How OMRON turned social media skeptics into employee advocates

When most people think about employee advocacy, they picture tech companies, consumer brands, or organizations packed with LinkedIn power users.

OMRON looked very different.

As a global industrial automation company, many employees were engineers, technical specialists, and subject matter experts. Deep expertise wasn't the problem. Social media confidence was.

"We weren't working with social media-heavy Gen Z employees," explains EMEA Communications and PR Manager, Nathalie Ngo."Most people simply weren't used to sharing content online."

Yet by 2020, OMRON faced a new reality.

When COVID disrupted events, trade shows, and face-to-face customer interactions, digital channels became one of the few ways to stay connected to customers.

The company needed a way to increase its visibility online.

More importantly, it needed a way to help employees become part of that conversation.

The challenge

OMRON’s challenge wasn’t content. It was adoption.

Employees didn't know what was safe to share

Many employees wanted to support the business online. But uncertainty often stopped them.

Questions like:

·       Is this content approved?
·       Am I saying the right thing?
·       What if I post something incorrectly?
·       How should I actually write a social media post?

Social media wasn't part of people's jobs

Advocacy wasn't a mandatory responsibility. Employees were being asked to represent the company online, which requires a completely differentlevel of motivation.

"People do this because they want to," says Nathalie."Because they're proud of the company and want to share something valuable."

Building a business case

Before scaling any program, OMRON first had to prove it would work.

The team needed evidence that employee advocacy could deliver results before gaining wider management support.

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Why Haiilo?

OMRON evaluated several employee advocacy platforms. While functionality was important, the decision came down to more than features.

Three things stood out.

1. A simple way to remove employee uncertainty

Haiilo gave employees access to approved content that could be shared confidently.

Instead of worrying about what to say, employees had a trusted starting point, which immediately lowers the barrier to participation.

2. Flexibility to start small

Rather than committing to a large-scale rollout from day one, OMRON could start with a smaller ambassador group, test the concept, and expand overtime.

This made securing internal buy-in significantly easier.

3. A real collaboration

Perhaps the biggest differentiator was the relationship.

Throughout the program's growth, OMRON received ongoing guidance, training, and strategic advice from the Haiilo team.

"We don't see Haiilo just as a supplier," says Nathalie."We see Haiilo as a partner."

That support ultimately became one of the main reasons OMRON chose to continue the collaboration, even when evaluating alternative solutions in the market.

Solution with Haiilo

OMRON understood from the start that technology alone wouldn't drive adoption.

The company combined Haiilo with a broader change management strategy designed to build confidence and participation over time.

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Starting with believers

Rather than trying to convince everyone at once, OMRON identified employees who already believed in the value of social media. These advocates became the first ambassadors.

The team then measured activity before and after implementation and used those results to build an internal business case.

"First we started with people who already believed in the program," explains Nathalie. "Then we created a case study with the results."

This approach helped create momentum for wider adoption.

Investing heavily in training

The next challenge was helping employees to develop the skills and confidence to participate.

Training became a critical part of the program.

Employees learned:

·       How social media supports business goals
·       How advocacy benefits their own professional brand
·       How to engage effectively online
·       How to create and optimize posts
·       How to build thought leadership within their areas of expertise

Rather than focusing exclusively on company outcomes, OMRON emphasized the personal value employees could gain through participation.

Building thought leaders across the organization

Today, employee advocacy supports two key objectives.

The first is marketing. Employees help extend the reach of company content into networks that corporate channels could never access alone.

The second is thought leadership. For robotics specialists, engineers, and technical experts, sharing industry content helps establish visibility and credibility within their field.

"If somebody is an expert in robotics, sharing more robotics content lets their expertise benefit the people who need it," saysNathalie.

This creates value for both the individual and the organization.

Continuous support, not a one-off launch

One of the most important lessons from OMRON's experience is that advocacy is never "finished".

The company continues to run training sessions and receives ongoing support from the Haiilo team.

"They help us stay updated," says Nathalie. "It's not just one tool and then we stop. It's about growing together."

Beyond marketing: creating a culture of pride

While the original goal was to improve visibility and engagement,OMRON discovered another benefit: advocacy was helping employees feel more connected to the wider organization.

As colleagues shared achievements, projects, and success stories from different regions, visibility increased across the business.

Employees gained greater awareness of what teams around the world were accomplishing. And that visibility created something powerful: pride.

"It's like a spreading effect," Nathalie explains. “People see colleagues sharing exciting work. They become inspired to share their own achievements. More employees get involved. More stories are told. The cycle reinforces itself.”

What's next?

For OMRON, employee advocacy has evolved from a response to COVID-era disruption to a long-term strategic communication channel.

The focus now is on continuing to grow participation while helping employees develop their own voices and expertise online.

Rather than simply increasing the volume of content, OMRON wants to support more knowledgeable advocates, stronger thought leaders, and deeper employee engagement across regions.

The company also plans to continue investing in education and enablement, ensuring employees have both the confidence and support needed to participate successfully.

Because after several years running the programme, OMRON has learned an important lesson:

Successful employee advocacy isn't technology-first. It's people-first.

Haiilo provides the platform, but it's the confidence, expertise, and enthusiasm of employees that ultimately drive results. And that's exactly what OMRON is building.

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