Bellway Cuts Voluntary Turnover 19% and Connects 94% of Its Workforce With Mobile-First Communications
Bellway Homes, one of the UK's largest residential developers, has recorded a reduction in voluntary turnover of more than 19% and lifted employee satisfaction above 90% in the 12 months since launching a new mobile-first employee communications platform built on Staffbase. The platform — named Pathway by employees themselves — now reaches 94% of Bellway's roughly 3,000-strong workforce, two-thirds of whom work on construction sites without a desk or corporate email.
Announced from London on July 7, 2026, the results stand out in construction and other frontline-heavy industries, where adoption of internal communications tools typically falls far short of the reach Bellway has achieved with its deskless workforce.
"We chose Staffbase because we simply couldn't deliver a project like this ourselves."
— Paul Lawler, Group Head of Communications, BellwayDesigning for the Hardest to Reach
Rather than targeting the easiest third of the workforce first, Bellway deliberately designed the platform for its hardest-to-reach employees. A two-person Group Communications team led the project, grounding it in employee feedback through a 12-month pilot with 300 employees across the business. Pathway launched company-wide in May 2024, supported by a roadshow across all 21 divisions where communications and HR teams met site-based employees face to face.
The rollout fundamentally changed how information moves through the business. Email was repositioned for critical updates and a weekly summary, while day-to-day communication moved into Pathway, where employees choose the content relevant to their role, location, and team.
"It's not just a comms tool. It's a cultural asset."
— Paul Lawler, Group Head of Communications, BellwayA Single Trusted Source Under Pressure
The value of one trusted channel became clearest in a moment of crisis. When market rumours of a possible acquisition surfaced outside standard working hours, Bellway issued its first statement through Pathway within minutes of the official market announcement. More than 1,500 employees read it that same evening — hearing the news from their employer rather than from the media or at the start of the next working day.
Since then, the platform has become embedded in daily operations, hosting everything from policies and benefits to a content hub featuring award-winning site managers. The phrase "It's on Pathway" has entered everyday language at Bellway, and Lawler describes the project as the biggest transformation the company has ever made in internal communications — delivered on time and on budget. Bellway is already exploring next steps with Staffbase, which describes itself as the first AI-native Employee Experience Platform, serving more than 1,500 enterprise customers including Adidas, Alaska Airlines, DHL, MAN Truck & Bus, and Whataburger.
Measurable retention impact. Bellway saw voluntary turnover fall more than 19% and employee satisfaction rise above 90% within 12 months of launching its mobile-first platform, Pathway, built on Staffbase.
Exceptional deskless reach. Pathway achieved 94% adoption across a roughly 3,000-strong workforce, two-thirds of whom work on construction sites without desks or corporate email.
Frontline-first design. A two-person communications team built the rollout around the hardest-to-reach employees, using a 12-month pilot with 300 staff and a face-to-face roadshow across all 21 divisions.
Trusted in a crisis. During a market-moving acquisition rumour, over 1,500 employees read the company's first statement through Pathway the same evening — ahead of the media.
Culture, not just comms. Pathway has become embedded in everyday operations at Bellway, repositioning email for critical updates while personalized, role-based content lives in the app.