NRK's Digital Transformation: Switching from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace with Devoteam

Norwegian public broadcaster NRK is embarking on a transformative journey, selecting Devoteam—a major European IT consultancy—to oversee its complete shift from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace by the end of 2025. Affecting approximately 3,500 employees, this decision will reverberate well beyond IT departments, signaling a bold organizational pivot aimed at future-proofing operations, leveraging artificial intelligence, and carrying out NRK’s essential public mission in a digital-first era.

Understanding the Rationale: “Why Switch from Microsoft 365?”​

For years, Microsoft 365 has been an enterprise staple, providing robust tools for productivity, communication, and collaboration. NRK’s move to Google Workspace, therefore, is not merely a case of swapping one productivity suite for another. It is about aligning digital infrastructure with evolving strategic priorities: agility, AI advancement, operational resilience, and greater flexibility amid rapid shifts in media consumption and content creation.
According to Devoteam’s public announcements and sector commentary, NRK’s primary goal is to build a “future-ready, AI-powered platform that enhances collaboration, simplifies workflows, and supports its public mission.” Such phrasing isn’t industry boilerplate; it gets to the heart of three powerful trends:

• AI/ML Integration: Google Workspace has integrated generative AI tools across Docs, Gmail, Sheets, and more, from Google Duet AI to newly introduced Gemini features. These can automate content creation, summarize meetings, and provide advanced data insights.
• Collaboration at Scale: The suite provides real-time collaboration—multiple users editing documents, spreadsheets, and presentations at once—which is seen as more seamless in Google’s ecosystem than in Microsoft’s.
• Cloud-Native Flexibility: Google Workspace is architected from day one for cloud environments. While Microsoft has matched this in recent years, Google’s interface and workflow remain “cloud-first,” which appeals to organizations seeking device-agnostic, always-available access.

Recent interviews and sector analyses confirm that Google’s advances in AI productivity tools have become a magnet for progressive organizations, especially those prioritizing creative teamwork and rapid content turnaround.

Project Scope and Impact: What Will Change at NRK?​

This migration isn’t simply about switching email providers. NRK’s announcement clarifies the transition will affect the entire digital office suite: Email (from Outlook to Gmail), documents (from Word to Google Docs), spreadsheets (from Excel to Google Sheets), presentations (from PowerPoint to Google Slides), calendars, cloud storage, and—critically—internal collaboration environments (Teams to Google Chat/Meet).

Key Areas of Transformation​

• Email: All users move from Outlook/Exchange to Gmail.
• Documents & Productivity Files: Transition from Word, Excel, PowerPoint to Google’s respective applications.
• Collaboration Tools: Microsoft Teams is replaced by Google Chat and Meet.
• Storage: OneDrive/SharePoint is replaced by Google Drive.
• AI-powered Features: Automatic minute-taking, document summaries, smart suggestions, integrated search, and more through Google’s AI layer.

This migration will require extensive training, data migration, security auditing, and change management. According to industry surveys, moving large organizations to Google Workspace involves:

• Transferring petabytes of legacy email and document data.
• Setting up coexistence or staged migration (running both systems temporarily).
• Custom scripting for integration with legacy workflows and external partners.
• Ensuring compliance with stringent European data protection regulations, especially critical for a public broadcaster.

The Strategic Role of Devoteam​

Devoteam’s appointment is a pivotal element in this migration, as the firm brings deep experience managing complex digital transformations and cloud projects for large European organizations. Previous high-profile migrations led by Devoteam have emphasized not just technical execution, but also user adoption and cultural transformation. Their methodology typically involves:

• Initial Audit and Stakeholder Mapping: Understanding system integrations, regulatory obligations, unique workflows.
• Comprehensive Change Management: Workshops, champions program, iterative feedback.
• Strong Emphasis on Security: Joint testing with Google and NRK, ensuring authentication, encryption, and compliance.
• AI Readiness Frameworks: Setting up the groundwork for responsible AI use, from content moderation to automation.

Their experience in the public sector and with sensitive data environments places them in an ideal position to guide NRK through this transition.

Benefits: Towards a More Efficient, Agile, and AI-Enhanced NRK​

1. Future-Proof Collaboration​

Google Workspace is designed for cross-departmental, real-time collaboration, from editorial teams co-writing scripts to producers scheduling resources. Its web-centric interface reduces the learning curve for new digital-native employees and external partners.

2. Built-In Generative AI​

Google has rapidly expanded GenAI features in Workspace. Tools such as Help Me Write in Docs, automatic slide creation in Google Slides, and smart fill in Sheets directly enhance productivity and reduce repetitive work. NRK staff will be able to summarize large research documents, auto-draft emails, and collaborate with AI copilots—capabilities still emerging in Microsoft 365’s equivalent Copilot services.
However, it’s worth noting that the effectiveness of these tools, particularly in Norwegian (the organization’s main language), depends on continuous improvements to Google’s multilingual AI models. Early reports from comparable Nordic deployments suggest ongoing progress, but some users still experience rough edges in non-English content generation.

3. Device and Location Independence​

As media increasingly moves towards on-location and remote production, Workspace’s emphasis on browser- and mobile-based workflows aligns with NRK’s mobility needs. Journalists, editors, and producers will benefit from untethered access to their assets and communications.

4. Streamlined IT Overhead​

A unified cloud platform typically results in lower total cost of ownership (TCO) for IT. Google Workspace’s automated updates and integrated management dashboards can automate many admin tasks, freeing NRK’s IT team to focus on strategic initiatives rather than patching, updates, or license wrangling.

5. Enhanced Regulatory Compliance​

Public sector organizations in Europe face some of the world’s strictest privacy and security regulations. Google has actively invested in compliance, offering local data residency options and robust tools for monitoring, audit trails, and secure collaboration. Devoteam’s partnership suggests NRK is taking compliance seriously from day one.

Risks, Challenges, and Cautionary Notes​

No major IT migration is without risk—especially one this expansive and high-visibility.

1. Data Migration Complexity​

Moving 3,500 users, with a decades-old archive spanning millions of documents, is technically challenging. Past migrations in the public sector have hit bottlenecks around:

• Legacy file formats and macros (particularly from Excel and Access).
• Embedded permissions and access controls.
• Email metadata and historical legal compliance records.

Devoteam and NRK will need to conduct rigorous testing before “switch over” to guarantee data integrity and business continuity.

2. User Resistance and Cultural Change​

NRK’s workforce includes journalists, engineers, producers, administrators, and support staff—each with different digital workflows. The shift from entrenched Microsoft tools to Google’s suite will generate resistance among some users, particularly those with advanced Office-based workflows or custom add-ins.
Key to success here will be user education, demonstration of new AI features, and supporting “champions” across departments.

3. Integration With Broadcasting Systems​

NRK relies on a constellation of proprietary broadcast, news, and archiving systems. Integrations—such as automated content ingest, scheduling, and media asset management—are often tightly coupled with Microsoft’s ecosystem. Moving to Google Workspace will necessitate fresh APIs, middleware, and potentially reengineering home-grown solutions. Not all features may map directly, requiring functional workarounds or third-party solutions.

4. AI Adoption: Oversight and Bias Risks​

While AI features promise efficiency, public sector organizations must exercise caution around algorithmic bias, inadvertent data leaks, and explainability. For a broadcaster tasked with editorial impartiality, these issues are particularly sensitive. Ensuring human oversight, transparent policies, and ongoing review will be necessary for all AI-powered productivity tools.

5. Ongoing Compliance and Sovereignty​

European regulators continue to scrutinize the cloud storage and processing of public sector data, particularly in light of transatlantic data transfers (the Schrems II ruling and beyond). NRK, through Devoteam, must ensure storage solutions comply with Norwegian and EU laws, including explicit assurances on data residency, encryption, and robust breach notification protocols.

Comparing Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace: Who Wins What?​

For readers deciding which suite might be best for their organization, NRK’s move offers a chance to review the relative strengths of each solution:

Feature/Aspect	Microsoft 365	Google Workspace
AI Features	Copilot roll-out (2024), varies by license level	Duet AI, Gemini, built-in for all users
Real-time Collaboration	Improved, but sometimes legacy compatibility lags	Natively strong, web-first, seamless
Offline Editing	Strong desktop apps, full offline mode	Offline via browser, mobile apps, less mature
Security/Compliance Tools	Mature; trusted in enterprise, extensive controls	Strong and rapidly improving; robust for public orgs
Advanced Excel Features	Industry standard (macros, pivot tables, VBA)	Limited macro support
Third-party Integrations	Extensive, especially for enterprise/back-office	Growing, especially SaaS/cloud startups
Local Language AI Support	Rolling out, English preferred, improving for others	Fast improving, but English-optimized
Licensing Complexity	Multi-tiered, sometimes confusing	Generally simpler, all features in one tier
Training/Change Management	Well-understood, but change resistance if switching	Significant when moving from Microsoft

For NRK, the AI-centric vision and collaborative nature of Google Workspace aligned closely with their future needs. For other organizations, especially those with heavy legacy Excel use or embedded Microsoft integrations, such a transition might come with much stiffer trade-offs.

Lessons From Sector Peers​

NRK is not alone in such a migration. Public broadcasters (and media companies) in Europe have shown growing interest in Google Workspace. Finland’s national broadcaster Yle, for example, previously adopted Workspace to improve mobility and remote collaboration. Initial results generally show faster onboarding for new staff, better mobile access, and reduced IT support load—but underscore the need for sustained change management and custom integration support.

What Comes Next? The Road to 2025​

The public announcement of Devoteam’s involvement is just the first step in a multi-phased rollout. Likely stages will include:

• Pilot Migrations: Testing with select teams to iron out process problems.
• Data Archival Digitization: Cleaning and preparing legacy systems for cloud migration.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Departmental champions, feedback sessions, and user support forums.
• Parallel Operations (“Coexistence Mode”): Ensuring critical workflows continue during migration windows.
• Final Switchover: All users and services moved, decommissioning of legacy environments.

Frequent communication with users will be paramount throughout this journey. Regular town halls, video walkthroughs, knowledge bases, and direct support desks can mitigate disruption.

Conclusion: Redefining Digital Public Service​

By choosing Google Workspace and entrusting Devoteam with its digital office transformation, NRK aims to set a new standard for public broadcasters in the Nordics—and perhaps across Europe. The benefits of this ambitious shift are clear: enhanced collaboration, streamlined workflows, lower IT overhead, and the promise of AI-powered productivity. Yet, the journey will require careful attention to user needs, data sovereignty, and the evolving compliance landscape.
As generative AI and cloud-native collaboration reshape media production and organizational workflows, NRK’s migration may become a bellwether for public service digital infrastructure in the years ahead. Stakeholders and peers across sectors will be watching closely—ready to learn both from NRK’s successes and any growing pains along the way.
For organizations evaluating their own digital futures, the essential question is not simply about choosing tools. It is about forging a strategic identity in a world where communication, creativity, and compliance are inextricably intertwined with cloud technology, AI, and the relentless pace of digital change. NRK’s next chapter may prove to be a case study in meeting that challenge head-on.

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Source: Telecompaper Telecompaper