A quarterly newsletter with real insights for real people.
CEOvision by Dan L’Abbe
As we enter the end of 2021, and the world is starting to move forward from the pandemic we’re seeing that collaboration is so desperately needed and wanted in the workplace. I had the amazing opportunity to have in person meetings over the past two weeks with clients, colleagues and business partners and the amount of knowledge that was interchanged couldn’t even compare to a virtual meeting.
It wasn’t so much about the business collaboration alone. It was the human interaction that helped each person in the room form the connections needed to solve problems and talk about business challenges. But more than anything, it was just the laughter, human connections, and enjoyment of each other’s company, working together as a collaborative team, bringing forth the knowledge and experience that can’t be duplicated in a virtual meeting. Now is the time for us all to come together as we move into the new year and collaborate once again.
When we can communicate, we can collaborate. Together, we can execute!
Dan L’Abbe
CEO, Founder of Granite Solutions Groupe
Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month
First, a note about Diversity
Today marks the last day of Hispanic Heritage Month. I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge how important this month of reflection and celebration is to the fabric of our communities. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are not just words, they are actions we must take in our daily lives to build a better, stronger world.
National Hispanic Heritage Month was first proclaimed by President George H. W. Bush on September 14, 1989, in Presidential Proclamation 6021. Since 1989, all Presidents have given a Presidential Proclamation to mark Hispanic Heritage Month. From Cesar Chavez to Rita Moreno, Lin-Manuel Miranda to Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, there are countless examples of individuals who have shaped our world and stood out not because they are of Hispanic origins, but because of their works and their accomplishments.
MARKETvision by John Henning
Today I’d like to commemorate this edition of MARKETvision to the Hispanic/LatinX community and express my gratitude for their contributions to society.
Quick Market Recap
- Return to Office is happening – it’s not a complete return to the way things were, but it’s a move in the right direction to bringing people together again to work, socialize, collaborate, and execute. There’s no perfect solution, but the momentum we’re seeing with creative leadership and flexible work models will create the “Office of the Future”.
- Digital Transformation and Customer Experience Projects – feeling the crunch from a shortage of talent, companies are struggling to build out their capabilities. Firms that can attract and retain the best minds in design thinking, user experience, service design and the customer journey will win the hearts and minds of the new and old consumers that want more self-service, less friction and more security in their financial lives. This is where we are seeing the most growth in demand for consulting and professional services from our clients.
- Employee Experience continues to be front and center – The companies and organizations that focus on creating an environment of diversity, equity and inclusion while holding employees accountable for delivery and rewarding them for that will attract, retain, and grow their talent base.
- The Risk, Regulatory & Compliance environment is constantly evolving, but the snake seems to have finally swallowed the elephant and financial institutions are finding their rhythm with regulators and getting back to a state where they can invest in the customer experience instead of just keeping the regulators at bay. Crypto Assets are the new frontier that has the most unknowns in this space, and while the fog is clearing there are still many unknowns that government, industry, and consumer forces are coming to grips with, especially where state and federal agencies overlap in their jurisdiction.
TALENTvision by Astrid Gravenor
Welcome to the Demand for Talent!
Post COVID-19, as mobility constraints recede and life pivots toward a new normal, a key trend emerges within the digital space, for clients, consultants, and users alike. The digital experience has surged since the adoption of remote work. It has adapted and evolved to keep up with the changing needs of users. Functionalities beyond the scope of working from home have prompted the need for the Banking, Technology, Investment and Asset management domains to ramp up their response to accommodate and maintain online functionality amidst the pandemic and lockdown.
Remote work and flexibility has been a theme in almost every facet of the overall market, but in the world of Banking, Investments, Wealth & Asset Management, the need for professionals with the experience, maturity and hard and soft skills to execute in this space are in demand for the long term.
GREENvision by Tatenda Mabika
Collaborate and Conquer
I spent some time thinking about this phrase and it really struck me just how impactful it is. I would even dare to say more significant that the more commonly used and well-known phrase “divide and conquer”. In this current age that we live in, can anyone afford not to collaborate?
From its inception our Green Initiative has taken this concept to its core with our commitment to partnering with our suppliers and our clients to achieve meaningful progress towards our sustainable goals. As we embark on our “Green Journey”, we want to encourage you to work with other firms like ours who are like minded and committed to making strides towards reducing their carbon footprint.
GSG Consultant Recognition
It is with great pleasure and excitement that we announce that Sushama Ghuge, based in California, has been named Consultant of the Quarter!
Sushama started her career with the firm in our Core Banking Practice as a Business Analyst; in her current role, she is supporting the Loans Servicing workstream of a multi-faceted conversion project with our client based in San Francisco. Sushama has been with GSG for 8 months now, and in that short time her contributions have been invaluable, ensuring that all end-to end testing is completed per the requirements and specifications in a timely manner. There are multiple systems, tools, interfaces, teams and 3rd party vendors involved in this program and Sushama keeps all these moving parts synchronized towards a common objective and timeline.
In case you missed it, take a look at five of our most recent blog posts:
- Celebrating South Africa’s National Women’s Day
- The Great Resignation is here – Adapt and embrace it or suffer the Brain Drain
- The Last Day of Pride – Perspectives in Motion
- FIVE EASY steps to Take Control of YOUR Future
- An evening shared with Dr. Condoleezza Rice & Mariann Byerwalter
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Granite Solutions Groupe has been providing people and solutions that deliver for our clients since 1998. Our consultants are diverse, experienced, driven and dynamic contributors who excel at getting things done. To find out more about how we can support your team, reach out to engage@granitesolutionsgroupe.com