Mazda improves O365 collaboration with individual coaching and made-to-measure communication plan

Mazda had to create awareness about the new workplace. To simplify the transition to this new digital work environment for their employees, Mazda called on the Xylos experts. They have developed a tailor-made change process and accompanying communication plan.

The scope was the change process at the Belgian branch in Willebroek and the German branch in Leverkusen, for 230 and 400 employees respectively.

“You never drive alone when you drive a Mazda”. Car manufacturer Mazda immediately put words into action during its migration to Windows 10 and Office 365. Because, you have to admit, such a switch only succeeds if you jump on the cart together with all employees, right?

As support for Windows 7 ended in January 2020, carmaker Mazda decided to move to Windows 10. Such a migration is one thing. Do you want to ensure that every employee also uses it effectively and integrates it in the workplace? That is a different story. Sufficient awareness had to be created about the new workplace. That is why Mazda decided to engage the professional support of Xylos.

Tease with NEO Learning

With Office 365’s OneDrive, Mazda as a company said goodbye to local files and moved employees to a cloud environment where information can be easily shared and tracked. This meant that the project was not yet fully completed. First and foremost, employees need to be aware of this possibility to collaborate remotely. That is why NEO Learning, the e-learning brand of Xylos, developed a teaser video with publication on the intranet on the one hand and via playback on a number of screens in the buildings. Thus the tone was immediately set.

Customized communication tips

After teasing the employees, you should of course also inform and guide them effectively. To get started, Xylos organized an onboarding session in which the trainer provided answers to questions such as: “What are the benefits of Windows 10 and Office 365?”; “What’s new?” and “How are we going to support each colleague?” “Once that workshop was over, a few demo sessions followed in which the Xylos coaches explained in detail the functionalities of Windows 10 and Office 365. In order to keep all those training sessions on the right track, a well thought-out communication plan was also needed. Mazda also called in the help of Xylos there. The change consultants gave Mazda a lot of tips & tricks about the content, timing and frequency of the communication. Thanks to their mailing templates, for example, their copywriting went more smoothly and Mazda knew exactly which message to send and when.

Positive feedback

Based on a survey, a few weeks after the migration, Mazda finally asked its employees how the entire change process went with them. Was the communication clear? Did the messages arrive? How did the migration go? And were there enough hands-on workshops given to increase knowledge and solve possible questions? No less than 80% of the employees wrote down ‘yes’ wholeheartedly.

“The project went smoothly because the collaboration with Xylos went well and pleasantly. We always got an immediate answer to our questions and that made the difference ”, Johan Van Parys concludes.

– Johan Van Parys, IT Manager at Mazda Motor Logistics Europe