Founded in 1972 as “Magazzini Oviesse” by Coin S.p.A., OVS S.p.A. is now an excellence in the Italian retail panorama.
As of today, the group counts over 2.200 stores in Italy and abroad, employing more than 8.000 people and managing a brand portfolio that includes OVS, Upim, Stefanel, OVS Kids, Blukids, PIOMBO, GAP Italia, Les Copains, and CROFF.
In 2023, the company recorded a consolidated turnover of €1.54 billion, with an EBITDA of €182 million, marking significant growth compared to previous years.
OVS spa was facing a great challenge: reach and effectively engage all colleagues, especially those without personal company devices—the majority of our store colleagues. The existing intranet, accessible only from desktops, excluded a significant portion of colleagues, preventing internal communication, information sharing, and a strengthening sense of belonging. This led the OVS group’s workforce—both in headquarters and sales—to feel disconnected and disengaged, and they felt a strong need for a digital space where they could find a direct channel of communication, as well as access to essential information and resources for their activities.
During the lockdown, the need for change became even more evident, and OVS began experimenting with new channels and methods to maintain communication with its employees through small communities of listening and participation. This experience highlighted the desire for more dynamic and personalized interaction, and for a channel capable of reaching everyone, regardless of location or device, shared by all OVS colleagues.
To overcome the limitations of traditional intranets, OVS began researching a digital workplace: a simple, integrated technology designed to ease user transition, strategically develop human resources, and ultimately connect people while strengthening the company’s identity.
"Our challenge was to create a channel of communication and dialogue with everyone who works at OVS spa, regardless of their role or the device they use."
Cristina Cocchetto
Senior Hr Manager: Talent Acquisition, People Development and Internal Communication, OVS Spa
Hence the choice of LumApps, the digital workplace perfectly integrated with Google Workspace—the company’s collaboration suite—and featuring a native app capable of offering a simple, personalized, omnichannel user experience. Its ability to centralize communication and facilitate access to information made LumApps the ideal choice for optimizing the employee experience.
As a Premier LumApps Partner in Italy and leveraging its strong expertise in change management, cloud technology, and employee experience, Huware was chosen to support OVS throughout all phases of this evolution. From strategy definition to the operational implementation of the platform, Huware designed OVS’s digital workplace, tailoring it to the organizational specifics and identified objectives.
Thus, Wello, OVS’s digital workspace, was born! The name combines “Welcome” and “Hello” and reflects the idea of an open and inclusive space. Active colleague involvement was key to the project’s success: through surveys and workshops, OVS engaged a sample of over 1,500 people, gathering valuable feedback and ensuring that Wello truly met everyone’s expectations.
A multichannel strategy was developed to launch the platform, combining digital and physical channels to maximize message dissemination and colleague engagement. Within the stores, the team actively involved area and store managers as project ambassadors, implementing ad hoc initiatives such as posters and a letter from the HR Director. At the headquarters, information totems were placed in common areas, inviting colleagues to discover Wello and download the app via QR codes.
This approach facilitated the adoption of the desktop and mobile platform, and streamlined project communication for every stakeholder, including individual vendors, who are often difficult to reach.
The adoption of LumApps and Wello has led to a significant transformation of OVS’s internal communications. Today, Wello is the go-to channel for disseminating corporate communications and company updates.
The introduction of Wello has encouraged active participation among colleagues, creating a more collaborative work environment. HR procedures have been simplified and made more accessible, significantly improving the employee experience. The need to reach a broad and diverse audience has driven OVS to rethink its language and interaction methods, making them more direct and effective.
The initial success of the project has paved the way for Wello’s evolution. As a next step, OVS aims to create spaces dedicated to company communities to encourage discussion and the sharing of ideas. Furthermore, the company intends to enhance Wello’s interactive features, continuously improve information search, and make the platform increasingly dynamic and engaging, in line with the needs of an ever-evolving organization.
"Together with Huware, we designed Wello to actively engage colleagues, creating a welcoming and interactive space that reflects our commitment to human connection. The goal of this tool isn’t just digitalization; we want to preserve the value of personal relationships, recreating moments of encounter even in person thanks to Wello."
Giulia Zangrando
Internal Communication Coordinator, OVS Spa