CCEA joined the Gofore Group in March 2021, as Gofore acquired the company specialised in people-driven change. As of 1 January 2024, CCEA will be integrated to Gofore’s digital transformation advisory services and use the Gofore brand. In this interview, Director of Digital Transformation Advisory Services Elja Kirjavainen tells us about Gofore’s consultancy services and explains why and how organisations should put effort into people-driven change in digital transformation.
Elja Kirjavainen, first please tell us what kind of service offering Gofore will have in advisory services after CCEA’s integration?
As CCEA’s 70 change management experts join Gofore’s digital transformation advisory services unit, we will have some 300 professionals working at digital transformation advisory services. This makes us one of the biggest consultancy companies in Finland. Gofore will also be the biggest company in Finland offering change management services.
We have a wide offering for our customers in the digital society and intelligent industry sectors. This includes management consulting, agile, project management, architecture, procurement, ICT infra and cloud, AI and change management. This includes management consulting, agile development, project management, architecture, procurement, ICT infra and cloud, AI and change management.
Gofore Group has over 1,400 experts in business, technology, and design in 19 locations across Finland, Germany, Austria, Spain, Estonia and Italy.
Gofore’s strategic focus is on the Digital Society and Intelligent Industry sectors. What kind of questions are your customers currently dealing with?
Geopolitical factors influence the industry sector heavily. Sustainability and building a responsible business are important topics to our customers. The increasing demands call for efficiency, innovations and courage to rethink the whole value chain.
Building digital society means, that public services need to be accessible, functional and efficient. Another important goal is to promote a democratic, equal society.
The cooperation of public and private sector develops services that support people in different events in their life. Automating these services would help people to get support when they need it the most.
At the moment, we are working on digitalising this kind of services. Digitalising the so-called life event based services is one goal of the Finnish government programme.
Why should companies and organisations put effort on people-driven change of digital transformation?
Megatrends like sustainability and digitalisation as part of peoples’ everyday lives are challenging and changing companies and societies. Digitalisation is a prerequisite for sustainable business in the industrial sector. Digitalising public services should promote an equal and functional society. No matter what the change is, it is always important to take care of the people.
You can put as much effort as you want on developing digital services, technologies, or process development. However, if people don’t change their way of thinking or working, the targeted goals are either only partially reached or not reached at all.
Studies show that 60 – 70 % of projects fail to reach their goals if the focus is only on the technical aspects, and not on the people. Focusing on the people is a key to succeeding in digital transformation.
A project is seldom being launched without a qualified project manager, but many projects are kicked off without putting enough effort on change management. A combination of these capabilities is an example of what Gofore can do to help its customers.
In your opinion, what are the three best practices that forward-looking companies and organisations should put their focus on?
People first: Take care of your people and involve them in the change process. The more we face uncertainty or global crisis in the society, the more we should focus on our people.
Artificial intelligence influences our work: Harness AI to drive change in organisations and in business.
Focus on the customers: Act customer centric, put the effort in understanding customer needs.
Learn more about Gofore’s change management services
As of 1 January 2024, CCEA’s social media content can be found in Gofore’s channels.
Follow us at: gofore.com | LinkedIn | Instagram | X
Interview by: Anne Sivula