The challenge: engaging a factory-based workforce
Joseph Heler operates in a fast-paced, high-output environment typical of food manufacturing. With around 460 employees, most based on the factory floor across three sites, effective communication was always going to be a challenge.
We spoke to Sarah Griffith, People Director at Joseph Heler.
“We’re a family-owned business in a fast-paced environment, so everything happens really quickly. That’s why communication has always been a big thing for us.”
Sarah Griffith People Director, Joseph Heler
With no company email addresses for factory workers and mixed shift patterns across sites, traditional communication channels fell short.
How did Mo help?
When Sarah joined the business nearly two years ago, Mo was already embedded in the company culture. Coming from a similar manufacturing background, she immediately recognised its value:
“Coming to Joseph Heler and seeing that we had a platform like Mo, it was just a game changer for me from a people perspective. You do have that real direct link and direct contact with colleagues almost instantly.”
Sarah Griffith People Director, Joseph Heler
Mo has provided a single, reliable channel for communicating across sites, shifts, and job functions. From celebrating birthdays to broadcasting leadership updates, the platform keeps everyone aligned.
“All of our workforce uses Mo. There’s not a single aspect of Mo that we don’t use – we have weekly Boosts, we use it for our value recognition awards, length of service rewards, birthdays and other celebrations. It’s used really widely.”
Mo is the central hub for communication at Joseph Heler – “Now we have one message that goes out to everybody at the same time. It’s a real-time communication tool.” Mo helps every team member feel more included and informed.
Keeping culture strong across sites
When Mo was first introduced, Joseph Heler operated from a single site. As the business expanded to include two more, Mo became an essential piece of the puzzle:
“Communicating multi-site without something like Mo would be really, really difficult. Notice boards can’t be the main point of communication. We’ve got night shifts, day shifts, people working on and off the floor – it’s not possible to reach everyone effectively without a tool like this.”
Sarah compares the business’s current experience with her previous company, where communication inconsistencies were a daily frustration:
“We just couldn’t target the workforce with any consistency. With Mo, it’s one voice, one story, and that’s really, really positive.”
Driving engagement and belonging
While communication was the catalyst, Mo’s value quickly extended to employee engagement and recognition. Joseph Heler has embedded Mo into daily life across the business:
- Weekly Boosts to nudge colleagues to share
- Value recognition awards
- Length of service celebrations
- On-the-spot voucher rewards
- Idea-sharing through our dedicated suggestions feature
“It is a communication tool, but it’s also an engagement tool for our colleagues to find out what’s going on and to keep in touch with each other. It’s really nice to see when it’s somebody’s birthday at the Nantwich site, that somebody at the North Wales site will post a happy birthday message.”
Sarah Griffith People Director, Joseph Heler
Mo’s familiar, social-feed-style interface means even those less confident with tech can navigate it easily.
Real results: 99.8% engagement survey completion
The people team recently ran a company-wide engagement survey, heavily promoted through Mo. The result? A staggering 99.8% participation rate.
“Mo was an absolutely pivotal tool in the comms around that. We had daily updates to teams about how and when to fill in the survey. The uptake was phenomenal.”
As a next step, Sarah and her team are using Mo to launch focus groups and employee champions, keeping the momentum going and ensuring transparency and follow-through.
Favourite Feature? Instant, On-the-Spot Rewards
When asked to name her favourite feature, Sarah doesn’t hesitate:
“The ability to give rewards to colleagues is really positive. Managers can give instant, on-the-spot rewards to colleagues for demonstrating good behaviours. It’s a great recognition tool to have in your pocket.”
Looking ahead: a great place to work in the making.
The team has ambitious plans to build on their success, with a Great Place to Work certification in their sights for 2026. Mo will be integral to that journey, ensuring that employee voice, recognition, and visibility remain central to Joseph Heler’s evolving culture.
“For a manufacturing type workforce where you don’t have desk-based colleagues, it’s a game changer. You can get to your workforce quickly, in a way they’re comfortable with.”
Sarah Griffith People Director, Joseph Heler
Joseph Heler’s story is proof that even in traditional manufacturing environments, culture and communication can thrive with the right tools. Mo has helped them deliver consistency, clarity, and connection to every corner of the business.
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