Introduction
Toolstation is a global company that sells building materials and tools to professionals in the building sector and serious do-it-yourselfers via a network of branches and via their website and app. In the Benelux region, they have over 800 employees, spread out over 100+ locations.
We interviewed Saskia Oosterhuis (Marketing Director Europe), Annabeth van den Berg (Internal Communication Officer), and Marco Declemy (Shop Manager) to learn how Oneteam helps them to make their employees successful and engaged.
“Prior to Oneteam, we could only connect with 20% of our employees, as the rest lacked a business email address. Now, we're reaching over 90% of our workforce, which is truly remarkable.” Annabeth van den Berg, Internal Communication Officer at Toolstation
Summary of results
- A speedy implementation in just 2 weeks;
- A highly engaged community with 91% active users in Oneteam;
- A significant rise in connectivity – now reaching all colleagues instantly, a jump from just 20% before the integration of Oneteam;
- A shift from fragmented to centralized internal communication;
- Internal communication is now more effective and fun;
- A workforce that is not only better informed but also more engaged;
- Oneteam is used for internal communication, chat, events, surveys, and onboarding.
The challenge
What Employee Experience challenges were you facing before using Oneteam?
Saskia: It was a challenge for us to share important information with the operational departments: retail and warehouse. These colleagues don’t always have a company email address, so it was often up to their Line Managers whether or not information reached them. Furthermore, we saw that many WhatsApp groups were created as an alternative communication channel, which didn’t feel good as this blurred the line between professional and private life.
How was this affecting your business?
Saskia: This led to colleagues being uninformed. Within our organization, we embrace a culture of open and transparent communication, and our colleagues want to stay updated. Therefore, we needed to look for a platform to effectively reach all our colleagues.
"The implementation of Oneteam was very smooth. With the support from the customer success team at Oneteam, we managed to go live in just a few weeks."
The solution
Why did you choose Oneteam?
Saskia: In our search for a solution, we decided on the following criteria: it had to be user-friendly, accessible on both desktops and mobile apps, and specifically designed for deskless workers. After the first live demo of Oneteam, we were very enthusiastic for two primary reasons: the platform’s intuitive nature made it easy for our colleagues to adapt to, and it is tailored for deskless workers, who are the colleagues we mainly wanted to improve the internal communication for.
How easy was it to implement Oneteam?
Annabeth: The implementation of Oneteam was very smooth. With the support from the customer success team at Oneteam, we managed to go live in just a few weeks.
Who uses Oneteam in your organization?
Annabeth: Oneteam is our main communication channel, so all our different colleagues, departments, and branches use Oneteam. We have over 800 employees actively using the platform.
What kind of solutions do you use Oneteam for?
Annabeth: We use a wide range of the solutions Oneteam offers, including the internal communication component, the chat function, the calendar function, event planning, employee surveys, and onboarding modules for new employees.
The results
What impact does Oneteam have on your organization?
Saskia: It is great to now be able to connect with all colleagues in our organization. Oneteam really makes our internal communication more effective and fun!
Annabeth: 91% of all colleagues actively use the platform. Additionally, Oneteam serves as an excellent tool for improving our employer brand, storytelling, and sharing information instantly to our entire organization.
Marco: Oneteam helps me to inform all the employees in my store about current affairs and important messages. The platform also allows us to request additional staff in case of employee absences, which is very convenient. Most importantly, the Oneteam app helps to separate personal and professional communication.
What other results have you seen so far?
Annabeth: Prior to Oneteam, we could only connect with 20% of our employees, as the rest lacked a business email address. Now, we’re reaching over 90% of our workforce, which is truly remarkable. Furthermore, all internal communication is now centralized, and each employee receives all the essential information for their role through Oneteam. This results in a better informed and more engaged workforce.
What are your plans regarding Employee Experience for the future?
Saskia: We’re looking to improve and expand our onboarding and eLearning programs via Oneteam, e.g. create tailored eLearnings from our suppliers.
“All internal communication is now centralized, and each employee receives all the essential information for their role through Oneteam. This results in a better informed and more engaged workforce.”
