Strategic Resilience

Written by

Amanda

27th February, 2025

Business Continuity
Outsourcing
Productivity
The Office
Workplace Transformation

Forward thinking strategies for managing risk and ensuring business continuity.

Risk management is a constant balancing act, with firms needing to protect against evolving threats while maintaining operational efficiency. We brought together Global Transformation and Senior Risk Leads to discuss how these threats are influencing our business continuity plans, security protocols, work from home strategies, and most importantly, our people.

Here’s how leading firms are evolving their approach to business continuity and risk management:

Business Continuity Planning Must Be Integrated, Not Siloed
For too long, BCP has been viewed as an IT responsibility rather than an organisation-wide priority. We heard that this is changing. Firms are shifting from static BCP documents to dynamic, accessible plans that are regularly tested through real-world scenarios such as desktop exercises. These exercises don’t just expose vulnerabilities; they provide invaluable insights for stakeholders, helping to highlight risk and impact in a tangible way.

Communication and Crisis Management Are Critical
During a crisis, effective communication can mean the difference between swift resolution and prolonged chaos. Clients are increasingly dictating communication preferences, with platforms like WhatsApp becoming vital for real-time updates. The challenge? Balancing flexibility with security. Organisations must ensure that crisis communication plans are structured, reliable, and backed up with alternative channels in case primary systems fail. Reducing reliance on single points of failure—whether a key individual or a single communication method—is essential for resilience.

Andrew Try, CEO of ComXo urges:

“We often hear organisations confirm that they have substantial investment in I.T. and are confident in their preventative measures. However, I urge all leaders to consider what will happen when they do have that crisis. Remember that at the core of all business continuity plans are your people, and your ability to communicate effectively with them.”

Human Factors Are the Biggest Security Weakness
Technology alone won’t protect a business from cyber threats—people remain the weakest link. Security awareness training is now standard, but true resilience comes from ongoing vigilance. Employees, particularly under pressure, may overlook security red flags, making them prime targets for cyber threats. Regular physical security audits (such as checking for written-down passwords) and reinforcing remote working security measures are key steps in mitigating risk. Confidentiality policies must extend beyond the office to ensure data protection, wherever employees are working.

Legal and Professional Firms are High-Value Targets for Cyber Attacks
Law firms and professional services providers are prime targets for cybercriminals, often seen as more vulnerable than financial institutions. Ransomware is a significant concern, sparking debate on whether paying a ransom is ever the right choice. While government intervention may soon outlaw ransom payments, organisations currently weigh the cost of payment against potential reputational and financial damage. The key takeaway? Prevention is always more cost-effective than reaction.

Board-Level Buy-In for BCP and Cybersecurity Remains Challenging
All too often, business continuity and cybersecurity strategies only become a priority after an incident—or when regulatory compliance demands it. Getting board-level buy-in is a challenge, but fear-based arguments don’t always resonate. Instead, demonstrating the financial and reputational risks can be a more compelling approach. Recent figures from the Financial Times estimate that a cyber attack costs a FTSE 250 company around £4 million, highlighting the tangible impact of security failures.

Balancing Risk Management with Productivity
While risk management is critical, it must not come at the cost of business efficiency. Excessive restrictions can stifle productivity, making it crucial to strike the right balance. The most resilient organisations don’t just implement stringent security measures; they also foster a culture of adaptability and preparedness. Developing employee resilience—especially crisis leadership skills—ensures that teams can respond swiftly and effectively when incidents arise

Our guest host Steve Clarke, Co-Founder of Freeman Clarke speaks of the balance:

“People want to communicate when, how, and with whatever tool or platform they want. CIOs should not be seen as policing this; they should be the enablers.”

In the face of ever-evolving threats, true resilience comes from embedding risk management into the very fabric of the business—ensuring agility, security, and continuity at every level.

About ComXo
ComXo is a leading provider of outsourced communication and business services, helping companies navigate the complexities of the modern workplace with innovative solutions and industry-leading expertise.

If you’re interested to hear how we support some of the largest global organisations with strategic and in-built business continuity and resilience, get in touch.

The Future of Virtual Business Services

Written by

Amanda

24th October, 2024

Unlocking New Potential for Growth

Global organisations, particularly in the legal and professional services sector are no strangers to innovation, yet many organisations continue to grapple with evolving workplace needs. The global workforce is increasingly decentralised, working remotely and across varied hours, making seamless business operations more complex than ever. As firms adapt to this shifting landscape, virtual business services are rapidly gaining traction, offering agile and effective solutions to support a more flexible workforce, whilst also maximising cost efficiencies.

Outsourcing in Business Services: The Evolution So Far
Not too long ago, outsourcing tasks like switchboard operations or meeting room bookings was met with scepticism. Could an external partner truly manage these critical touchpoints without compromising quality? Fast forward to today and outsourcing these once in-house services is now the norm, delivering not just operational and cost efficiencies, but enhanced client experiences.

In fact the results from one of our clients have shown benefits on multiple levels across a 4 year partnership:

So, what’s next? The same mindset shift that occurred around switchboards is now happening with floor hosts, facilities management, and broader office support functions. What seemed unimaginable only a few years ago—outsourcing traditionally hands-on, client-facing roles like floor hosts—is fast becoming a reality. Forward-thinking organisations that embrace this trend are not only getting ahead of the curve but are also positioning themselves for future growth in an increasingly complex and hybrid work environment.

Increasingly Complex Workplaces: New Challenges, New Solutions
Today's workplaces look very different from a decade ago. Remote and hybrid work models have created new logistical challenges: employees work across different time zones, at varied hours, and often away from traditional office spaces. Navigating this complexity requires smart solutions that provide the same level of support—if not better—than the traditional in-person setup.

In the past, on-site teams such as IT support would be available to support employees, or floor hosts would be readily available to welcome and assist clients in person. Today, access to these roles need to evolve. Firms are beginning to realize the value in offering virtual solutions as a managed service that provide real-time assistance—whether it's answering questions, navigating office logistics, or ensuring clients have everything they need during their visit.
A virtual support solution also means that organisations can offer assistance 24/7, accommodating the global nature of today's workforce. Whether a team member is working late in London, or a client in New York requires help, virtual services ensure seamless, round-the-clock support without geographic limitations.

The Future: Virtual Managed Services
The future of virtual business services lies in merging traditional on-site roles with cutting-edge technology to create integrated, comprehensive solutions. One such innovation is connecting a managed service approach that can combine workplace helplines with virtual floor host services.
Imagine a quiet Friday morning, where an overseas employee walks into one of your buildings, early for a meeting. There may be no physical floor host to greet them, but with a virtual service in place, they can still receive real-time support, directing them to their meeting space. Once there, access to virtual support will help them connect with their AV set up, ready for a productive session. A virtual floor host can manage everything from greeting visitors to assisting with room bookings or AV setup—ensuring the level of service remains high, regardless of the time or location.

In the meantime, virtual systems are a strategic route to empowering and enabling front of house staff to move away from their desks and engage in more high value face-to-face interactions, fostering collaboration while ensuring business operations continue smoothly in the background. This is particularly important for legal and professional services firms, where the value of client engagement and white glove service cannot be underestimated.
By integrating managed services that combine workplace helplines with virtual floor hosts, businesses can create a streamlined, responsive support system that operates around the clock, delivering a consistent and reliable experience for both employees and clients.

Case Study: A Forward-Thinking Approach to Virtual Support
One client leading the charge in this transformation is a prominent legal firm with offices in The City and Europe. This organisation faced the challenge of maintaining high levels of support for both employees working in hybrid ways, and clients as they moved around and between office spaces during visits.
Their solution? A hybrid model that utilises a team of on-site floor hosts, strategically placed to provide high touch point, real-time assistance at any point during a visit. On site hosts are complimented with a highly personalised, tech-enabled virtual managed service, available around the clock to manage a variety of tasks, from offering directions and handling last-minute room bookings, to connecting employees with late night IT support. Clients experience a seamless journey from the moment they step through the door, and employees feel supported regardless of the time of day.

By adopting this future thinking mindset, they have been able to provide consistent, high-quality service while also reducing the need for on-site staff to be tied to their desks. Instead, the firm's employees are now free to focus on higher-value tasks, leading to better outcomes for both the business and its clients.

Why Now is the Time to Get Ahead
We have moved beyond the reactive, sticking plaster approach that allowed organisations to make it through the changes post-pandemic, with 62% of CEOs citing growth as their strategic priority for 2025.
As the workplace continues to evolve, the businesses that embrace virtual solutions early will be the ones to thrive and achieve that growth. What once seemed unthinkable—outsourcing critical, client-facing roles—is now an opportunity for firms to modernise their operations, improve efficiency, and elevate client experiences.

For facilities managers, managing partners, and workplace transformation leads in legal, financial, and professional services firms, now is the time to explore how virtual business services can drive future growth. The shift towards a global, remote workforce is not going away, and those who adapt will be well-positioned to lead in the years to come.

By integrating virtual floor hosts, workplace helplines, and other advanced managed service functions, firms can unlock new potential, offering more flexible and responsive services to both employees and clients alike. For forward-thinking firms, the question is not if but when they will adopt these new technologies and approaches to stay competitive in an increasingly global and complex work environment
The future of virtual business services is here, and it’s time to get ahead of the curve.

If you’re ready to hear more about our work in this space with clients, using our ‘Centralise, Optimise and Virtualise’ approach, get in touch at wearehere@comxo.com.

The Changing Workplace Landscape

Written by

Amanda

27th September, 2024

Company Culture
Productivity
The Office
Workplace Transformation

Navigating ‘Return To Office’ Real Estate, Facilities, and Employee Well-being

As businesses adapt to the post-pandemic world, the workplace has been transformed. Companies are navigating unprecedented shifts in how and where people work, with real estate, facilities management, and employee well-being taking centre stage. In this article, we take insights from a recent Executive Lunch where we spoke to global workplace leaders, and explored how these changes are impacting organisations, and why flexibility, empathy, and strategic foresight are critical to success.

Flexibility and Behavioural Shifts: A New Era of Office Dynamics
The return to the office isn’t simply about getting people back to their desks. It's about acknowledging the behavioural changes that have emerged from the pandemic. Employees expect flexibility in office spaces, working hours, and company policies. As a result, organisations are rethinking traditional office layouts to create environments that foster collaboration and accommodate a diverse workforce.

Key workplace considerations include:

Flexible office layouts: Companies are creating spaces designed for collaboration, rather than desk and traditional working spaces.
Generational needs: Different generations have varying expectations and requirements of the workplace, and businesses are balancing these differences to improve engagement both in the office and away from it.
Neurodiversity: Office designs are increasingly being tailored to meet the needs of neurodivergent employees, ensuring inclusivity.

A Programme, Project, and Change Manager from a global professional services firm summarised the shift:
"The one key thing to recognise when looking at returning to the office is behaviour change. And we must equip leaders to manage this with empathy and a human approach."

Empathy in Leadership: Managing Hybrid Teams
Leading with empathy has never been more important. As hybrid work becomes the norm, leaders are adopting human-centred approaches, focusing on trust and collaboration. This shift is not just about managing workflows but fostering deeper workplace connections.
By putting empathy at the heart of leadership, companies can ensure that both in-office and remote teams feel valued and connected, bridging the gap between physical and virtual workspaces.

Data-Driven Space Management: Optimising Real Estate
While occupancy levels may have returned to pre-Covid norms, optimising office real estate remains a challenge. The way we use these spaces has fundamentally changed. Companies are increasingly leveraging technology and data to monitor space usage and track attendance. This data-driven approach helps organisations redesign their offices to better support hybrid work models, while also addressing critical issues like data security.

A Global Projects Director at a leading law firm highlights the importance of this approach:
"Including the entire security team to review physical and data security is new territory, and now essential in terms of office planning."

Sustainability and Future-Proofing the Workplace
Sustainability is now a central pillar of workplace strategy. As companies redesign their office spaces, there is a strong focus on reducing carbon footprints and preparing for future trends like artificial intelligence and advanced employee well-being initiatives.

The long-term success of any workplace strategy will depend on how adaptable it is to changing employee needs, emerging technologies, and environmental concerns.

Luis DeSouza, CEO of NFS Technology warns:
"If you develop a workplace strategy around business metrics without taking into account how people’s lives have changed, you will be setting yourselves up to fail."

Insights from Industry Leaders
At our recent Executive Lunch, global transformation and operational leads came together to discuss the evolving workplace landscape. One of the key insights shared was the realisation that while the perception may be that offices aren’t as full as they were pre-pandemic, occupancy statistics tell a different story.

"The perception is that at some point we will get back to pre-pandemic attendance in the office. It feels like there is a way to go, but in reality, we are already there when we look at occupancy stats. What has changed is that we are all working in an entirely different way."
Andrew Try, CEO of ComXo

As companies continue to navigate a ‘return to the office’ with the learnings from the post-pandemic shifts, they must embrace flexibility, lead with empathy, and leverage data to make informed decisions about their office environments. By focusing on sustainability and employee well-being, businesses can create workplaces that not only meet the needs of today but are also ready for the future.

The workplace is no longer just a place to work; it is an ecosystem that reflects the evolving needs of employees, technology, and the world around us. Companies that succeed in this new landscape will be those that prioritise adaptability, inclusivity, make data-informed decisions, and above all have a human-centric approach.

If you’re interested to hear how we support some of the largest global organisations with their workplace transformations, get in touch.