How Greater Ohio Workforce Board Improved Workforce Communication

A Communication Challenge Spanning 30 Counties

Greater Ohio Workforce Board, Inc. serves a broad, multi-county region where timely communication can directly affect whether job seekers attend appointments, apply for openings and stay connected to workforce programs.

Before adopting Engage by Cell, participating counties relied heavily on phone calls, voicemail, email, printed flyers and in-person promotion. Email engagement was often 20% or lower, staff spent hours making repeat calls, and printed materials took time and travel to distribute. Some team members used personal cell phones to communicate, creating concerns about consistency, documentation and accountability.

GOWBI needed a communication system that could scale across counties while still supporting local programs, individual participant conversations and reliable record keeping.

A Mobile First Communication System

GOWBI launched a new mobile communications campaign in October 2024. The organization implemented Engage by Cell's text messaging platform and mobile web app across 30 counties.

Together, the tools gave participating teams one centralized place to manage mass outreach, one-to-one communication, scheduled reminders, mobile resources and engagement reporting. Each county could tailor its messaging and resources to local needs while operating within a consistent system.

‍

Counties use the platform to support:

• Job fair and event promotion
• Job and apprenticeship alerts with direct application links
• Appointment and RESEA reminders
• Resume-building and employment resources
• Youth and reentry program communication
• Surveys and participant feedback
• One-to-one case manager communication
• A self-service mobile resource hub available around the clock

Stronger Engagement and Faster Responses

The clearest change was the speed and consistency of participant response. Participating counties reported text engagement between 70% and 90% or higher, compared with email engagement of about 20% or less.

“We all know text is better than email. Sometimes they respond faster that way than any other way.”
— Darke County

Fewer No Shows and Better Attendance

Automated, easy-to-read reminders helped counties improve attendance for appointments and mandatory programs. Across participating counties, teams reported a 25% to 50% reduction in no-shows.

Instead of relying on repeated calls or hoping an email was noticed, staff could schedule reminders in advance and deliver them directly to participants' phones. Participants could also respond, giving staff faster visibility into questions or barriers before an appointment.

Faster Connections Between Employers and Job Seekers

Text messaging also helped workforce teams move quickly when employers had immediate hiring needs. Counties could send job alerts with direct application links, allowing interested candidates to respond as soon as an opportunity became available.

In one example, Fayette County filled 100 jobs in six days using text messaging. Ottawa County reported that employers were receiving applicants within an hour of an alert.

“Employers call back saying they already have applicants within the hour.”
— Ottawa County

More Time for Case Management

Participating staff reported saving more than three hours per week by reducing repetitive calls, voicemail tag and manual follow-up. Scheduled messaging made it possible to prepare outreach once and let the system handle delivery.

“Instead of calling people over and over, I can schedule everything once and be done.”
— Ottawa County

Digital promotion also reduced the need to drive around distributing printed flyers. With fewer administrative tasks consuming the day, staff could spend more time helping participants address barriers, prepare for work and move toward employment.

Better Accountability Across the System

Moving communication into one platform gave GOWBI and participating counties a clearer, more consistent record of outreach. The system centralized communication history and strengthened reporting and audit trails.

“There's much higher accountability using Engage by Cell than individual cell phones.”
— Gallia County

Adoption Across 30 Counties

The program's systemwide usage shows how quickly mobile communication became part of everyday workforce operations:

• 303,530 SMS messages sent and received
• 3,480 MMS messages exchanged
• 34,850 SMS subscribers
• 48,869 mobile web app page views
• 7,942 unique mobile web app users

The Result

GOWBI transformed a collection of time-intensive outreach methods into a scalable mobile communication system. Participants receive information faster, employers connect with applicants sooner and staff spend less time on repetitive follow-up. At the same time, county teams retain the flexibility to communicate in ways that fit their local programs.

For workforce organizations managing limited staff capacity, multiple service areas and participants who may not regularly check email, mobile-first communication is becoming essential infrastructure. GOWBI's experience shows that the right system can improve engagement while giving staff more time to focus on the people they serve.