How Santee Cooper’s ‘The Coop’ Builds Connection Across Every Corner of its Workforce

How South Carolina’s Public Utility Connected Every Employee—From the Office to the Field—with a Unified Digital Hub

Santee Cooper, South Carolina’s public, not-for-profit electric and water utility, serves more than two million residents with help from over 1,600 employees spread across offices, power plants, and field sites.

For years, connecting those employees—especially those without regular computer access—was a challenge. Leadership updates, safety alerts, and recognition efforts often struggled to reach the entire workforce.

To bridge the gap, Santee Cooper partnered with MangoApps to create “The Coop,” a unified employee hub that brings everyone into the same conversation. The Coop combines communications, recognition, forms, and feedback into one easy-to-access platform—available on desktop and mobile for every employee, from turbine floors to corporate offices.

Key Outcomes

• One connected workforce: Field and office employees now share one digital home for company news, storm alerts, and updates.
• Stronger culture of recognition: Peer-to-peer recognition posts doubled, turning private thanks into visible celebrations.
• Faster onboarding: New hires connect to culture, tools, and people from day one through mobile-friendly access.
• Data-driven communication: Surveys and analytics give leaders real-time insight into employee sentiment and engagement.
• Sustained partnership: With ongoing support from MangoApps, The Coop continues to evolve alongside Santee Cooper’s mission.
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"People in the field can sometimes be disconnected with what’s happening corporate-wide. That’s just a natural result when your jobsite is a turbine floor or a bucket truck. That means a lot of our folks have limited access to a computer. The Coop gives us a way to close that gap."
‍- Jeffrey Straight, Public Relations Specialist at Santee Cooper