Hy-Vee streamlines communications amid COVID-19 crisis

A regional Midwestern grocer is ensuring employees have access to the latest safety protocols.

Hy-Vee Inc. is deploying the Retail Zipline communication platform across the entire company in an effort to directly communicate with its more than 85,000 employees during the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Post-pandemic, the platform will continue to serve as the primary communication method to ensure all stores are delivering to brand standards. 

As COVID-19 safety protocols shift on a day-to-day basis, Retail Zipline provides Hy-Vee employees with a streamlined way to access messages from company leaders and supervisors through the platform’s desktop website and/or mobile application. Employees also obtain a centralized place to see everything that needs to get done in-store. The platform enables Hy-Vee to directly communicate and track execution of store protocols, health and safety guidelines, best practices, in-store tasks and other critical, real-time information updates.

“All of our employees play a crucial role in how we are responding to COVID-19, which is why it’s imperative we invest in them and provide them with the necessary resources to do their jobs in the best way possible,” said Jessica Ringena, Hy-Vee’s senior VP, finance and business strategy. “Retail Zipline allows our corporate team to communicate with every single employee to make sure everyone receives the same message and executes new protocols or receives the latest company news in a timely fashion.” 

Hy-Vee has been actively taking steps to protect and better serve customers as the pandemic continues. These include reserving one hour of its Hy-Vee “aisles online” shopping time slots each day for customers who are considered high-risk, as well as offering curbside meals-to-go via digital order at more than 200 locations.

Hy-Vee Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating more than 265 retail stores across eight Midwestern states.