SoftwareOne’s Trevor Grech: Embracing human-centred approach to digital acceleration

Today’s technology landscape requires prioritising human-centric approaches, fostering humility, and embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives to create a more accountable and innovative work culture, says SoftwareOne country manager for Australia and New Zealand, Trevor Grech.

In an interview with ARN, Grech discussed the evolving roles and challenges in the IT industry, particularly in service integration and cybersecurity. He emphasised the complexities of managing software-as-a-service (SaaS) agreements, highlighting the need for standardised operating processes while addressing the challenges of reselling with low profit margins.

Grech was appointed to the role of A/NZ country manager in February last year. He first joined SoftwareOne from Fujitsu in 2020 and has held various roles including senior account director, director of mid-market sales and director of software sales before his promotion to leading overall sales. 

During that time, he has developed a nuanced understanding of the relationships between resellers and vendors, as well as software-as-a-service (SaaS) consumption and ensuring that any service integration is sustainable, profitable, and scalable.

He finds the dynamic between resellers and SaaS vendors interesting as most vendors are still trying to push costs onto resellers. For example, software companies sometimes want service providers to take on the end-user license agreement [EULA] requirements and usage overages.

“SaaS companies need service integrators to manage consumption for them, which ties into ‘fin ops’ (though it’s not well understood),” he said. “Generally, people think it’s about cloud spending, but we sometimes sign SaaS agreements where we decide to manage consumption, but it’s rare.

“In some cases, we’ll resell with their back-to-back agreement. Other times, the customer and reseller can manage as per the EULA if the commercials aren’t strong enough. We won’t create a standard operating process for it.

“SaaS companies sometimes want us to create our own ‘menu’ of services, but if that happens, they go to specialised service integrators.”

Grech believes that if a customer wants something the service provider doesn’t offer, we’ll consider bringing it in, but only if it’s the right decision for profitability.

He likens it to how some people might order groceries delivered straight to their car boot, because they don’t to go inside the store for anything else.

“SaaS companies don’t always understand that”, noted Grech. “The service integrators push back because they’re not used to it. I’ve had terms changed at the last minute just because a vendor wants us to be the one-stop-shop of IT services, and they need us to have that volume.”

The future of work

These are things that Grech has managed to navigate in his time in the technology industry and it has also given him a unique perspective on the future of work, underpinned by evolving technology.

“The future of technology and work is exciting, but it’s also going to be incredibly challenging,” he said. “I think AI, automation, and machine learning will continue to evolve, fundamentally changing how work is done.

“It will shift the focus from purely manual tasks to higher-level thinking and creativity.”

But this doesn’t mean that jobs will disappear, Grech believes that it just means jobs will evolve. Workers will need new skills to work alongside these technologies, and that’s where upskilling comes into play.

He believes in the next five to ten years there will be a “much more fluid relationship between humans and AI”, with it becoming a tool that enhances productivity.

“It won’t replace the need for human judgment, creativity, and emotional intelligence,” Grech said. “The workforce will need to adapt, but not necessarily in a way that replaces jobs entirely, it will just require new approaches.

He believes that businesses aren’t fully prepared yet for these changes and there’s huge opportunity for companies to get ahead.

“Many are still focused on the immediate future rather than the long-term evolution of the workforce,” he said. “They need to invest in training and upskilling programs to ensure their teams are prepared for the changing landscape.

“The companies that succeed will be the ones that are proactive in upskilling their workforce, not just relying on hiring new talent with the necessary skills.”

But there’s also a mindset shift that needs to happen, acknowledged Grech, companies need to view technology as an enabler, not as a threat and employees need to feel “empowered by these tools, not like their jobs are at risk”.

“There are productivity tools like ClickUp, Atlassian, and JIRA, which, if used correctly, could actually help productivity,” Grech explained. “But it isn’t a particularly human industry, so it doesn’t often look at things that way.

“The fear is that AI and automation will take jobs, but the real goal is to upskill staff and let them focus on more creative, high-value work.”

For Grech tools like Copilot allow him to scan and summarise “emails at a speed that’s just beneficial”.

“But a lot of people still don’t embrace it because of that job loss fear, which is more of a cultural issue,” he said. “The messaging [around AI] has focused too much on job replacement instead of on the opportunities to gain new skills.”

Grech believes that there’s no hiding behind accountability with AI tools because, when used correctly. These tools will reduce the need for workers to be “personally accountable for certain tasks”, that’s where accountability also needs to shift.

For example, in the sales profession, AI could be used to help them research the person they are meeting and have enough information on them going into a meeting.

“You can scan reports in five minutes, look at their LinkedIn, see their interactions, query their annual reports, and get suggestions,” noted Grech. “You can gather a lot of insight, yet I still see salespeople who show up to meetings knowing very little about the customer.

“I always ask, what steps have you taken, or where is the accountability to understand your customer. That’s a widespread issue in industry and it’s a challenge to integrate human-centric factors into business, but this is something I constantly talk about.”

The human factor

His non-traditional background has equipped him with a unique perspective on the diverse ways humans are centred.

“I’ve been doing this since 2014 at [organisations like] Australia Post where we used to call it ‘human innovation’,” he said. “That’s a very human-based business and I’ve been in tech since 2018, and tech is not typically human-centred.

It’s usually driven by technical owners, focused on solving a gap, which may only be addressed in the future. IT is a reactive [industry], you very rarely see proactive approaches.”

However, Grech understands that corporate social responsibility (CSR) and a forward-thinking approach are important for leading a technology business. Leadership plays a key role in shaping that perspective and ensuring employees feel supported as throughout the digital acceleration era.

CSR at SoftwareOne is about ongoing commitment to community initiatives and everyone, whether they’re male, female, indigenous, or from any other background is part of the communities it serves, he explained.

“I see a trend where a lot of companies are now focused on reducing their carbon footprint and giving back to society,” said Grech. “But it’s still often seen as a marketing tactic, while that may work in the short term, long-term impact needs real action.

“Some organisations are getting it right by integrating CSR into their business models, and that’s what makes them stand out.”

Consistency and transparency

Grech explained the difference in SoftwareOne’s approach to CSR is in the transparency and consistency of the effort.

“Companies that are truly committed show it through action,” he said. “They make a tangible difference, whether it’s supporting local businesses, adopting sustainability practices, or engaging in real conversations with their communities.

“On the other hand, those who just do it for the optics might release a press statement once a year, but you can tell when it’s not part of their real culture.”

This also comes back to the leaders of an organisation. Grech believes leaders need to consistently model the behaviour they expect from others.

“They need to show that they are genuinely committed to the causes they advocate for. If they only talk about something but don’t take action,” he said. “It doesn’t resonate with employees or the public. Leaders need to hold themselves accountable, not just in words but in their decisions, investments, and time.”

According to Grech there’s also the issue of employee retention, if a company is truly committed to its values, employees feel it in their day-to-day experience.

“If they don’t, they leave… that’s where corporate culture really matters,” he said. “When employees are aligned with the company’s mission, it leads to greater productivity and satisfaction.

“Companies that miss this mark often experience high turnover, especially when they face challenging times.”

While things are getting better many companies still don’t fully get it, noted Grech. “Too many are focused on metrics like quarterly revenue or customer satisfaction without looking at the culture behind it.

“Employees are increasingly seeking purpose-driven work, and if a company doesn’t have a culture that aligns with those values, it’s tough to retain top talent,” he said. “There’s a shift happening, but it’s not universal.”

When Grech looks at organisations that have strong, engaged cultures, he sees leadership teams that prioritise open communication and collaboration.

“They build trust with their employees, which helps foster loyalty,” he said. “That trust is key. Without it, employees don’t feel safe enough to give their best.”

While this requires a delicate balance, it can be done, and growth doesn’t have to come at the expense of culture.

“In fact, when you build the right culture, it can drive growth,” explained Grech. “Companies that focus on people first, their teams, and their clients often see success in the long run.

“It’s about setting clear expectations and making sure everyone is aligned with the same goals,” he said. “The key is consistency and being willing to make tough decisions when things don’t align with the company’s values.”

Leadership in the new era

For example, companies that have a strong culture and purpose often don’t make decisions based on just profitability alone. They can make decisions based on what will ultimately contribute to long-term value.

This can mean investing in people, creating positive work environments, and ensuring that all stakeholders benefit, not just shareholders.

“This is why I value roles like chief culture officer or similar positions [and] those that focus on making sure the company culture is aligned with the goals and values,” said Grech. “They help ensure that everything, from hiring practices to employee experience, is on track and consistently reinforcing the company’s values.”

However, leadership is critical to shaping this culture and ensures the company remains adaptable in the face of change and leaders need to set the tone, communicate the vision, and most importantly, model the behaviors they expect from their teams.

“Without strong leadership, it’s easy for a company to lose its way as it grows or faces challenges,” he said. “Leadership in this new era also requires more empathy.

According to Grech as technological disruptions and other challenges impact organisations. The leaders who understand the human side of the equation, who listen to their teams, invest in their development, and encourage collaboration, will be the ones who thrive.

“I think this also ties into diversity and inclusion,” he said. “The future workforce will be much more diverse in terms of skills, backgrounds, and experiences.

“Companies that embrace this diversity will benefit because it fosters a more innovative environment. The challenge is to make sure everyone feels included and valued, not just as a checkbox to tick, but as an essential part of the organisation’s success.”