Camden Council is using innovation and digital technology to enable it to save money and deliver better services to local residents and businesses.

A transformation strategy that is about a leaner and self-managed workforce, and an accommodation strategy that enables flexible working highlighted the need to implement modern technology.

Stated objectives included hot-desking and mobile working so it could reduce accommodation needs by over 40% and save £5M a year by 2018. It also wanted to remove 22 KM of paper from the organisation.

Adopting a laptops by default approach and supporting a Bring Your Own Device, (BYOD) initiative would also accommodate staff collaboration through video, audio and desktop sharing.

Benefits
The team now enjoys a very modern environment that’s driving productivity in new ways, William Woosnam explains “Microsoft Skype for Business has introduced a shift in culture with people working far more collaboratively. They are enjoying the freedom of an open office space with agile working practises, even preferring it to working from home.”

This has had a knock-on effect to staff morale, Woosnam continues, “There’s been cases of employees turning down external job offers because they enjoy the mobile and flexible way they can now work, provided by Microsoft Skype for Business.”

Camden won the 2015 Municipal Journal Award for an outstanding example of using cutting-edge digital technology to overcome the growing challenges of budget constraint whilst meeting rising demand and changing citizen needs.

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