Optisport

"Oneteam offers us an all-in-one solution for employee experience. Instead of four systems, we can now offer our employees one solution for internal communication, onboarding, microlearning, and integrated work schedules."
– Brenda Kovac, HR Manager at Optisport

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About Optisport

Optisport operates more than 400 leisure facilities in the Netherlands and Belgium, ranging from swimming pools and ice rinks to gyms, sports halls, and catering. Every month, over 1.5 million people visit their facilities.

Behind the scenes, more than 2,000 employees make this possible. Brenda Kovac, HR Manager at Optisport, is responsible for HR policy and leads a small team of advisors working closely with regional managers. Together, they ensure employees feel informed, engaged, and connected.

The challenge

Before using Oneteam, Optisport faced several challenges.

Employees were strongly connected to their individual location, like a swimming pool or fitness club, but often felt little connection to the wider organization. That limited engagement and made it harder to retain staff in a sector already struggling with shortages.

Reaching employees was another problem. Lifeguards or hospitality staff spend their shifts on the floor and don’t sit behind a computer. Important information on the intranet or in emails simply didn’t reach them. “Employees complained that they were not always informed and felt left out of the bigger picture,” Brenda explains.

The result was frustration, high turnover, and knowledge being lost. To make things worse, the tools in place were fragmented and outdated. “When I started, during COVID, it was clear the intranet wasn’t enough. Email addresses were incomplete, newsletters didn’t get read, and we were using a patchwork of systems for communication, onboarding, and e-learning. It overwhelmed people instead of helping them,” she recalls.

It was time to unify everything into one platform.

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The solution

After exploring different options, Optisport chose Oneteam because it could combine everything into a single app: communication, onboarding, microlearning, and integrated schedules via Manus Plus.

The bundled solution made life easier for employees, but also addressed other key concerns. The GDPR-friendly chat function replaced WhatsApp groups, protecting employee privacy and helping separate work from personal life. The platform’s flexibility also made it possible to communicate on both organization and location level, which fit Optisport’s structure perfectly.

“Oneteam is used throughout the organization, from the swimming pools and ice rinks to the gyms and hospitality facilities. Some locations even have a 100% adoption rate,” Brenda shares proudly.

The approach

The rollout started with interactive digital workshops led by Oneteam’s Customer Success Manager. Location managers then took ownership of the roll-out within their facilities. Some were enthusiastic early adopters, while others needed a push.

To bring everyone on board, Optisport made sure all important announcements and promotions were shared exclusively via Oneteam. This encouraged employees to log in and quickly see the value of the app.

Adoption grew fast. “The statistics show that our 2,300 users log into the app 49,500 times per month. Seeing those numbers really brings a smile to my face,” says Brenda.

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The results

Since introducing Oneteam, communication and engagement across Optisport have improved dramatically. It has become the central place where everyone comes together, from sharing updates to celebrating milestones. “Whenever we discuss a fun or important topic during management meetings, someone always says: ‘We should share this on Oneteam.’ It has truly become our central point of communication,” says Brenda.

Employees now actively contribute ideas for new onboarding and microlearning modules, and feedback flows directly from the heart of the organization. This helps optimize processes and strengthen the connection between colleagues. New employees are welcomed on the company timeline with high-fives and warm comments, and moments of recognition (like celebrating 12.5 years of service) trigger dozens of enthusiastic reactions.

The impact is also visible in the numbers:

• 2,300 users across all locations
• 49,500 logins per month
• More than 2,000 chat messages every week
• Some locations reaching 100% adoption

For Brenda, these results mean more than just statistics. “Oneteam fits in with our values: team, rethinking, and fun. It shows that we are one team across the whole organization.”‍

Looking ahead

Optisport’s next step is to use the survey module to measure employee satisfaction consistently and act on the insights. At the same time, they are working on user guidelines to help employees use the app effectively without oversharing.

“Via Oneteam we are able to get feedback from the heart of the organization, which helps us to continuously optimize our business processes and make us more successful.”‍