Digital workplace for Puur-Sint-Amands

The Flow’s mission is to create star teams by transforming the digital workplace with Microsoft 365 into a place where teams can think, create and work together. They did exactly that for Puurs and Sint-Amands, two Belgian towns who merged in 2019. But with this merger, a few questions arose: how do you organize communication? What IT-structure will you use? And how do you optimize your (digital) cooperation? Together with Cronos Public Services, The Flow dove into the matter and introduced Microsoft Sharepoint, Office 365 and Teams at Puurs-Sint-Amands' new organization.

After the merger

After the merger a few problems arose: documentation was dispersed, access to essential documents was scattered over different departments and teams, and there was no tool for internal communication. Originally the use of Microsoft Sharepoint solved a few problems, but along the road the need for Microsoft Office and Teams grew. Through Cronos Public Service both towns came into contact with The Flow Consulting:

“We immediately felt good with their vision and approach, so we decided to contract them for the job. We have plenty inhouse competence, but the right knowledge was missing to implement Office 365 and Teams. That’s why The Flow Consulting was the right choice.” - Tineke Coeckelbergh, expert information management and security/DPO

Different pace

After a merger there are a few evident changes that take place, both structurally and technologically. Puurs-Sint-Amands chose a top down approach in which every employee was involved. “Too often management forgets to focus on the consequences for employees when they switch to Microsoft Office and Teams.” claims Benny Van De Velde, trusted advisor at The Flow Consulting. “You need to make sure your coworkers have enough time to get used to these new technologies. Puurs-Sint-Amands understood that coordination of the structural and the technological changes need constant governance. So they implemented ambassadors to guide their fellow colleagues. These ambassadors were the antennae for the project team in terms of knowing what happens in the field. The Flow doesn’t work as consultants who are there to fix a problem. We’re more like guides who set the beacons and follow the rhythm of the client.”

Too often management forgets to focus on the consequences for employees when they switch to Microsoft Office and Teams. - Benny Van De Velde

Internal tool - 'De Vedette'

Of course you cannot leave COVID-19 out of the picture. Due to Corona suddenly forcing a new way of work upon us, Microsoft Teams was implemented earlier than expected. Meeting in real life was no longer possible so we had to shift this to online workshops. A new tool for internal communication - The Vedette, named after the local brewery - was launched. Employees were given participation in choosing the name. The portal servers as access to all the information within the organization: who’s who, newsletters, administrative functions, but personal records and teams as well.

The Vedette will operate within Teams as a central and interactive work tool for news and documentation. “You can compare it to a news site” says Benny Van De Velde. “If you don’t participate and engage in posting content, you won’t have a lot of interaction with the people using the tool. That’s why it’s important that your employees offer input as well. We created a digital message board for personal notes for instance. I think a tool such as this can prove to be important to other organizations as well. It’s an easy way to personalize your structure within a centralized tool for communication.”

Digital process

“The work isn’t done after 2024, because digitization is an ongoing process.” - Tineke Coeckelbergh

The project runs until 2024, but even afterwards, we’ll focus on evolving. “The work isn’t done after 2024, because digitization is an ongoing process.” says Tineke Coeckelbergh. “By next year we’ll have a clear view on the status of our digital workspace. There are plans for a new administrative center, so we’ll be monitoring those evaluations as well.”

Besides that, Puurs-Sint-Amands focuses on optimizing, automating and digitizing certain processes such as onboarding flows, buying train tickets or managing pc’s, tablets and smartphones. Safe to say there are a lot of next steps to take.

Tailored solution

This case is a good example that budget doesn’t need to be an obstacle for major transformations. Tineke Coeckelbergh claims: “A digital workspace is perfectly customizable in terms of the organization’s needs. Local governments often lack knowledge of Microsoft Office 365 and that’s where Cronos fitted in seamlessly. The Flow Consulting offers different kinds of expertise: from project management, analysis and the optimization of corporate processes to building apps that digitize and automate certain flows. Their approach is clear, professional and understandable. They offer services tailored to the client’s needs, in wich they’re incredibly flexible.”

Want to know more about The Flow Consulting? Check out their website.

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