Digitalisation: the cultural change is already under way

Ricardo Nebot, before the coronavirus we were set up to have around 30 people working from home offices. Now it’s over 650. What did that mean for IT? 
It was a challenge, technically. Our office network is designed in such a way that we work predominantly on site. We had to switch our network to working off site in a very short space of time, while ensuring that performance and security were maintained. Many employees have worked from home for the first time.


Can we learn something for the future from the experiences gained? 
The future will definitely look different. Working from home worked well on a technical level. Now, nothing stands in the way of working from home on a regular basis. At Emmi, the cultural change is already under way.


What do you mean by cultural change? 
Whereas in the past, quick and direct contact with one another was one of our key factors for success, going forward we will have to adjust to indirect communication. While before it was enough simply to walk into a room to meet colleagues and discuss an issue, now this has to be done from a distance. 
 

The coronavirus crisis is accelerating digitalisation, they say. Is that also the case at Emmi? 
Absolutely. Many people have now experienced how we can also work effectively from home offices. Technical solutions for these new requirements already exist, and we are rolling them out piece by piece. Our goal is for the entire Emmi Group to be able to work together worldwide on a common platform in the next two to three years. 


Will we only exchange information virtually in the future? 
I don't believe so. Digitalisation can improve many things, but direct contact is irreplaceable.