PIK Vrbovec Builds a Connected Frontline Culture for 1,800+ Employees with Workmates

Overview

Who is PIK Vrbovec?

PIK Vrbovec is one of the most recognized names in meat production across the region, with over 85 years of tradition. Based in Croatia and operating four regional centers, PIK offers a broad portfolio of fresh and processed meat products. The company employs more than 1,800 people—many working in environments with strict hygiene protocols and limited digital infrastructure.

Challenges

Reaching 70% of employees without digital access

Before Workmates, communication relied heavily on bulletin boards, newsletters, and TV screens—methods that worked only for those in high-traffic areas. More than 70% of PIK's employees did not have corporate emails or access to computers, making it difficult to deliver updates, collect feedback, or recognize employee contributions.

This created a communication gap between desk-based and frontline teams, often leaving the latter out of timely updates. With four regional centers and strict hygiene protocols in production, traditional communication simply couldn’t keep up with operational demands.

Solutions

A mobile-first platform built for frontline teams

Workmates gave PIK a simple, mobile-friendly solution that allowed them to:

• Share updates via the company feed
• Push weekly menus, shift schedules, and HR notices
• Recognize employee wins with kudos and photos
• Centralize access to company Pages and documents
• Create two-way feedback loops through comments and likes

To support the rollout, PIK ran internal campaigns, including a fun reward-based puzzle challenge that helped onboard 120 employees quickly.

Results

More visibility, more connection, more recognition

Today, PIK employees use Workmates to stay informed, feel recognized, and engage with their peers—regardless of location or device. While the platform is still in early rollout stages, it is already replacing outdated tools and bringing people together through stories, announcements, and spontaneous recognition.

The kudos feature, in particular, has been widely embraced, fostering a culture of appreciation across shifts and teams. Internal updates that once took days to circulate now reach employees in real time. Early feedback and user activity suggest stronger day-to-day connection and growing team morale.