For Conor Callanan, CEO at Core, the very concept of the workplace has changed beyond all recognition since their inception in 1989. But although the technology that surrounds us has changed beyond all recognition, a decades-long perspective sheds light on just how unevenly distributed the present future is. That’s why Core, as a Microsoft Gold partner managed services company, are committed to helping their clients get the best modern workplace solutions to meet their business objectives – a timeless mission.
And as Callanan explains, the tech set-up in many workplaces hasn’t actually changed nearly as much as it could. “There’s a real sense of frustration amongst employees, especially those that are brought up on mobile phones, digital natives – they expect to see the same advanced technology and apps at work as they have access to privately. Instead many find restrictions and constraints instead, and this just demotivates them, stops them from doing their best work.”
Core’s recent whitepaper on the Modern Workplace encourages organisations to ‘tear up the rulebook’ and rethink the digital environments and applications they offer their employees, to help them get the most out of what’s on offer today.
Change starts with challenging the prevailing attitudes:
By showing them what’s possible, Core encourages forward-thinking managers to envisage change – and take pioneering steps within their enterprises, which may be culturally resistant to transformation. As Callanan reflects, “there’s always an excuse like compliance or cost or GDPR, but it’s really actually the culture. The employees want change – but the organisations don’t have a culture of aligning the users needs with the business strategy, to deliver on the organisation’s objectives”.
So the solution Core have found is to start small. Run a pilot with a single department, prove the outcome, run a slightly wider pilot, and so on. IT will eventually get on board and help scale the change organisation-wide, but they’ll have seen the benefits each team gains in terms of improved engagement, greater productivity and improved collaboration, and that all scales too.
It’s not a question of circumventing the CTO and CIO, in fact it’s a process which supports them, by averting the rise of ‘shadow IT’ – “The cloud is driving ‘shadow IT’,” Callanan explains,
“because anybody can just pick up a credit card and buy a new app or piece of software, IT doesn’t even see it, they only find out afterwards”
A managed transition supports everyone’s objectives more effectively – and although exactly what that transformation looks like is a moving target in today’s market, Core’s values as an organisation enable them to stay focused on the reasons behind the shift. Those values have been lived for 30 years, and they inform the ‘modern workplace’ of 2019 as fully as they did back in the days of rented computer bureau space and fax machines.
“Values are permanent, they don’t change over time, the way technology changes. We’re still focused first of all on our customers, and supporting them collaboratively from within our organisation – where there are no barriers, we’re flexible and approachable. We’re professional, maintaining relevant certifications, but also reflecting a professional manner towards our customers and our partners.
“And we’re always striving to achieve and offer excellence, in all that we do”
If those values resonate with your own, then register now for Core’s ‘Modern Workplace’ conference in London on 11th December – to learn how you can pair innovative solutions with Microsoft 365 software in ways that are inspirational and drive value in your business, and achieve the most suitable ‘modern workplace’ for your team.
