Southwark Council

When Southwark Council set out on their digital transformation journey, it wasn't just about introducing new technology – it was about giving people the confidence, skills and support to work differently. 

Under the “A well-run council” pillar of their digital strategy, Southwark committed to developing training and resources that promote digital literacy and professional growth for every member of staff across the organisation. Their ambition went beyond building skills: the council wanted to create a culture where people felt confident embracing new ways of working.

Our partnership with Southwark Council has brought that vision to life through a series of connected initiatives, from OneDrive and Windows 11 adoption to digital maturity, Microsoft Copilot and an organisation-wide network of Copilot Champions. 

Building the foundations

Our work began by supporting thousands of users moving to OneDrive.

Our Learning Discovery identified uncertainty around when to use OneDrive, Teams, or SharePoint, as well as opportunities to strengthen people’s understanding of features such as Version History, sharing links, and external file sharing. We developed and delivered a tailored learning plan, including webinars and coaching sessions, to address these barriers and help employees build confidence in using their digital tools.  

Building on this work, we carried out a Digital Maturity Assessment to understand how Southwark employees were working, identify strengths and capability gaps, and help inform future decisions about technology and learning needs.  

The assessment found that more than 50% of employees were confident exploring new tools and systems independently, whilst 40% preferred more structured support. Digital meeting tools demonstrated high maturity, while information management, task management and creating content presented opportunities for improvement.  

“I really value our partnership with Hable. Their expertise has helped us build confidence and digital capability across the organisation. From OneDrive training to our Digital Maturity Assessment, we’ve seen real benefits for staff in their day-to-day work. As we move into Windows 11 training and Copilot profiling, I’ve been consistently impressed by the team at Hable and the impact they’ve made.” 

- Isaac Kong, Head of Technology Programmes, Southwark Council 

Supporting technology adoption

As Southwark equipped thousands of employees with new Windows 11 devices, the council recognised that providing the technology was only one part of successful adoption.

Hable delivered tailored Windows 11 onboarding sessions to support this device rollout, and hands-on support to help employees become comfortable with the operating system and make better use of its features.

That same people-first principle has continued as Southwark has explored the opportunities presented by Microsoft Copilot.  

Turning Copilot adoption into lasting change

As Copilot became part of Southwark's evolving digital workplace, the focus shifted from simply introducing AI to helping people use it confidently and effectively.

Our work initially helped Southwark understand where Copilot could create the greatest value, including developing Copilot personas and identifying relevant use cases.

Most recently, Hable worked with the council to scale and strengthen its Copilot Champions network, creating a community capable of supporting colleagues, sharing practical examples of Copilot value and sustaining adoption beyond formal training.

The programme combined webinars and workshops with workplace coaching and targeted drop-in sessions. Champions explored topics including change principles, supporting colleagues with Copilot, prompting, Copilot features and identifying incremental improvements in everyday work. Communications were also refined to support engagement with both existing and new Champions.

The results demonstrated a significant shift in confidence:

•  4.8/5 average feedback rating

•  Confidence rose from 34% before the programme to 82% afterwards 

The impact wasn't just reflected in the numbers. Feedback from Southwark highlighted both the quality of the programme and the experience created for its people:

“You can always rely on Hable to deliver what was agreed. I am really happy to see they have taken onboard our feedback and this SOW was delivered with excellence. The communications were spot on, including the comms pack and scheduling.” 

- Southwark Council 

A partnership built around people  

From OneDrive and Windows 11 to digital maturity, Copilot adoption and AI leadership, the technology may have changed, but the principle behind the work hasn't.

Successful digital transformation happens when people have the confidence, capability and support to embrace change.

By building on each stage rather than treating individual technologies as isolated rollouts, Southwark has been able to develop a more sustainable approach to digital adoption, with internal Champions increasingly equipped to support colleagues and continue that change from within.

And our work together continues. In November 2026, Hable joined Southwark for the launch of its Digital Together Month, an initiative spanning five themes: Data & AI, Change & Innovation, Connected Communities, Future Ways of Working, and Skills Collaboration. The launch brought digital transformation into the heart of the organisation, creating opportunities for colleagues and senior leaders to explore how emerging technology and new ways of working can support Southwark's priorities. The Hable team will deliver planned sessions around Leading in the Age of AI, focusing on what AI means for leaders, demonstrating value and ROI, and addressing the ‘people’ considerations of AI adoption.

“All Hable staff are very friendly and easy to speak to. Trainers were bubbly which put staff at ease and encouraged them to participate during training. We have a clear plan for how to address the organisation's needs, that is evidence based and tailored to us.” 

- Southwark Council