How Wahi outpaced industry engagement benchmarks without an HR team

Not every company has an HR team, and many, like Wahi, find themselves navigating culture and engagement without dedicated HR support. Too often, businesses in this position struggle to prioritize employee experience, unsure where to start or lacking the right tools.  

Despite not having all the time and resources, the team at Wahi has figured out a way to make employee experience a core business priority, measured just like revenue.  

We spoke with Jessie Zhang, Head of Finance, who manages both finance and people operations at Wahi. Her big challenge? She can only dedicate 20% of her time to HR, which means every minute has to count and every tool she uses must make her job easier. To maximize that time, Jessie relies on Workleap Officevibe, a tool that streamlines engagement, automates feedback collection, and ensures that culture remains at the forefront of Wahi’s growth strategy.  

Results at a glance

• Exceeded its engagement target of 8.0, achieving an overall score of 8.3 — well above the industry benchmark of 7.8.
• Sent 777 Good Vibes (messages of appreciation in Officevibe), recognizing 98% of team members and reinforcing a culture of appreciation.
• Maintained an impressive 85% participation rate in Officevibe pulse surveys, ensuring consistent feedback and engagement.
• Achieved a 9.0 relationship-with-manager score, surpassing the industry benchmark by 0.6 points.

How (and why) Wahi embedded engagement into its corporate ethos

From day one, Wahi knew that culture couldn’t be an afterthought, especially as a digital-first company with distributed teams. Rather than relying on gut feel, they made employee experience measurable by embedding Officevibe results directly into their corporate scorecard.

"One of our key corporate scorecard metrics is our engagement score," explains Jessie. "We use Officevibe to track and measure that, so we can report it right alongside revenue and business KPIs." Treating engagement as a core business metric ensures leadership stays accountable and takes action where needed.

With Workleap Officevibe, Wahi has built a structured approach to engagement:

• Slack-integrated pulse surveys keep feedback consistent without overwhelming employees
• The "Good Vibes" feature fosters peer-to-peer recognition tied to company values
• Department-specific engagement scores help leaders stay connected to their teams
• Automated Slack reminders ensure participation without manual follow-ups

"There’s no guessing. We always know the pulse of our teams and take immediate action," Jessie says, reinforcing how Officevibe ensures leadership can address concerns before they become larger issues.

A tech-driven approach to HR: How to make it work with little time and resources

Wahi prides itself on leveraging technology to enhance key business functions, including HR. With no dedicated HR team, they needed a tool that was easy to implement, effortless to use, and seamlessly integrated into their workflow. Officevibe fit the bill.

For Jessie, the ability to automate engagement efforts is a game-changer.

"I love the experience of digitizing HR," she says. "With Officevibe’s automation and Slack integration, I don’t have to worry about manually sending out pulse surveys or reminding employees to log in. It’s all taken care of for me."

The simplicity of Officevibe has led to high participation rates, with 85% of employees engaging in regular pulse surveys. The Slack integration makes it effortless. Employees receive quick reminders that take them straight to the survey, ensuring valuable feedback without disrupting their day.

Using data to improve employee sentiment in hybrid teams

One of the biggest advantages of Officevibe is the ability to spot trends and act fast. Jessie and her team focus on two key engagement drivers:

• Recognition & appreciation: Leaders ensure employees feel valued through public shoutouts, Slack messages, and personal check-ins. ‍
• Work-life balance: If feedback indicates rising stress levels, Wahi proactively adjusts workloads and prioritizes well-being.

Leonie Tait, VP of Marketing, appreciates how easy it is to stay connected to employee sentiment.

"It’s easy for me to check scores and spot any gaps. I can work with managers to address issues head-on," she says. "There’s no wondering or second-guessing. We always have a pulse check on how things are going."

By tracking these areas in real time, Wahi can respond quickly and see immediate improvements in engagement scores.

"We make sure that leaders can immediately act on feedback, whether that’s recognizing hard work or adjusting team priorities," says Jessie.

The result? More accountability, transparency, and engagement

At Wahi, engagement scores aren’t just numbers; they are a key performance metric that leadership tracks as part of corporate objectives. With a company-wide target of 8.0, Wahi has not only met but exceeded this goal, achieving an overall engagement score of 8.3 — well above the industry benchmark of 7.8. Each department  is also accountable for and monitors its own engagement score, ensuring that leaders can identify trends and take action where needed.

Beyond engagement scores, Wahi has cultivated an impressive culture of recognition. Through Good Vibes, 98% of team members have been recognized, reinforcing a workplace where appreciation is a core value. Additionally, Wahi has achieved a 9.0 relationship-with-manager score, surpassing the industry benchmark by 0.6 points, reflecting strong leadership and employee connections.

Jessie emphasizes that having clear data removes uncertainty. "It makes it easier to ask the right questions and see how people are feeling," she explains. By keeping pulse checks quick and relevant, Wahi ensures high engagement, with 85% of employees regularly participating in Officevibe surveys. Slack reminders keep feedback top of mind, making it effortless for employees to share their insights and stay connected.

Final takeaway: Why Wahi prioritizes employee experience

By embedding engagement scores into leadership scorecards and leveraging automation, Jessie and the leadership team at Wahi have created a workplace where feedback is continuous, action is immediate, and culture remains a priority. With 85% of employees actively participating in Officevibe pulse surveys, Wahi has built an employee experience that is both measurable and impactful, all without a dedicated HR team.

For Jessie, the impact of Officevibe is clear. "Officevibe allows us to focus on what matters — creating an incredible place to work," she says.

‍