Replacing workplace software is one thing. Changing the way people work is quite another. For SME Bank, the move from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace was far more than a technology upgrade.
It reflected a broader ambition to encourage a more collaborative way of working, simplify everyday tasks, reduce the cost of maintaining the workplace environment, and give employees access to a broader range of AI capabilities – all while preserving the governance and security expected in financial services.
SME Bank had already worked alongside TeraSky Europe on Google Cloud projects and cloud migration initiatives, giving both teams a solid understanding of each other’s way of working. When discussions turned to the company’s digital workplace, the conversation focused less on software and more on where the organisation wanted to be in the years ahead.
As Tomas Smalakys, Chief Information Officer at SME Bank, puts it: “Migrating from Office 365 to Google Workspace represents a fundamental shift to a contemporary and innovative AI-first ecosystem that empowers us to accelerate decision-making and innovation while maintaining the strict, non-negotiable regulatory compliance required in the financial industry.”
That ambition extended well beyond introducing a new productivity platform. Across the organisation, the project came to symbolise a cultural shift. The intention was to create a more collaborative working environment, make everyday work simpler and more intuitive, reduce operational overheads, and allow employees to explore Google’s expanding portfolio of AI capabilities within the applications they already used throughout the day.
The SME Bank’s entire Microsoft 365 environment – Exchange Online, SharePoint and OneDrive – was moved to Google Workspace as a single coordinated project, covering email, calendars, contacts and years of accumulated collaboration content.
Because SharePoint and Google Shared Drives organise information differently, documents, folder structures and permissions were carefully mapped before the move. For employees, everything needed to feel familiar from day one, with the same files, access rights and level of protection.
The work also included moving device management from Microsoft Intune to Google Workspace Endpoint Management, alongside the introduction of two-step verification, Context-Aware Access and Data Loss Prevention.
One priority remained constant throughout the migration: keeping everyday work running without disruption. “Every step of the migration was planned to keep day-to-day work running as usual. People could continue working without major interruptions while the move was taking place,” says SME Bank CIO T. Smalakys.
Supporting employees through the change formed part of the implementation from the very beginning, recognising that a successful workplace depends as much on confidence as on technology.
Training sessions focused on practical everyday work, helping teams understand the differences between Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace and adapt familiar processes, including spreadsheet-based workflows, to the new environment.
“Our goal was simple: people should feel comfortable using the new tools from the very beginning. Once that confidence was there, the benefits of the platform followed naturally,” says T. Smalakys.
For SME Bank, the visible outcome was a new digital workplace. Behind the scenes, TeraSky Europe’s specialists remained involved throughout every stage of this transition – from solution design and security planning to migration, user adoption and post-launch support.
Projects of this kind reflect a wider shift in how organisations approach workplace technology. According to Giedrė Kirejeva, Head of Sales at TeraSky Europe, conversations that once centred on infrastructure have become noticeably broader. “What we see is a growing interest in creating workplaces where AI becomes part of everyday work. Organisations are looking for technology that helps people prepare documents, analyse information, collaborate more effectively and make better-informed decisions as part of their normal routine,” says Giedrė.
Financial services add another dimension to those conversations. Banks and fintech companies are expected to move quickly whilst maintaining high standards of governance, security and regulatory compliance. That balance shapes almost every technology decision.
“Innovation and compliance are often presented as competing priorities, but that has not been our experience. When the foundations are designed carefully, organisations can introduce new AI capabilities whilst strengthening governance, security and control over their data,” Giedrė points out.
In her view, every provider brings different strengths, and the right choice depends on the organisation itself – its operating model, existing technology landscape and long-term ambitions.
“Technology should never dictate business strategy. It should support it. The most successful projects begin with a clear understanding of where the organisation wants to go, and only then do they consider which platform provides the strongest foundation for getting there,” Giedrė explains.
Today, more than 110 employees across SME Bank use Google Workspace, with Gemini available across the applications they use every day.
The move has quietly settled into everyday business. Teams collaborate differently, information flows more freely across the organisation, and AI has found its place alongside the tools employees open each morning.
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