Modernizing Public Sector Productivity with Microsoft 365 Copilot

Facilities Services faced a multifaceted challenge in modernizing its digital workplace while maintaining the high standards of governance expected in the public sector. Executives were spending significant time on repetitive tasks such as drafting communications, financial memos, and reports activities that could be streamlined with intelligent automation.

A Microsoft 365 Copilot readiness assessment revealed a key risk: the potential for oversharing sensitive information in AI-generated responses. Additionally, the executive team was not yet confident about which Copilot use cases would deliver the most value and needed guidance on identifying high-impact scenarios and effective prompting strategies.

Compounding this was the presence of a legacy shared drive with limited security controls, which was excluded from Copilot’s grounding data. Given its public agency status, any deployment of AI tools had to align with strict data governance protocols, including sensitivity labeling, lifecycle management, and access controls. The challenge was not just technical—it was about enabling productivity without compromising compliance.

Facilities Services took a governance-first approach to deploying Microsoft 365 Copilot.

Readiness & Governance

• Conducted a comprehensive Copilot readiness assessment, no blockers identified.
• Prioritized content cleanup across key SharePoint sites to mitigate oversharing risks.
• Developed a security roadmap featuring sensitivity labeling, DLP policies, and lifecycle management enhancements.

Pilot Deployment

• Selected 10 executive leaders for the pilot group, chosen for low-risk profiles and high control environments.
• Focused on high impact use cases, including automating meeting notes, drafting reports and memos, creating charts and templates, and drafting executive communications.

Change Management & Training 

• Launched a 10-week pilot communications campaign with biweekly awareness emails and Copilot tips.
• Delivered two training sessions: one IT-led session and one pilot-focused session, with recordings shared.
• Created a centralized resource hub via Learning Pathways, supplemented by a dedicated Copilot page and feedback surveys.
• IT team provided ongoing support and communications throughout the pilot.

Facilities Services’ governance-first approach to deploying Microsoft 365 Copilot led to tangible improvements in productivity and workflow transformation. Executive leaders reported significant time savings on routine tasks such as drafting memos, summarizing meetings, and creating reports, allowing them to focus on strategic priorities. The deployment boosted productivity, enhanced information discovery, and automated meeting notetaking and task assignment, all while ensuring robust data protection. Early feedback highlighted faster preparation of memos and reports, improved document retrieval, and greater meeting efficiency through Copilot-generated recaps. The initiative also proved cost-effective, with time savings offsetting the license cost. On the governance front, the agency established a strong security baseline, eliminated unmanaged devices and external risks, and identified future enhancements in labeling, data loss prevention, and lifecycle policies for continued maturity.

Looking Ahead

Facilities Services is expanding Copilot across departments with structured rollouts and targeted training to ensure consistent adoption. Migrating the legacy shared drive into Microsoft 365 will broaden Copilot’s coverage and reduce data silos, while ongoing updates to governance policies will reinforce secure usage. By scaling Copilot thoughtfully, the agency aims to boost productivity and maintain public trust.