How Oman Housing Bank unites its diverse team with Workvivo

OHB’s internal comms solution before Workvivo

Yousuf describes the moment he knew the bank needed a better communication solution. OHB had nine branches, eight of which spread across the country, far from HQ in Muscat. This distance made it difficult for employees to have a shared, real-time experience.

“We tried to implement an initiative across the branches. It was a donut day. We brought donuts here at HQ and tried to dispatch them to other branches,” Yousuf recalls.

The idea was simple: share the same treat and a moment of joy. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out as planned. Some branches got their boxes of pastries days later. This highlighted a significant problem: distance was erasing shared moments.

OHB then attempted to rectify the situation by using WhatsApp groups, as they were easy to use and familiar. But Yousuf describes the experience this way: “The WhatsApp group was one-way communication, and there was no real engagement or interaction.”

At that moment, the bank realized it needed a hub where everyone could connect and celebrate together.

The switch to Workvivo

OHB needed a tool with two non-negotiable features:

• Reward recognition
• Employee feedback

Workvivo fits the bill. Among other tools, the company found it familiar, like the social apps people already use.

“We chose Workvivo because it gave us exactly what we needed: digital badges, award features where colleagues can nominate each other, and built-in surveys to gather feedback. It also gave us recognition and listening in one place,” Yousuf says.

Onboarding + launch

Rolling out Workvivo at OHB was a cross-team effort, with IT, Human Capital, Marketing and Workvivo’s customer success team working together. The process took a few weeks, before Yousuf and his team launched the platform with a celebratory event. 

But as with any new comms tool, the real work began after rollout. The big question post-launch was: “How do you keep people engaged daily?”

Zainab now leads efforts to boost engagement by encouraging conversations, polls, and celebrations. “When I joined, Yousuf introduced me to Workvivo, and I’m really impressed with all the features,” she says. 

How Workvivo is changing daily life at OHB

Months after Workvivo was launched, the rhythm of communication has changed. Employees began posting photos of branch parties, videos of team wins, and quick shout-outs that anyone could see. However, the real impact was felt in these three distinct ways:

Bridging the geographic gap

One immediate win was how Workvivo connected all the distant OHB branches in the country. Yousuf describes how staff in those locations shared their events on the platform, allowing others to like, comment, and share in the celebration. No more dry, late-arriving donuts.

Creating meaningful recognition

Workvivo made it easy to recognize employees, express gratitude, and acknowledge small wins publicly. The platform automatically highlights each employee’s birthday, making sure everyone gets their moment in the spotlight.

Enabling actionable feedback

Listening became easier, too. The bank utilized Workvivo’s built-in survey tools to run a poll for employees to choose the name of its new reward and recognition program. It also uses the feature to collect honest feedback on its medical insurance.

This resulted in renegotiated contracts with additional benefits that employees had requested. “When employees were allowed to express their opinion anonymously, they really felt valued,” says Yousuf.

Why Workvivo works for OHB

Yousuf points out a key reason for the successful adoption of Workvivo in OHB: “The UI is very easy and amazing, and the interface is very interactive.”

Workvivo’s mobile-first design was also a huge factor. Nearly 96% of employees use the platform on their mobile devices. The engagement doesn’t stop when people step out of the office. They’re still commenting on a post while commuting or reacting to a recognition shout-out from home.

Yousuf and Zainab further praise Workvivo’s adaptability, especially its language capabilities. This is a crucial element in Oman, where different regions have unique dialects.

So what feels natural in one area may not read the same in another. “I was impressed at the translation. We can customize it to become more of a local language so it meets the needs of our company,” Zainab says.

Unite your community with Workvivo

For Oman Housing Bank, Workvivo has proved more valuable than other workplace tools. It’s the digital heart of the organization, where a once-dispersed network of branches now comes together to share stories, celebrate successes, and build the company’s future.

Want the same unity and recognition for your team? Book a demo today and see Workvivo in action.