You’ve invested significantly in migrating to the cloud – Google Cloud or Google Workspace. You’ve built powerful platforms, deployed cutting-edge AI tools like Gemini, and rightfully expect transformation. But are you seeing the user adoption rates, the efficiency gains, the true ROI you anticipated from your technology investment? Too often, the answer is “not yet.” Why? Many organizations fall into the “Field of Dreams” trap: build the amazing technology, and assume users will naturally flock to it. The reality of cloud adoption, however, is far more complex. Even the most technically brilliant solutions can falter if the people who need to use them aren’t prepared, enabled, and supported through the transition. Overlooking this human element is a primary reason why many digital transformation efforts underperform. Companies like TrueCar, a digital automotive marketplace, and Pinnacol Assurance, a leading workers’ compensation provider, understood that simply implementing new technology wasn’t enough. Their successful transitions, in partnership with SADA, An Insight company, highlight the critical role of a people-centric approach.
The human element: the overlooked key to cloud adoption success
We hear it often, especially regarding technical Google Cloud projects: “These are engineers; they get it. They don’t need change management.” This is a critical misconception.
Engineers, like all humans, experience resistance to change. They might be:
- Experts in current tools: Comfortable and proficient, they may not see the immediate need to learn something new.
- Hesitant about retraining: Becoming an expert takes time and effort they may prefer to spend on core tasks.
- Simply busy: Learning new systems takes time away from already demanding workloads.
Think about past technology deployments in your organization. When things didn’t deliver expected results, was the technology itself usually the core problem? Or was it a lack of user adoption, confusion about how to use the new tools, or a failure to achieve the expected business outcomes—perhaps because the solution delivered addressed a perceived want rather than a fundamental need?
Uncovering those critical, underlying needs and distinguishing them from surface-level requests hinges on deep engagement with users and stakeholders before the solution is built, not after assumptions have been codified into the technology. More often than not, the challenges are human-centric, underscoring the need for effective change management that champions this early and continuous user-centric discovery. For Turner Industries, the initial move to Google Workspace required overcoming resistance to change within a company with long-established processes. Their partnership with SADA focused heavily on addressing these human factors.
Beyond the build: 5 actions for successful cloud adoption
Debunking the “build it and they will come” myth requires shifting focus. Instead of just deploying technology, successful cloud adoption demands a people-centric approach from the start. Here’s what you can do next:
1. Acknowledge and address the human element actively
- The insight: Resistance isn’t defiance; it’s human. Assuming even highly technical teams will automatically adapt ignores the comfort of expertise and the effort required to learn new ways of working. Ignoring this leads directly to poor user adoption.
- Actionable tip: Engage early and often.
Before finalizing deployment plans, talk to the stakeholders and users. Understand their current workflows, listen to their concerns about the Google Cloud or Workspace transition, and identify potential barriers. Don’t assume—ask. When TrueCar decided to move to Google Workspace, they proactively engaged with the executive leadership team to audit their needs and understand the challenges their existing infrastructure posed. This early assessment laid the groundwork for a smoother transition by acknowledging potential pain points.
2. Integrate change management from day one
- The insight: Change management isn’t a cleanup crew for when adoption falters; it’s essential infrastructure for success, just like project management. Waiting until problems arise is too late and increases risk.
Actionable tip: Embed change management in your plan.
Include change management activities (communication, training, support planning) in your initial Google Cloud or Workspace project scope, timeline, and budget. Treat it as a core workstream, not an optional add-on. Pinnacol Assurance recognized the importance of this early integration by partnering with SADA, not just for the technical implementation of Google Workspace, but also for strategic change management. This partnership ensured a phased rollout and dedicated support for their 650 employees from the beginning. Similarly, Turner Industries relied on SADA to provide a “clearly defined plan for change management” as a core component of their migration.
3. Communicate purposefully, persistently, and personally
- The insight: Simply announcing a change isn’t enough. Users need to understand the “why” behind the cloud adoption, and crucially, “what’s in it for them.” Generic corporate messaging often fails to resonate or build buy-in.
- Actionable tip: Develop a targeted comms plan.
Craft clear messages explaining the benefits for specific user groups. Use multiple channels (email, team meetings, champions, leadership updates) and ensure leaders are visibly communicating their support. Answer the ‘why’ consistently.
4. Equip users for new ways of working (not just features)
- The insight: Training often focuses on what buttons to click, not how the new Google Cloud tools or Google Workspace features change daily workflows and enable better outcomes. Lack of proficiency hinders user adoption and ROI.
- Actionable tip: Focus training on workflows.
Plan role-specific training that demonstrates how to accomplish tasks and achieve goals using the new technology within redesigned processes. Supplement formal training with ongoing support like knowledge bases, office hours, and internal champions. One of the key aspects of TrueCar’s successful migration was SADA’s focus on replicating familiar workflows and even enhancing them. The ability to customize the UI to user preferences helped bridge the gap for those accustomed to other email and calendar tools. The story of Turner Industries’ frontline workers spontaneously using Google Sheets to track the status of active work sites during a major hurricane on the Gulf Coast demonstrates how understanding the new tools empowered them to find better ways of working.
5. Foster leadership alignment and create feedback loops
- The insight: Visible executive sponsorship is critical for signaling the importance of the change. Equally important is listening to users during and after the transition to adapt the approach and address unforeseen challenges.
- Actionable tip: Secure sponsors and listen actively.
Ensure executive leaders are actively and visibly championing the cloud adoption. Simultaneously, establish clear channels for users to provide feedback (surveys, team meetings, dedicated channels) and demonstrate that this feedback is heard and acted upon. Both Pinnacol Assurance and Turner Industries benefited from strong leadership support. At Pinnacol, the CEO’s visible support for AI was crucial for the Gemini rollout. Turner Industries’ CEO also actively championed the move to Google Workspace. Pinnacol Assurance’s use of weekly surveys during their Gemini pilot to gather feedback exemplifies the importance of creating feedback loops to adapt their approach
The bottom line: Change management drives project success and ROI
Overlooking the human side of cloud adoption invites risk and jeopardizes the return on your significant technology investment. Studies consistently show a strong correlation between effective change management and project success. Projects incorporating robust change management are significantly more likely to meet objectives, stay on schedule, and deliver the expected ROI. The experiences of TrueCar, which saw increased security and a more agile environment, and Turner Industries, which reclaimed 17,000 hours in employee productivity, are testaments to this.
Research from Prosci indicates projects with excellent change management are up to six times more likely to meet objectives than those with poor change management.
Stop leaving value on the table
Don’t let your Google Cloud or Google Workspace investment underperform due to the debunked myth of automatic adoption. Integrating change management from the outset isn’t an added cost; it’s a strategic investment in realizing the full potential of your technology and empowering your people for success.Ready to ensure your cloud adoption initiatives deliver maximum impact? Learn how a human-centric change management approach can unlock the full value of your Google Cloud investment.
