Tag: information technology

Sydney, Australia – Google is giving recognition to IT professionals who  have  kept “the world working” through a new global campaign, created together with  customer experience agency, Apparent.

Google Chrome Enterprise in particular, has given recognition to IT professionals to put the spotlight on IT professionals’ stories by showcasing how they kept the world connected, learning and working  through their initiatives in allowing organisations to work remotely, connecting families with loved ones and giving students access to virtual classrooms, and so much more when the pandemic swept the globe. 

The ‘Leaptakers’ video campaign features testimonies of those who were affected by the pandemic and how humankind have taken great leaps throughout history. Now, the IT pros, whose endeavours and innovation often remain invisible, are being recognised for the rightful credit they deserve.

‘Leaptakers’ global campaign by Apparent

New York-based director Christian Padron and production company Scheme Engine were engaged to capture these inspirational stories, which were then turned into films and written articles.Michelle Turchini, executive creative director at Apparent , commented, “As the pandemic hit and the world scrambled to different ways of working, learning and connecting with loved ones, it was IT professionals who overcame some of the most difficult challenges to enable ongoing communication seamlessly and at scale. 

“The Leaptakers stories are just a small celebration of the challenges they faced, the solutions they built and the impact they’ve had on the lives of people across the globe, recognising the vital and ongoing contribution they made and continue to make every day,” Turchini added.  

Apparent, which has worked with Google since 2012, embarked on a global search, engaging the IT community, harnessing partners and internal audiences and enlisted advocates through social media to get their personal stories of how they kept the world working during the pandemic. 

Five were chosen among thousands of potential unique stories, including Life Lines in the United Kingdom, a project to provide virtual visits between critically ill patients and their loved ones during the pandemic, facilitating more than a million minutes of calls from 180 UK hospitals to loved ones around the world. Meanwhile, in the US, Achievement First helped children thrive when schools closed their doors, delivering 2,800 education professionals and 15,000 children across three states with access to technology.  Product Marketing Lead from Google Chrome Enterprise, Steve Ervin,  added, “During a time of incredible disruption, the IT Leaptakers stepped up to ensure the world was connected and kept working. Often going unnoticed, this campaign recognises the importance and significance of these professionals and their notable achievements.”

Apparent further extended the campaign, through social media amplification, with a way to find and celebrate the Leaptakers by sending a customised thank you to IT teams, so not only would they feel more visible, but more appreciated, too.

Hong Kong – Due to the prolonged economic impacts brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, the confidence rate among small and medium businesses (SMBs) is at an all-time low, according to a new survey from professional accounting body CPA Australia.

Only 16% of surveyed Hong Kong small businesses reported growth last year, and only 21% expect their business to grow this year. Furthermore, the survey also stated that the weak outlook is reflected in the cautious approach of Hong Kong small businesses’ increasing their headcounts. Only 12% of respondents expect to increase staff in 2021, compared to the APAC survey average of 36%.

In addition, Hong Kong small businesses are also less inclined to innovate, with only 8.5% of respondents stating they will introduce new products or services in 2021, compared to the average of 23% in the APAC.

“For two consecutive years, expectations of business growth among Hong Kong small businesses have been the lowest of the surveyed markets. 53% of respondents identified COVID-19 as having had a major negative impact on their business operations in 2020, and 65% of them expect to need one year or more to recover,” said Janssen Chan, 2021 divisional president for Greater China at CPA Australia.

When asked what major actions businesses took in response to COVID-19, small businesses in Hong Kong were most likely to have sought government support and subsidies (33%), reduced capital expenditure (32%), and reduced staff numbers and costs (22%).

The response is also reported in other findings that beginning or increasing the focus on online sales was one of the key actions taken by small businesses in many of the markets surveyed.

“The relief measures announced by the SAR Government supported small businesses to combat the worst of the pandemic. According to the survey, 44% of the respondents sought external funds for business survival. Using government grants as the main source of external finance jumped from 9% in 2019 to a record high of 33% last year,” Chan added.

Chan also noted that the government’s initiative to issue electronic consumption vouchers, as announced in the Hong Kong Budget, is one great opportunity for SMBs in taking advantage of e-commerce and digital payment options. He also recommended reopening applications to the Distance Business Programme to continue driving digitalization and technology adoption of small businesses.

The Distance Business Programme is an initiative by the Hong Kong government to support enterprises in adopting IT solutions to continue their business and services during the epidemic.

“While business innovation may involve additional expenditure in the short term, small businesses in Hong Kong should be more proactive in reassessing their resource allocation and consider innovating through the adoption of technology. This could enhance their long-term competitiveness and help them keep pace with their peers in other Asia-Pacific economies,” Chan added.

The survey recommended Hong Kong businesses to consider certain measures such as managing cash flow and debt closely paying attention to the cost of external financing, leveraging government support schemes to increase the adoption of technology, as well as to identify, invest in and adopt new technologies to keep innovating.