COVID-19 business recovery initiative benefits International Workplace
International Workplace Ltd are an award-winning learning technologies business based in Cambridge with clients in both the public and private sector. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the organisation was presented with a new challenge - an increase in demand for their services and a need to accelerate their 2014 digital transformation strategy. This would require an investment in new technologies and the opportunity to introduce diverse, new talent to the business.
International Workplace Ltd were made aware of our COVID-19 Business Recovery Support Initiatives. They were looking for two graduates: one with expertise in user experience (UX) to make an immediate impact on the organisation’s artificial intelligence-driven Workplace DNA® SaaS application; the other to help them digitise workflows by establishing a Community Developer approach to integrate disparate processes through adoption of the Microsoft Power Automate.
CEO David Sharp says: “In both cases, we were not just looking for a particular set of skills and experiences, but for candidates who would fit with our company’s values and behaviours, being team players but also being curious and confident enough in their thinking to challenge the status quo.”
Our fully-funded internship programme was the solution. The COVID-19 Business Recovery Support Initiative allowed the business to engage with two talented graduates while de-risking the process for all parties. In each case the company was able to specify initial short-term projects to help the interns and the mentors get to know each other better and deliver commercially beneficial outcomes to the business.
The interns gained valuable knowledge and experience, and the ‘soft landing’ approach has given the company the confidence to invest in new talent by creating new roles at a highly turbulent time for the business.
David continues: "“The support from ARU was great. They helped us identify suitable candidates for us to follow up with at interview and worked with us when we appointed them to ensure all the paperwork was in place to comply with employment law.
"The two candidates have both fitted in really well, especially considering the requirement for us all to be working remotely currently as a result of the pandemic. They are both quick learners and show confidence in their abilities, so have made a difference from their first day with us."
In both cases, following the initial eight-week internship, International Workplace Ltd decided to offer the interns full-time, permanent positions. A brilliant outcome for all.
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