For a company that started with a yellow station wagon called “Old Yeller,” A-Core Concrete Specialists has come a long way. Today, with 15 locations, 400 employees and job sites across the U.S., the folks at A-Core have mastered more than just concrete. They’ve figured out how to keep employees engaged, informed and – most importantly – connected.
That’s not easy in the construction world. With workers scattered across time zones, rotating job sites and long, grueling days, it’s easy for team members to feel isolated. So how did A-Core close that gap? With a smarter approach to training and communication powered by daily microlearning.
A New Way to Stay Connected
When A-Core first connected with Tyfoom, company leaders were looking for better engagement. They wanted to improve safety, strengthen company culture and make sure every employee felt valued and seen.
“At first, our leadership was skeptical that [Tyfoom] could help with issues we’ve faced for years,” said Cody Rodgers, A-Core’s Safety Manager. “There’s always a solution to everything involving a new software system, but most of the time, they don’t work exactly how we want them to. Tyfoom does.”
By integrating daily microlearning into the routine, A-Core gave every employee – from field operators to executives – an easy way to learn, stay informed and stay connected. And the results have been significant.
A 96% Engagement Score Isn’t a Fluke
Before Tyfoom, Rodgers said leadership couldn’t get a true read on employee engagement. Now, they use daily microlearning to track participation, recognize effort and spark friendly competition.
“Gamification has really brought out the competition in our employees,” said Rodgers. “They want to be at the top of the leaderboard. Now when I show up, they’re excited. Some of them ask, ‘Hey, are you going to record what I’m doing? I want to educate others,’ or ‘Hey, I’m at the top of the leaderboard, I’m beating you this week.’”
By tying incentive programs to Tyfoom’s engagement score, A-Core made it easy for employees to buy in. Even those who were initially resistant to change got on board. Rodgers shared, “Once they realized it wasn’t going away, they all said ‘Okay, let’s get going,’ and now our company engagement score, on average last year, was about 96%. I take a lot of pride in that.”
Building Real Human Connection – Remotely
When a company’s workforce stretches from the Pacific Northwest to the Gulf Coast, face-to-face check-ins aren’t always possible. But thanks to Tyfoom’s real-time engagement insights and consistent daily microlearning content, Rodgers doesn’t have to guess how his people are doing.
“There are some operators that I won’t see for months,” he said. “Now I can check in with those employees who might be out on remote job sites. I won’t necessarily see them physically, but I can know if they’re still engaged just by seeing how they’re doing with Tyfoom.”
That data does more than track learning: it’s a window into how people are really doing.
“When employees’ engagement scores drop out of nowhere,” Rodgers explained, “from my experience, it’s usually one of two things: either they’re on vacation and forgot to do a pause request, or there’s something going on like a personal issue they are dealing with, or maybe they’re upset with their boss or co-worker. This could lead to an accident.”
That kind of human insight is crucial to retention and culture.
Executive Updates…Without the Boardroom
A-Core’s leadership wanted a way to stay accessible to the field, especially since many employees had never met the CEO. So they started using Tyfoom to send out executive update videos every month.
These short messages help keep everyone aligned. They build trust, reinforce values and show that leadership is paying attention to the frontlines and not just the bottom line.
“We realized that many of our workers have not met our executive team and don’t really have an opportunity to interact with them,” Rodgers shared. “It’s been really beneficial for our company culture and well-being.”
Faster, Smarter Communication That Actually Gets Read
Rodgers used to chase people down to get the word out. Now? He sends instant alerts, tracks who’s seen them and keeps projects running smoothly – all from the Tyfoom app.
“I don’t have to track people down anymore,” he said. “We’ve set up the groups and tags in Tyfoom. Now, for example, if we have an equipment failure, I can send an alert with a picture to all of our mechanics across the country. I’ll know that they all received the exact same message. It has really streamlined our communication, saving us so much time and energy.”
Culture Matters More Than Ever
One of the most powerful outcomes of A-Core’s shift to Tyfoom? A healthier culture: one built around proactive safety, accountability and support.
“Before Tyfoom we could only measure incidents, claims and costs associated,” said Rodgers. “Now we’re able to track and see what our engagement is and how our culture is.”
And they take that seriously.
“If someone has not bought into our culture,” Rodgers said, “we do not want them working here. It is safer for them and us.”
Retention That Starts with Caring
In a tough labor market, holding onto good people is half the battle. And A-Core’s approach shows that daily microlearning isn’t just about checklists and compliance – it’s about showing you care.
“Younger workers in the industry today want more quality training,” Rodgers said. “They all want to be heard, seen and valued. Everybody’s going through stuff, and some people are going through really tough things.”
By keeping tabs on engagement and checking in when scores dip, Rodgers can catch problems early. That might mean a pep talk, an open ear, or just a reminder: “We view ourselves as one big family at A-Core, and we love and care for everyone.”
Customers Feel the Difference, Too
Engaged employees don’t just stay longer, they also perform better. That means better customer satisfaction and fewer mistakes.
“You can only cut the concrete once,” Rodgers said. “The engagement score can be viewed as a crystal ball. I can almost predict, maybe not when an incident or near miss is going to happen, but I can often tell who is going to have an incident or near miss based on that score.”
Now when clients ask who’s showing up, Rodgers can point to the score and say: you’re getting a five-star operator. Customers can trust they’re getting a highly-engaged employee who delivers quality work with professionalism.
The Future Is Personal
A-Core isn’t just cutting concrete anymore: it’s cutting through the noise, distance and old-school mentality that says training is something you “get over with.”
With daily microlearning, training has become a tool for building culture, catching problems early and keeping people safe and supported. And when those lessons come with leaderboard bragging rights? Even better.
As Rodgers put it: “That’s the future for A-Core.”
Learn how you can build employee loyalty and boost your own bottom line by scheduling a meeting to speak with a Tyfoom training consultant.
Read the full case study on A-Core Concrete, Connecting and Communicating.