A surprisingly common scenario in the IT departments of small businesses in Europe is organised chaos in disguise—otherwise known as “cloud migration”! Monitors glow, engineers scramble, and every notification feels like a plot twist. What was supposed to be a straightforward transformation now feels more like a high-stakes game of Jenga, with each move threatening to topple weeks of planning.
Of course, it doesn’t have to be like that at all, but the unfortunate reality is that cloud migrations are still too often treated as purely technical exercises that begin and end with IT. Indeed, our weight of experience tells us that success depends just as much on the people behind the systems as it does the infrastructure design and deployment scripts. Without proper training, clear communication, and early buy-in, even the most elegant technical plans risk unravelling. The human factor can’t be an afterthought—it has to be part of the plan from the start.
The Skills Gap Crisis
To be fair, cloud migration does introduce a whirlwind of new tools, architectures, and processes—things like serverless infrastructure, automated pipelines, and scalable databases. The reality is that most existing teams don’t have the experience to handle all this straight out of the gate.
The typical SME IT department is like a Swiss Army knife—small, versatile, and used to handling everything from desktop support to network configurations. Now, they’re expected to master container management systems and microservices overnight—an unrealistic ask, even for the most adaptable teams.
A recent survey showed that over 70% of SMEs see a lack of cloud expertise as a major barrier
. And this isn’t just about tech know-how. It’s also about understanding how cloud strategies affect operations, security, and business outcomes.
Cultural Resistance to Change
Tech shifts don’t just bring technical challenges—they bring emotional ones. Resistance to change can rear its head in subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways. People worry about job security, fear being left behind, or simply don’t understand why the old way won’t work anymore.
For example, a company might encounter friction during its cloud migration when employees—already uncertain about the change—begin to see minor issues as signs of broader failure. It would be entirely natural for those employees to express their scepticism or frustration to their manager, reflecting a lack of early buy-in which could, in turn, lead to further disengagement, increased scepticism, and a growing perception that the entire migration is flawed. This kind of cultural resistance, if not anticipated and addressed, can delay progress and undermine trust across teams.
Gaining Early Support Across Teams
Successful cloud migration is a team sport—and that means getting players from across the organisation involved early on. IT shouldn’t shoulder the burden alone.
This process, often called 'cross-functional buy-in,' involves bringing teams from finance, marketing, and operations into the conversation about cloud strategy. Why is this important? Well, these are the very teams that will be using the cloud's outputs. By involving them early on, you not only reduce resistance but also help foster a sense of ownership and collaboration.
It’s easy to picture a small company embarking on its cloud migration journey and running into resistance from teams that feel left out of the process. As an antidote, leadership might decide to take a more inclusive approach. They could identify and empower internal cloud champions—not only from IT, but also from project management and other parts of the business. These individuals could act as go-betweens, helping to translate technical plans into practical implications and promoting better communication across departments.
Bridging the Skills Gap Through Collaborative Learning
Whilst it might sound like the dream of a cloud solutions company, it should go without saying that you don’t need everyone to become a cloud architect. What you need is targeted, effective upskilling along the following lines:
- Internal workshops: Focused, hands-on sessions where employees can learn to manage cloud services directly.
- Vendor training: AWS and other cloud providers offer excellent learning resources tailored to all knowledge levels.
- Mentorship programs: Pair experienced external consultants with in-house teams to transfer knowledge gradually.
One thing worth considering is microlearning—bite-sized training modules delivered in short, digestible bursts—which works wonders when time is limited. Gamification (think cloud training with reward-based progress) is another way to make upskilling fun and engaging.
Navigating Organisational Change
Adapting Leadership for a Cloud-First Mindset
In many organizations, the early stages of cloud migration might be handled behind closed doors by IT or senior management. Imagine a mid-sized marketing agency in Stockholm preparing for a move to the cloud. Keen to maintain control, leadership could develop a top-down rollout plan with tightly packed deadlines and minimal staff input. On paper, the schedule might look efficient. In practice, it could result in teams being blindsided by changes to critical systems, confusion over roles, and a sharp dip in morale as day-to-day workflows begin to break down.
Situations like this tend to highlight a bigger issue: cloud migration isn't just a technical shift—it's a leadership challenge. And those leading the charge need to model a mindset that values learning, adaptability, and transparency from the outset.
Adapting to a cloud-first mindset means:
- Encouraging experimentation: Allow teams to test and fail fast.
- Fostering open dialogue: Create forums where concerns and lessons can be shared.
If that same agency were to take a different approach, leadership might begin by involving team leads early on, inviting input on which systems and workflows were most critical to keep stable. They could frame the migration as an evolving process rather than a single delivery milestone and use informal Q&A sessions to gather feedback and ease uncertainty. Most importantly, they would take time to explain the rationale behind the migration—not just what would change, but why it mattered. In doing so, they might find that resistance softens, confidence grows, and teams begin to see the shift not as a disruption, but as an opportunity to build something better together.
Continuous Communication as a Change Management Tool
It’s approaching a platitude to argue that communication is the glue that holds everything together during a cloud migration. At the same time, it’s important to remember that it’s not just about top-down announcements—it’s about creating two-way dialogue.
Feedback loops can help flag issues early. Tools like Slack channels, internal surveys, or regular retrospectives give teams a chance to voice concerns. The goal here is to adjust course before small problems snowball into major setbacks.
💡 Expert tip:Keep it upbeat. Frame updates not as "progress reports" but as "milestone stories" (or something similar but more cool) showing how each step is leading to a better, more efficient organisation. This shifts the focus from what’s not done to what’s working.
Redefining Success Metrics for Cloud Adoption
If you think you’ve coming to the end of your cloud journey and measure success only by migration completion, you’re missing the point. Real success includes sustained productivity, adaptability, and employee satisfaction.
Among the many success metrics that you can track are:
- Operational efficiency: Reduced time for deployments and issue resolution.
- Employee engagement: Increased confidence in using cloud tools.
- Customer satisfaction: Faster time to market for features.
By redefining metrics, you create a continuous improvement cycle that drives long-term value.
Embedding Cloud Skills into the Organisational DNA
If there’s anything that we’re going to shout about from our soapbox, it’s that cloud expertise shouldn’t be a one-off project; it should become part of your company’s DNA.
One approach you could try is to establish internal “cloud guilds”—cross-functional groups that share best practices, offer support, and promote ongoing learning. This way, knowledge isn’t locked away with a few experts but spread across the organisation. You don’t even have to call them “guilds” if that sounds awkward or like something that a content writer at a cloud company would think up, but it’s the idea of support and shared learning that’s important.
In a similar way, another effective strategy is to create a ‘cloud champions’ program, where specific employees are given the tools and encouragement to become cloud advocates in their teams. These champions can help drive adoption and ensure cloud initiatives stay top of mind across the company — and it’s up to you whether to award prizes or not!
A Vision for the Future
The truth is that (even if this sounds a bit cheesy) cloud migration is about more than just technology—it’s about people working together to drive meaningful change. Organisations that prioritise upskilling, communication, and cultural alignment will emerge stronger, more resilient, and better equipped for the future.
It’s also important to remember that you don’t have to navigate this journey alone. With the right support, you can bridge the human/IT gap, ensuring both technical and human needs are met to minimise disruption and accelerate success. By viewing cloud migration as an opportunity to transform your organisation’s culture, not just its infrastructure, you set the stage for sustained growth and success. Long may it prosper!
Partner with PCG for a Smoother Cloud Migration
Don’t forget — cloud migration doesn’t have to be a solo journey! At PCG, we align your technical goals with the people who drive your business, addressing skills gaps and fostering collaboration for maximum long-term value. Contact us today to learn how we can help you migrate with confidence.