Chris Gore book blames ownership for workplace tech failures

Chris Gore has released a book, Work Isn't Working, which argues that many workplace technology projects fail because organisations do not manage them effectively after installation.

Gore, Co-Founder of AV integration business SPOR Group and a former military leader, argues that problems with meeting room systems and digital workplace tools often stem less from the software or hardware than from weak ownership, poor integration, and limited follow-through.

The book is aimed at senior leaders responsible for workplace operations and technology, including Chief Information Officers, IT Directors, Facilities Managers, and Operations leaders. Its central theme is that organisations can spend heavily on workplace systems without achieving reliable day-to-day use if accountability for performance is unclear.

According to details released alongside the book, Gore draws on nearly two decades of experience in commercial and military settings. He uses that background to examine why meeting rooms become unreliable, why staff lose confidence in systems, and why internal teams are often left to handle support issues after projects have been signed off.

The core argument

A key idea in the book is that workplace technology should not be treated as a one-off installation. Gore argues that the bigger issue for many organisations is what happens after deployment, when systems must be maintained, monitored, and supported across large estates.

He presents what he calls the DITAM Framework: Design, Integrate, Train, Asset Manage, and Monitor. The model is intended as a practical structure for organisations seeking stronger adoption of workplace tools and clearer responsibility for long-term performance.

The argument reflects a broader concern among companies that rolled out hybrid working systems quickly and then found it harder than expected to maintain consistency across offices, rooms, and teams. In that context, the book focuses on the operational gap between installing technology and getting dependable results from it.

SPOR Group supports more than 1,500 meeting rooms across the UK and Europe. That operational footprint provides the backdrop to the book's observations on failures in collaboration systems, user trust, and support demands inside large organisations.

Military and business background

Gore's profile combines a military career with work in corporate technology environments. Material accompanying the launch says that experience shaped his emphasis on accountability, communication, and system performance.

It also states that he founded SPOR Group after seeing a repeated pattern in large organisations: significant investment in workplace and meeting room technology did not always translate into systems that worked consistently when needed. He argues that the result was disrupted meetings, frustrated employees, and extra pressure on internal support teams.

That diagnosis sits at the centre of the book's business case. Rather than focusing only on buying and deploying tools, Gore argues that organisations need a clearer operating model for ownership and maintenance if they want to reduce friction in everyday work.

Focus on ownership

The book's release comes as many businesses continue to assess the return on spending tied to hybrid working, digital collaboration, and office modernisation. Employers have invested in platforms, screens, room systems, and connectivity, but technology leaders still face questions over reliability, adoption, and support costs.

Gore said the problem is often structural rather than purely technical.

"Organisations don't have a technology problem; they have an ownership problem. Too often, systems are installed, projects are signed off, and everyone moves on, with no clear responsibility for long-term performance. When technology stops working, productivity suffers, support costs rise, and employees lose trust. Work Isn't Working is about changing that," said Gore, Co-Founder, SPOR Group.

The release presents the book as practical guidance for businesses seeking to improve adoption of workplace systems and reduce operational disruption. It also frames the issue as a management challenge spanning technology, facilities, and operations teams rather than sitting within a single department.

That cross-functional emphasis reflects how workplace technology has evolved in recent years. Meeting room tools and office platforms are no longer niche procurement items; they shape how staff collaborate, how offices function, and how companies support hybrid work at scale.

As a result, books and advisory material aimed at senior workplace decision-makers have increasingly shifted from product selection to governance, accountability, and measurable outcomes. Gore's contribution enters that debate by arguing that reliable workplace technology depends on sustained ownership after go-live, not just on the quality of the original installation.

The title is available in Kindle and paperback editions.