Google Workspace done properly
Strategic Google Workspace setup, migration, and management for businesses that prefer Google. From Cloud Identity through to Drive architecture, security baselines, and ongoing admin.
Let's talk WorkspaceSenior Workspace expertise. Without the consultancy fluff.
Edition that fits, not edition that flatters
Google Workspace has half a dozen editions and most businesses end up on the wrong one. We work out which edition you actually need (Business Starter through Enterprise Plus) before recommending anything else.
Cloud Identity done right
2-Step Verification enforcement, context-aware access, SSO, Cloud Identity configuration, and proper admin role separation. The boring foundations that stop you getting breached at 2am.
Backup, retention, and Vault
Google Vault is a discovery and retention tool, not a backup. We add proper third-party backup, configure Vault correctly for your retention obligations, and make sure recovery actually works when you need it.
Who Google Workspace work is for
Google Workspace is genuinely brilliant when set up properly. The interface is clean, collaboration is natural, and admin is simpler than its competitors. We work with businesses who want Google done well, whether starting from scratch or fixing what's already there.
You're a Mac-heavy or creative team
Google Workspace fits creative agencies, design studios, and Mac-heavy teams better than Microsoft 365 in most cases. Cleaner integration with macOS, simpler collaboration on Drive, and less Windows-shaped friction. We've supported plenty of these teams.
You're migrating to Google from Microsoft or legacy systems
Going from Microsoft 365 to Google is rarer than the reverse but it happens, especially for companies acquiring Google-native teams or shifting away from Microsoft licensing complexity. We handle email, files, identity, and calendars cleanly.
Your Workspace tenant has grown organically and now feels chaotic
Started with a few users, added shared drives, kept stacking permissions, never reviewed groups or admin roles. We tidy this up: editions, security baselines, sharing policies, group structure, and proper admin governance.
You need proper governance for compliance or scale
Growing companies hit Workspace governance problems early. Context-aware access, data loss prevention, Vault retention, mobile device management, and the kind of compliance work that pre-empts audits.
You need ongoing Workspace admin without hiring an admin
Most SMEs don't need a full-time Workspace admin. We provide ongoing admin support: user lifecycle, licence management, security monitoring, and policy maintenance, on a retained basis.
Everything you'd expect. And then some.
Tenant setup and configuration
Greenfield Workspace setup or audit and remediation of existing tenants. Includes domain configuration, security baseline, and edition structure.
Migration from any source
Microsoft 365, Exchange, IMAP, other Workspace tenants, hosted email. We've done them all. Google Workspace Migrate, third-party tools, or native admin where appropriate.
Cloud Identity and access
Cloud Identity configuration, 2-Step Verification enforcement, SSO setup, context-aware access policies, and proper admin role hierarchy.
Email and security hardening
SPF, DKIM, DMARC, advanced phishing and malware protection, attachment scanning, and external sender warnings. The defaults are not enough.
Drive architecture and shared drives
Sensible Drive structure, shared drive design, sharing policies that work, and migration from chaotic legacy setups. Drive is brilliant when designed properly and a mess when left to grow itself.
Meet, Chat, and Spaces governance
Meet recording policies, Chat federation rules, Spaces structure, and governance for new space creation. Mostly invisible work that prevents future mess.
Backup and Vault
Third-party Workspace backup with proper retention, restore testing, and recovery runbooks. Vault configured correctly for legal hold and discovery, not as a substitute for backup.
Ongoing admin and management
Retained Workspace admin support: user lifecycle, edition optimisation, security monitoring, policy maintenance, and quarterly health checks.
Workspace expertise that's actually been used in the wild
We've run Google Workspace alongside Microsoft 365 across multiple agencies for over a decade, supported Mac-heavy creative teams who live in Drive, and remediated tenants where someone added everyone to every shared drive at some point in 2019. Workspace is one of the cleanest collaboration platforms available to SMEs, and one of the easiest to misconfigure if you don't know what you're doing. We've seen what good looks like, what bad looks like, and how to fix bad without disrupting the team.
How Workspace engagements work
Most Workspace work falls into three patterns. Migration projects are typically scoped, fixed-price engagements running 4-10 weeks depending on complexity. Tenant remediation work is similar, scoped against an audit. Ongoing Workspace admin is retained at a monthly rate, typically half a day to two days per month depending on user count and complexity. We can also embed Workspace work inside a fractional CTO engagement where strategic IT leadership and platform management need to sit together.
Simple as it should be
We audit what you have
Existing tenant review (or current platform if you're migrating). We map editions, security posture, identity setup, and usage patterns. No assumptions, just data.
We agree the plan
Specific, scoped work with clear outcomes and timelines. No "we'll see how it goes". You get a plan you can actually approve.
We execute and hand over
The work gets done properly. Documentation goes with it. You either run it yourself afterwards, or we manage it ongoing, but you always have the option.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a migration to Google Workspace take?
Depends on size and source platform, but typical migrations are 4-8 weeks end to end. That includes planning, tenant setup, identity migration, mail and file migration, training, and cutover. Larger or more complex environments take longer. Microsoft 365 to Workspace migrations sometimes take longer than the reverse because tooling is less mature.
Should we be on Workspace or Microsoft 365?
Honest answer: it depends on your business. Mac-heavy creative teams and small businesses that value clean collaboration usually fit Google better. Windows-heavy organisations, regulated industries, and businesses with complex identity or compliance needs usually fit Microsoft better. We do both, and we'll tell you which one suits your business rather than which one we'd rather sell. See our Microsoft 365 page if M365 is the better fit.
Which Workspace edition do we need?
Depends on what you actually use. Business Starter is fine for small teams that mostly need email and Drive. Business Standard adds meeting recording and more storage. Business Plus adds Vault and advanced endpoint management. Enterprise editions add data loss prevention, advanced security, and compliance features. We always do an edition review before recommending.
Is Google Vault the same as backup?
No. Vault is a discovery, retention, and legal hold tool, not a backup. It's brilliant for what it does (regulatory compliance, eDiscovery, retention policy enforcement) but it's not designed for restoring accidentally deleted files or recovering from ransomware. You need proper third-party Workspace backup as well as Vault, not instead of it.
Do you provide ongoing Workspace administration after a migration?
Yes. Most clients take ongoing admin support after migration, typically half a day to two days per month depending on size and complexity. This covers user provisioning, edition optimisation, security monitoring, policy maintenance, and incident response.
Google Workspace support across Kent and London
Same Workspace practice, honed for your area. Local on-site visits where it helps, remote-first delivery.
Need Workspace sorted?
Have a conversation about whether we're the right fit. No hard sell, no jargon. Just a straight conversation about what's actually broken or what you're trying to build.