Copilot brings a leap in productivity, but requires firm change management
We jumped on Microsoft’s AI train already back in 2015. We introduced large language models and generative AI into our offering at the beginning of 2023, and during that spring we were able to survey the AI related needs of more than 60 organizations and launch a large number of concrete projects. Since then, we have already supported thousands of organizations on their AI journey. In other words, we’ve been able to be at the forefront of the ongoing global AI boom right from the start, very concretely, through various solutions and services.
At this point we can say with confidence that to gain a competitive advantage from AI, you must move quickly on several fronts: on the one hand in adopting AI to enhance internal ways of working, and on the other hand in improving the customer experience and the products and services intended for end customers.
At the same time, you must continuously explore the concrete possibilities offered by AI, deliver new solutions to end users as quickly as possible, and rethink every function and process to fully leverage what AI can enable. In other words, you need to be ready to develop both technical solutions and employee capabilities simultaneously to capture the full benefit, while also thinking about the future with a longer term perspective.
To harness a productivity leap of up to 4.4 trillion dollars (McKinsey report 2023: The economic potential of generative AI: The next productivity frontier), innovation and product development must be carried out systematically and strategically, guided from top management. Due to the pace of development, it’s advisable to review the AI strategy more frequently than usual — once a year is far too seldom! It also takes skill to stay focused on what truly matters. AI that is everywhere, all the time, brings no benefit if you are doing a little bit of everything in every area. A deep understanding of business needs, combined with a clear grasp of AI’s possibilities, creates the right direction.
As the number of available tools grows, we need clear rules and ethical guidelines for which AI tools are used for which purposes, and how. We must ensure data protection, communication, and collaboration across the entire organization. It’s essential to understand the overall architecture and how dozens of ideas are prioritized and implemented in the most efficient and secure way possible. And naturally, every solution must be validated from the perspective of laws, regulations, and privacy.
Where to start?
We want to ensure that organizations can harness all the benefits of AI efficiently and safely, taking even the smallest details into account. That’s why we’ve designed services tailored to this exact need: Copilot Essentials and Sulava Copilot Adoption Service. Essentials provides high quality guidance, documentation, and training for the use and deployment of Microsoft 365 Copilot, while the Copilot Adoption Service offers a turnkey experience — our most popular service for Copilot adoption and ongoing development.
We have had the pleasure of accompanying thousands of our customers on their M365 Copilot journey through these services. We have received concrete confirmation of our belief that adopting AI services is, above all, change management. You don’t achieve a productivity leap by activating licenses and arranging a couple of basic trainings. It’s something entirely different.
Integrating AI into day to day work requires a great deal from employees. For someone to identify the processes in their own work where Copilot can be used, to actually take up new tools, and on top of that be able to write prompts that are detailed enough for the AI — extensive training, change management, and hands on guidance are needed. Employees must be able to truly realize the promise of AI: improved productivity and wellbeing at work, smoother workflows, and the projected savings. How is that possible in practice?
Management support in the change
The most important element in driving change is support from leadership. It sounds very simple — and in principle it is. In practice, leadership support appears across the organization in concrete ways. It means, for example:
- Time. Time is cleared in calendars for what matters. Change does not happen as a side project or late at night.
- Resources. This is an investment in competence and in a new way of working. It requires hands, licenses, commitment, and, when needed, bringing in a skilled partner.
- Encouragement and direction. Daily grind can blur the big picture, and people may feel stuck or constantly solving challenges. Leadership’s task is to follow the development work, ensure the direction stays right, support and encourage those doing the work, and celebrate even the small wins.
- Communication. People are told what is happening. Development work, goals, and results are communicated openly, and people are given the opportunity to participate.
Copilot adoption with our support provides a solid model for driving change. Together with the you, we ensure technical readiness as well as all aspects related to security and data protection. After that, it’s the right time to start building new AI skills within the organization. We can all agree that Copilots’ monthly subscription is cheap for efficient work — but far too expensive to waste. Based on our experience, the benefits of Copilot start to show more broadly after a few months, once people have integrated Copilot into their daily routines and everyday habits.
We conducted a calculation already with our Copilot Early Access Program customer, and even in the pessimistic scenario, effective use of Copilot saves between 29 and 75 minutes per day, depending on the employee’s role.
What does Copilot Adoption Service consist of?
As the names of our services suggest, they focus on Microsoft’s Microsoft 365 Copilot service designed for knowledge workers — a tool that can generate entire PowerPoint presentations, Word documents, Excel analyses, and emails on command. Through plugins and agents, Copilot also provides access not only to Microsoft’s own information systems but also to the organization’s other data sources (ERPs, HR and financial systems, customer data, core business systems, etc.) as well as external databases.
Our Copilot Adoption Service consists of three phases. In each phase, we transfer all our expertise to the customer so that they can increasingly handle more of the Copilot customization work themselves. Naturally, our training expertise is at the heart of this work.
Phase 1: Building the foundation
In the first phase, we take care of all matters related to AI adoption that every IT department will, in any case, need to handle in the coming months. We ensure technical readiness, build role based use case scenarios and playbooks, prepare financial forecasts, and guide the entire organization in working with AI and Copilots. The pilot team gets to start using AI tools right from the beginning. We begin building AI related capabilities across the organization and support communication and leadership.
Phase 2: Champions network
In the second phase, we build a Champions network within your organization — the first group to adopt Copilot. We train the Champions to use Copilot in their work, and at the same time we start discovering the real, role specific benefits of AI in everyday tasks. We also measure Copilot’s impact on productivity, quality, and job satisfaction.
Phase 3: Continuous development
In the third phase, we expand Copilot use to the entire organization and begin developing AI innovations beyond Copilot. Together with Microsoft’s full AI portfolio, the possibilities are endless — and you don’t need to start from scratch. For example, with AI agents and Power Platform, even the simplest AI applications can be created in just days! 🤩
What’s next?
With our service, your organization can enjoy the benefits of Copilot without having to manage the entire ecosystem yourselves. You can focus on your core business and its development while we take care of everything else. You save time, money, and resources! If you want to secure the best competitive advantage and take a massive productivity leap, don’t let this opportunity pass you by. We’ll help with our Copilot Adoption Service and Copilot Essentials. If you’d like to discuss which service would be the best fit for your organization’s needs, don’t hesitate to reach out directly!
The article’s author
Lotta Grönlund works at Sulava in a Senior Consultant role. Her special expertise and strength lie particularly in driving change. Lotta ensures that new ways of working truly take root in people’s everyday routines and that the promises of smoother work are fulfilled.
Lotta’s workdays include Copilot deployments, developing Teams usage, harmonizing ways of working, and occasionally also intranet projects together with customers. Lotta holds a Prosci certification in change management.
