to get swept up in featured lists – but these are the questions that really matter when choosing an employee engagement tool!
At Stribe, we built our platform with all of these in mind. You’ll see what’s working, where things need improving, and how people are feeling, all in a simple, digestible format.
We see this all the time.
Companies introduce a tool, send out one big survey, and then… nothing happens.
No action, no follow-up. Just a pat on the back for “doing engagement.”
The truth is, that’s not engagement – it’s admin.
A good engagement app helps you build an ongoing feedback loop.
It should make it easier to check in regularly, respond to concerns, and celebrate what’s going well.
As our CEO, Kieran Innes puts it:
You don’t need fancy features, you need the right features. Engagement tools should make it easier for people to speak up, and for teams to act on what matters. 
Stribe was built for the teams who don’t have time to wade through complex dashboards or chase responses every week.
Here’s why our customers choose us:
Choosing an employee engagement app doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
Focus on what your team needs, look for tools that are simple, supportive and flexible, and don’t get distracted by bells and whistles.
If you’re looking for something that’s easy to use, genuinely effective, and backed by friendly humans, Stribe might just be the one.
About the author
Starting out her early career as a journalist, Jade Madeley is an accomplished content writer with 8+ years’ experience across business, personal finance, SaaS, human resources and employee engagement. Working with Stribe, she crafts insightful content that brings complex HR topics to life and drives meaningful action.
