The Importance of People in Digital Transformation

Business professionals can pretty easily justify implementing their digital transformations today. A better work/buy-from-home strategy allows for both better productivity and cost savings, not to mention the COVID-19 crisis and the forced arrangements that follow. Changing your wireless network security or ditching your printer isn't enough to make this shift. Getting the entire business on board with the change, helping everyone develop the new capabilities they'll require, and understanding how it will affect the company's culture and structure will be a challenge. As a result, the digital transformation process can only be successful if people are prioritized.

Digital Adoption as a Catalyst

Leaders understood that the shift toward digitalization would be inevitable before the pandemic, so they made plans for it. They weren't universal, however. The budgets and paces of each business were based on industry and company demands, and, in many cases, a progressive approach to new tools and methods was taken. 

COVID-19 came next. Suddenly, everything changed. Many businesses were no longer able to maintain their physical offices due to lockdowns and other social distancing measures implemented by local and state governments. In just a few days, many companies needed to transition to remote computing. 

Everyone involved was stressed out by this situation. They had no choice but to act. In the end, they realized that they didn't need to make gradual digital shifts or wait as long, and they could start working on it immediately. While organizations began working with employees, partners, and stakeholders to increase the adoption of digital technologies long before the pandemic hit, the pandemic proved to be a positive catalyst that accelerated the shift to remote work. Client experiences were largely digital, so they had no choice but to adapt as quickly as possible.

Sustaining The Momentum

Digital transformation was a focal point of COVID-19. However, now that the initial push has been made, it is essential that we progress. Our companies need to understand where they are in the market and where they need to be if they are to remain competitive. 

In order to sustain momentum with your digital transformation in months and years to come, you need to embed six key elements of talent agility in your organization:

Change is being welcomed by your people. Despite fears about robots and computers in some industries, 65 percent of Americans are likely to believe they'll perform jobs that people do. In the next five years, 28 percent of workers believe their jobs will be eliminated by technology, according to a survey conducted by CNBC and Survey Monkey. Morale and productivity are not likely to be enhanced when employees feel threatened in this manner. Your staff will feel less fear and better collaborate if you provide assistance for digital adoption and help them take ownership of the change.

Workload may be different. Several companies plan to rethink responsibilities and even adjust their workforce sizes in light of COVID-19. People need to know what role they play and how they contribute to value creation, so it's essential that they understand how to balance their workloads even if they are reassigned.

A skill shortage or a skill gap may require upskilling. The strategies and tools required for remote work are often different from those employed in traditional offices or infrastructure. Your employees might not be able to drive growth and recovery or even drive your company back to health in the long run. You should train them and give them opportunities to thrive in the new environment rather than simply assuming they cannot do the work any longer.

The working culture might have changed. Work from home presents new advantages while also presenting new challenges. Working purposefully to ensure that people aren't afraid to pose questions or challenge existing ideas as part of your retention strategy will help them remain committed to the same values and goals.

Employee engagement needs to be emphasized. It is evident that employee engagement contributes to retention: Deloitte found that employees who are engaged leave their organizations 87 percent less frequently. In order to motivate people so that they want to participate in work activities even when they are not in the office, you will need to find new ways of keeping them interested and happy.

In today's workforce, cross-functional teams are common. Leaders employed homogeneous teams in the past. However, these teams tended to solve problems in a biased way due to similarities among members. It is imperative to develop talent agility through cross-functional, collaborative teams and a shift away from silo thinking. 

Closing Thoughts

When a major change - such as the current digital transformation - is underway, a degree of employee pushback is expected, if only because familiarity is comforting. The change cannot be undone. As the world changes and evolves, we must adapt to keep up. For success, instead of allowing pushback to overwhelm or control you, intentionally create an employee- and customer-centric workplace where you can pivot as needed. Accelery can help you build such a workplace culture by digitally transforming your business. Reach out to us to know more.