Multinational HR and payroll services provider

Client overview

Our customer is a UK-based human capital services group comprising four specialist companies. Together, they deliver integrated services that help multinational corporations, SMEs, and public sector organisations recruit, train, deploy, and develop talent across diverse industries. With multiple operations across the UK, there are over 800 employees across the group.

Solution challenges

In 2023, the company, along with its associated business units, embarked on a strategic separation. The goal was to establish independent operations supported by robust, secure, and scalable IT infrastructure. This transformation involved the creation of dedicated Microsoft 365 tenancies and the migration of essential services across multiple domains.

The scope encompassed messaging, collaboration, hosting, connectivity, device management, and network infrastructure. However, the journey presented significant challenges. Limited visibility and planning constraints (largely due to incomplete input from a third-party partner) meant the Littlefish Group team often had to operate reactively, for example.

Evolving requirements also necessitated that design and delivery run in parallel, while complex platforms such as Power Automate, Power BI, and Oracle introduced additional layers of technical ambiguity.

Additionally, one business unit was especially hindered by unclear data volumes, complicating engineering efforts and timelines.

An agile solution from Littlefish Group

Littlefish Group responded with agility and transparency, adopting a “fix forward” approach to sustain momentum throughout the project.

Daily stand-ups and a shared issues log fostered alignment across teams, enabling rapid resolution of emerging challenges. Design changes were documented and agreed in principle, with future projects now treating design phases as time-and-materials engagements – allowing for greater flexibility and adaptability in dynamic environments.

To manage application complexity, engineering roles were split, allowing specialists to focus on either application readiness or migration execution. This strategic division of labour helped streamline delivery and reduce bottlenecks.

Success snapshot:

• Delivered multi-phase migration across four business units
• Established resilient domain controllers and secure authentication via MS Authenticator MFA
• Seamlessly migrated messaging and collaboration tools to Microsoft 365
• Implemented remote working solutions and new device management via MS Intune
• Replaced LAN and WAN infrastructure at key sites including London and Belfast

Positive outcomes

The transformation delivered measurable benefits across the organisation, including:

• Seamless transition to dedicated Microsoft 365 tenants
• Enhanced collaboration through federated communication between business units
• Secure and scalable IT environment, supported by modern endpoint protection
• Full autonomy from legacy infrastructure, enabling greater operational agility
• Streamlined device and network management, improving efficiency and oversight

Littlefish Group’s successful delivery of the M365 migration project demonstrates what’s possible when effective collaboration, adaptability, and a shared commitment to outcomes come together. Despite facing planning gaps, technical ambiguity, and a complex application landscape, our resilient team sustained momentum through agile practices and a proactive mindset.