Work & Productivity

Raad van State: Creating a virtual courtroom through a remote-working solution

“This situation has proven that with the right means, support and trust, you can remove half of the desks in your building – and in that sense, I don’t think we’ll ever see 700 people at the same time in the office again.” Ron Lamers, Project Manager at Raad van State, is talking about the […]

What I’ve learned about public sector digital transformation and trust.

“Oh that must be challenging.” …is what people sometimes say when I tell them about my role in public sector digital transformation. Indeed, they then give me their impression of public services as too large and slow-moving. Well, in some ways they’re right. The public sector has a solemn duty to help citizens lead healthier, […]

Zuiver: Supporting both business and culture through technology

“Since moving to the cloud, there are no limitations anymore. And I’m certain without this technology, we would not have seen the growth we have today.” Jaap Landsaat, CFO and Head of IT at Dutch furniture designer Zuiver, is talking about the profound impact technology has had on the business he co-founded more than 20 years ago. “Back then, we had 100 orders a week […]

As hybrid working becomes the new normal, what three things are effective managers doing differently?

The pandemic has upended every part of our lives – our work certainly included. Early in the year we saw companies across the region pivot within a matter of days to enable remote working for members of staff – with leaders looking to keep workers safe while maintaining business continuity.  For most people, this represented […]

3 key ways Microsoft Teams enriches higher education teaching and learning

Whether remotely, in class or hybrid , Microsoft Teams helps to simplify and structure higher education’s day-to-day digital environment – integrating seamlessly with all the solutions you’re already using. “My teaching is now entirely based on Teams. The interaction with students and the teacher is a better level than traditional teaching” – Pasi Vahimaa, Professor, […]

Flexible ways of working are here to stay – New research shows the impact on innovation and productivity

Since the beginning of the Industrial Age, the workforce throughout Western Europe has been largely rooted in a predicable rhythm of business – a workday that consists of clocking in at 9, clocking out at 5 and two hectic commutes on either side.  With the onset of Covid-19, we’ve seen that 200+ year-old model completely […]

The power of trust: thoughts on security in the digital age

When you’ve been working in digital security for a quarter of a century, as I have, people often ask what my number 1 piece of advice is to help businesses and organizations build trust with their customers and partners. My answer is always the same: “Don’t be creepy!” I know it’s a cliché to use […]

Hybrid learning and GDPR: maintaining security and compliance in disruptive times

Like most areas of society, over the past six months the education sector has had to face challenges unlike any before. Students thrive when they have access to personalized learning. As schools have moved quickly to adapt to remote learning, using technology to create new experiences that meet students’ needs has become more important than […]

How Griftland College is putting technology at the heart of remote learning

“When COVID-19 was on the verge of breaking out, we had to make a choice about how to go further,” says Kees Versteeg, the principle of Griftland College. The secondary school, located in the Dutch town of Soest, was one of the first in the Netherlands to close and start teaching 100% remotely. He describes […]

City of Liège: Facilitating decision making in difficult times

For many organizations, social-distancing measures brought about by COVID-19 have drastically slowed day-to-day operations – and for some, even stopped them altogether. But for local governments across Europe, like the Belgian city of Liège, slowing down hasn’t been an option.  From supporting citizens and businesses to protecting frontline workers, Liège city had to quickly provide stability during this crisis and ensure important decisions could still be made in a democratic […]

Advice to SMBs looking to adapt and recover

It’s no exaggeration to say this has been one of the most difficult and painful years we’ve ever experienced. And it’s first and foremost a human tragedy. However, we mustn’t forget that from an economic perspective, SMBs are on the front line. Too often, it’s smaller businesses that bear the brunt of serious disruption when […]

Northwest Clinics: A new era in virtual healthcare

“I am generally quite modest – I don’t like to brag about my achievements too much. But in this case, I want to make an exception. I want to tell the world what we have done.” For Ed de Myttenaere, CIO at Northwest Clinics hospital (Noordwest Ziekenhuisgroep) in the Netherlands, breaking with tradition is becoming increasingly normal. In responding to the COVID-19 outbreak, his team have implemented a virtual consultation solution that has the potential to redefine […]