PepsiCo unifies global workforce with Microsoft Teams and Copilot, fueled by AI

With more than 320,000 employees across 200 countries, PepsiCo faced a fragmented technology landscape. Disparate collaboration and productivity tools slowed business and limited the company’s ability to harness the power of AI.

PepsiCo standardized on Microsoft Teams for collaboration and deployed Microsoft 365 Copilot to lay the foundation for generative AI in the workplace.

Workstreams at PepsiCo are smoother and more efficient, now that Teams and Copilot are seamlessly layered into the Microsoft 365 apps that employees use every day. Daily active use for Copilot is 90% to 95%.

Even the most agile enterprises face challenges with a fragmented technology landscape. PepsiCo recognized that having a variety of collaboration and productivity tools was making it harder to work seamlessly and unlock the full potential of AI. “We knew that if we didn’t standardize on a collaboration platform with powerful AI features, we’d lose ground in workplace AI,” says Ashok Paranjothi, VP of Global Workplace Services at PepsiCo.

From family gatherings to sporting events, PepsiCo’s iconic brands are woven into moments of nourishment and joy around the world. Whether it’s Lay’s, Doritos, Quaker, or Mountain Dew, PepsiCo products create memories for millions of people every day. Behind these beloved brands is a global enterprise sustained by more than 320,000 employees, all working to deliver smiles and sustenance to communities in more than 200 countries and territories. With a workforce as vast and diverse as PepsiCo’s, turning vision into reality required a thoughtful, phased approach to change.

“By consolidating on Microsoft 365, we’ve created an environment where Copilot can do its best work. This is probably why we’re seeing 90% to 95% daily active use for Copilot.”

Elaine Smith, Program Lead for Copilot, PepsiCo

Facing the challenge

“It’s no easy task to bring thousands of employees along on the journey to a new technology they didn’t know they needed,” says Elaine Smith, Program Lead for Copilot at PepsiCo. PepsiCo’s transformation required a solution that would fit seamlessly with existing workplace tools for minimal disruption, allow secure collaboration from anywhere, and serve as a gateway to generative AI.

A longtime Microsoft 365 enterprise, PepsiCo unified collaboration and productivity on Microsoft Teams and laid the foundation for generative AI in the workplace with Microsoft 365 Copilot. As part of this transformation, the company migrated 3,300 video conference rooms to Teams Rooms, creating a seamless experience for associates worldwide. “Our decision to move to Teams meant communications and collaboration in our entire ecosystem became much easier, simpler, and approachable for our associates,” Paranjothi explains.

“Security and responsible AI is top of mind for us at all times whenever we’re either developing or delivering AI or a generative AI solution. Copilot is fully built on the Microsoft 365 access control. That’s made life much, much easier and simple for us in rolling out the capability for our associates.”

Ashok Paranjothi, VP, Global Workplace Services, PepsiCo

Connecting teams, securing data

Although ease of collaboration is an important factor when employees meet virtually with colleagues all over the world, security remains a top priority at PepsiCo. “Security and responsible AI is top of mind for us at all times whenever we’re either developing or delivering AI or a generative AI solution. Copilot is fully built on the Microsoft 365 access control. That’s made life much, much easier and simple for us in rolling out the capability for our associates,” explains Paranjothi.

Driving adoption

Change management was central for supporting adoption. Smith led workplace enablement, focusing on stakeholder alignment, a robust communication plan, and training. “We started with small steps, and that’s key when you’re asking so many people to change a daily habit,” Smith says. “Schedule calls in Teams, use Teams for chat. That was a manageable move for everyone.” Soon, using Teams and Copilot was so natural for employees that it was hard to imagine ever going back.

Leadership support moved the needle on adoption quickly. “It only took one email from our Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer to get all global leaders on board,” Smith notes.

“Since Copilot works across all my meetings, emails, files, and chats, it gives me what I’m looking for immediately. I’m saving hours and hours each day. It’s changed how I work.”

Pulkeshi Jape, VP, Data & AI Product Management, PepsiCo

Unlocking new levels of productivity

The results at PepsiCo are already tangible. “By consolidating on Microsoft 365, we’ve created an environment where Copilot can do its best work. This is probably why we’re seeing 90% to 95% daily active use for Copilot,” explains Smith.

Pulkeshi Jape, VP of Data and AI Product Management at PepsiCo, agrees. “I don’t search for things the way I used to. I go straight to Copilot first now. Since Copilot works across all my meetings, emails, files, and chats, it gives me what I’m looking for immediately. I’m saving hours and hours each day. It’s changed how I work,” he says.

“Transforming how thousands of people work is never just about technology,” Paranjothi explains. “It’s about people, it’s about culture, it’s about the experience they’re going through as part of this transformation. With our move to the Microsoft productivity ecosystem and Copilot, PepsiCo is on the leading edge.” That’s something to smile about.

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