At Proact, we know how important it is to maintain a reliable and secure connection. 2020 has truly highlighted the need to stay connected while maintaining efficiency, as so many organisations have had to adapt (quite quickly) to a remote way of working.
We spent some time with Mike Noble, MCS Network Manager, who recently joined Proact UK this year to get his view on how he’s found remote-working with Proact and the importance of staying connected.
When did you join Proact? And what is your role?
I joined back in July, in the middle of the first lockdown! I’m the MCS Network Manager for Proact IT UK.
What are your main responsibilities?
I look after the network and a team of high calibre engineers. I see the role as running a team and offering a service internally to Proact’s core business units, as well as its customers.
At the moment, we are running a mix of operational cases, new customer projects and the remainder of time spent on infrastructure improvements. There is plenty to keep us busy!
Mike Noble, MCS Network Manager (UK)
Why did you choose to join Proact?
After five great years working for another MSP, it felt like the right time to change. Proact seemed like a good fusion of technology and could utilise the skills efficiently. Proact is big enough to have a sizable network to back it up, but small enough to have interesting projects ongoing. You aren’t siloed into one area and there are plenty of opportunities to excel. This certainly isn’t the usual 9-5 role!
How has your remote-working experience of Proact been since joining?
Fantastic! It’s a bit strange to never physically meet the majority of my new colleagues, but it does not feel that way. Also, I feel incredibly lucky to be working for such a strong company during uncertain times – both from an employee wellbeing and tech perspective. You really appreciate that it’s not like that for everyone.
There are plenty of other companies that have asked for voluntary pay cuts and enrolled on furlough schemes. Proact is fortunate to be in a strong position where that is not a requirement to survive – unfortunately, it’s just not like that everywhere.
Have you been able to experience a flavour of Proact’s culture even within the remote setting?
Yes. During my short time here so far, it’s apparent to me that at Proact everyone is at the top of their game. It’s refreshing to come across and everyone is working to achieve the same thing – to get the job done and to the highest standard.
As well as work calls, we’ve made some time for personal catchup calls so that’s helped to get to know the people, who make the organisation, better. However, I always find that culture is what you make of it. The banter is enjoyable and my peers are really supportive.
As MCS Network Manager, why do you think it’s important to stay connected right now?
We’ve seen huge changes in the way organisations are now having to work. Remote working has been around for a long time, but it’s now happening on a much larger scale. Reliable networks are fundamental for any organisation to remain afloat, especially during strained times. It’s not just about keeping employees connected with each other, but also making sure they can continue to work efficiently and remain secure wherever they are.
What’s your proudest achievement so far at Proact?
I’ve been able to grow the team which is nice to do, as there’s an opportunity to mould it into my vision. We’ve rolled out some hygiene pieces across the estate which further improves network reliability and stood up patching and event management shift to carve out some time for the important stuff. I didn’t think we’d be able to make such a difference in such a short time.
Find out more about how Proact can help you design and build reliable, secure networks. We can also help to monitor, manage and support 24/7 your networks, delivering better availability, performance and flexibility.
