Successful guided Employee Experience journey with Microsoft Viva for VodafoneZiggo

Resulting in 3,000 additional Viva Insights licenses and a happy customer/partner

Following the purchase of Microsoft Viva Insights and their first analysis of the organizational insights, VodafoneZiggo has initiated a pilot within the departments B2B Products and B2B Marketing to determine how to improve collaboration habits, wellbeing and productivity of its employees.

During the last months of 2021, e-office has assisted VodafoneZiggo in creating awareness of the importance of and insights in the collaboration habits and the wellbeing of its employees. The underlying goal for VodafoneZiggo of taking this joint journey with e-office was two-fold:

1. Explore the value of using Viva Insights as a tool to collect data and provide insights and actions to improve the internal and external collaboration habits of VodafoneZiggo. Additionally, investigate what value these insights and actions bring to the day-to-day working habits of VodafoneZiggo’s employees and clients.
2. To get VodafoneZiggo acquainted with Microsoft Viva, in order to learn whether Microsoft Viva could be an interesting proposition for co-selling in the B2B market.

Already before the COVID pandemic hit the world HR of VodafoneZiggo was aware of the potential risks of working in a digital collaboration environment. This subject was gaining momentum as soon as the pandemic hit the world and switching to a fully digital way of working became the norm. VodafoneZiggo strongly wanted to investigate in this area of employee experience, specifically in the topics of wellbeing and productivity. Therefore, Microsoft Viva Insights was purchased initially for a pilot group to start its journey and gather the first insights.

The insights based on extended analysis showed that employees were very busy, mainly because of lot collaboration time and large workweek spans. To make significant improvements in the area, changes to the collaboration and meeting culture were needed. To make these meaningful, productive changes, the first step is to create awareness. So, this is was our starting point in the change management journey focused on employee experience.

2 Our solution

e-office believes in the power of people. From that conviction we have been enabling peak collaboration within companies since 1991. How? We start with people. Always. This means we put people before technology, which we do as follows:

• We optimize collaboration, which starts with the needs and goals of individual employee. They define quality and success of the organization.
• We empower teams to be more energetic by having access to the available qualities, experiences and insights
• This leads to a more effective, more productive and happier organization. That’s the key to success. That’s why we say: put people first!

To help VodafoneZiggo with creating meaningful change, we started with the employees and initiated the Employee Driven Workweek Project, which ran in a six-week timeframe during October and November 2021.

To get a clear picture on collaboration habits, the setup of the workweek, the meeting culture and collaboration guidelines, we entered a dual approach in order to get a 360 degree view on the actual situation. In this approach we distinguish two data sources: Objective data through Viva Insights and subjective data through conversation with employees and management.

2.1 Objective and subjective data collection

By using data collection regarding collaboration habits and patterns on an objective level we were provided with first quick insights. Subsequently, because subjective information was important as well, we started a conversation with the team managers and -members.

Based on the first impression, we sent out an employee survey that asked questions regarding the effectiveness of meetings, the length of their workweek span and their familiarity with the VodafoneZiggo meeting guidelines. The responses contained interesting information that mostly echoed the insights that we already gained from the data.

2.2 Creating awareness using workshop sessions

Subsequently, we invited the B2B teams into workshop sessions in which we informed, discussed and guided towards empowerment by knowledge of how to use Microsoft Viva Insights

• Informed: We started the conversation off with the presentation of the analyzed data, visualized by Microsoft Viva Insights. We explained the data, how to interpret it, and how this data could provide value for the employee, the organization, the manager and the team.
• Discussed: We asked the workshop attendees about their opinions on the insights, and whether they felt that the data was an accurate reflection of their work experience. Subsequently, we discussed whether the VodafoneZiggo Collaboration Guidelines are helpful regarding having control over your workweek.
• Guided: We offered tips and tricks on how to make improvements in organizing the workweek, supported by Microsoft Viva Insights. For example make use of Focus Time. We guided the teams to set collaboration goals and first steps for improvement on a personal and team level.

Participants reacted positive on the session’ value; discussions were fruitful and gave a sharp insight into the situation within B2B Products and Marketing.

2.3 Reinforcement of the change

Where it starts with awareness, it succeeds or fails with reinforcement. So, after the workshop session, the managers invited their teams to another internal team session for a mutual understanding on how to move forwards on the set goals.

Additionally, VodafoneZiggo’s HR department will present quarterly collaboration data. So every three months the teams will be presented with the new collaboration data, after which goals may be adjusted, based on the needs of each team.

3 First successes

At this point we have already seen a positive change in the setup and use of Focus Hours within the VodafoneZiggo. Q4 2021 showed an improvement of on average half a workday of extra focus time in regards to Q2 2021. We are confident that the amount of collaboration hours will soon follow with an overall decrease.

Collaboration hours have gone down with an average of 3 hours a week if we compare Q4 2020 with Q4 2021, which is a positive trend. We assume this is largely a result of the influence of the Employee Driven Workweek sessions.

Since the pilot within the B2B Products and B2B Marketing teams was a success, VodafoneZiggo has purchased 3,000 additional Microsoft Viva Insights licenses, so they can continue the roll-out of Microsoft Viva Insights within VodafoneZiggo Netherlands.

Employee experience is an important pillar for our organization. Microsoft Viva Insights provided us the insights and actions for our needed change. However, we needed a partner to support us in this change journey. e-office greatly guided us in this journey by delivering the Employee Driven Workweek. They made us aware of the needed change and guides us in the subsequent steps to make sure the change gets reinforced.

Joost Wijermars, Director B2B Product VodafoneZiggo

4 Next steps

If we look at the pilot group, one of the quickest wins for VodafoneZiggo will be to flip their meeting culture – to change the meeting culture within VodafoneZiggo.

The current curve of increased collaboration hours and decreasing focus hours is cutting into productivity, quality of work, and wellbeing. This has been confirmed by both Microsoft Viva Insights analytics, as well as in interviews with employees. Following up on the steps mentioned above and the steps already taken, will lead to a further flattening of this curve.

Within three months the upward trend of collaboration time can be disrupted, within six months improvement will become visible. The end goal, of course, is to increase productivity, improve the quality of work, stimulate wellbeing, and increase retention.

With the successful start of the Employee Driven Workweek pilot and the subsequent roll-out to the rest of VodafoneZiggo, this goal definitely seems feasible.

In the pilot Microsoft Viva Insights has proven to provide insights that are valuable to the VodafoneZiggo organization as ineffective work patterns may lead to the loss of work capacity, quality and productivity. B2B Products and Marketing team members and leaders recognize that work patterns can greatly benefit from improvement.

In order to create sustainable change throughout the entire organization, and learn how this can also benefit the clients of VodafoneZiggo we have a multitier strategy that focusses on three areas:

1. Continuation within the B2B Marketing and Products pilot group
2. Rollout to and adoption by the rest of the organization
3. Explore business opportunities with Microsoft Viva Insights

4.1 Continuation within the B2B Marketing and Products pilot group

To make sure the change sticks within the B2B pilot group, the steps to take are:

• Strategy: A holistic approach on data driven behavioral change using the Microsoft Viva Insights data and the existing processes like Heartbeat and HR data to the full picture of insights. Measuring this data in a 3-month cycle gives the teams possibilities to analyze and reflect on current trends, as well as the time to adjust course and evaluate afterwards.
• Change: Further improve upon collaboration culture, break worrying trends and create better collaboration habits and meeting culture. Consistent change management based on Prosci’s ADKAR methodology will sustain the positive change.
  • Awareness: explain why change is needed, building the strong storyline, by using Viva Insight data to show the effect of the current meeting and collaboration culture
  • Desire: design scenarios on how the changes will positively affect employees personally, create focus groups and connect influencers, and frequent, targeted, organization-wide communication on the how, the why, and what’s in it for you.
  • Knowledge: further empowerment of colleagues in taking control of their workweek, by developing knowledge on how to apply Insights tools and stimulating a mindset of continuous improvement, coaching management and influencers in supporting employees.
  • Ability: management sets the direction with simplified meeting guidelines and other culture changes. These elements provide boundaries for desired behavior and decision making. Data insights will monitor the ability to change and give directions for interventions.
  • Reinforcement: enabling the change through a system that supports continuous improvement, by introducing PDCA learning cycle for teams and individuals, and using the Viva Insights data to monitor KPIs and business needs.
• Leadership: Sustainable change calls for more than guidelines and tools; it calls for a joint vision on wellbeing and productivity, and alignment between management, HR and analytics. Management will provide guidance, lead by example, and provide support.</span
• Enabling the change: Through a system that supports continuous improvement and learning. The B2B Marketing and Products pilot group has made a great start, mostly focusing on awareness and desire, but the other steps in the change process remain crucial.

4.2 Rollout to and adoption by the rest of the organization

Since VodafoneZiggo has already purchased an additional 3,000 Viva Insights licenses, now is the time to start an organization-wide process on a larger scale, to create awareness and desire.

Important steps to take:

• Gaining further insights from the B2B Pilot Group and identify opportunities for business optimization in other departments.
• Create and reinforce positive changes within both the pilot group and during the roll-out in the rest of the organization; strongly focusing on awareness (communication regarding the data and the project) and desire (what is in it for you?). It is imperative to focus on explanations on why change is needed, to build a strong storyline, and to create interest and desire among employees to make changes in their daily work life.
  • One of the first steps and quickest wins to achieve is the direction setting by management, with simplified meeting guidelines that provide boundaries for desired behavior and decision making
  • The second step, which will be ongoing, is that management leads by example and provides support to the teams that are in the middle of the change. Sponsorship is a key element of successful change processes.

4.3 Upsell to clients

VodafoneZiggo believes in the benefit of focusing on Employee Experience with Microsoft Viva. They extend their internal vision also to their external portfolio. Together with VodafoneZiggo we researched how the organization can provide Employee Experience related services for their clients with Microsoft Viva and having e-office as their partner. To realize this we use lessons learned to create an attractive client package. This approach is a win-win for VodafoneZiggo, her clients, e-office and Microsoft.

5 Conclusion

Using manager and leader data generated by Microsoft Viva Insights, e-office has assisted VodafoneZiggo in analyzing its data to determine points of improvement regarding the collaboration culture within the two pilot groups. By combining the data with employee and leader stories, we have created a clear insight in the current state of the collaboration culture within the organization.

From there, we have initiated and successfully finished the Employee Driven Workweek pilot, in which we created awareness and desire for a positive business change regarding the collaboration culture with the B2B Products and B2B Marketing teams.

The cycle of data gathering, analyzing and drafting plans for business changes has now been implemented with the pilot group, and will soon be rolled out to an additional 3,000 employees within VodafoneZiggo.

Finally, by upselling Employee Experience with Microsoft Viva Insights a win-win situation is starting to evolve for VodafoneZiggo, her employees, her clients, e-office and Microsoft.