Increased efficiency, proper resource management, seamless collaboration across departments, and better supply chain management? All of this could be a reality for your business, but the question is ‘How’?
Well! The answer that you seek lies in a briefly constructed ‘digital business transformation plan.’ Yes! If these are critical problems that you face with your business, even in the digital age, you need a digital plan.
Moreover, a digital transformation strategy can provide employees with a better work-life balance, increased collaboration, and efficiency.
Employees push a company’s performance. Hence, focusing on employees while adopting new technology is essential for growth.
Why Is Having a Digital Transformation Strategy Important for Companies Today?
The pandemic has radically changed many things for businesses around the world. Companies that work, collaborate and deliver services have undergone a massive transformation.
Moreover, working from home has become the norm, and now, adopting digital technologies is no longer just an option.
In this increasingly digital era, having a digital transformation strategy in place can do wonders for your business.
Your digital transformation journey starts when the company has an adaptable mindset. Additionally, having a flexible attitude can help you integrate evolving technologies faster than competitors.
If some companies fail to understand the importance of digital transformation, it is only because they are confused by the term itself.
First, digital transformation could mean different things depending on your business’s industry. However, there are specific characteristics of digital transformation that are common to all.
These characteristics include reducing human error, automating paperwork, increased productivity and efficiency, increased collaboration, and using data to further the organization’s growth.
Most companies hesitate to undertake digital transformation technologies. Changing things and having employees adapt to those changes is a long, arduous task.
However, the importance of digital technologies cannot be stressed enough. It might take some convincing to push your business and employees to adopt digital transformation technologies. But at the end of the day, it is worth it.
Which Approach Should Be Taken to Adopt Digital Technologies in Business?
Most companies have a bottom-up approach to adopting new digital technologies. This means that companies first change their technology and then make their employees adapt to the recent changes.
However, this is a flawed approach. If an organization introduces changes without understanding why they need digital transformation, they will have a hard time explaining the same to their employees.
The best approach to take while undertaking digital transformation technology is to keep your employees at the core of your plan.
Why Should Employees Be at the Core of Your Digital Transformation Process?
Your business efficiency depends on your employees. Hence, charting out a plan to adopt digital technology starts with employees.
Employers need first to understand the pain points of their staff. What processes can be automated? Which tasks are leading to inefficiency? What needs to be worked on to increase collaboration?
Getting feedback from staff is essential to kick-start new digital technology for your business.
Hence, an organization needs to align new technology by keeping its employees in mind. This will help them in achieving their broader business goal.
However, many studies have shown that companies have been relatively slow in adopting new technology.
Even though the pandemic has called for faster digital adoption, there is hesitance on the company’s part.
It is crucial to understand that digital transformation cannot happen at the drop of a hat. It takes careful planning and creating roadmaps to accomplish this goal.
A company that is fast at adopting new digital technologies is also helping its business to become resilient.
In the face of external shocks and risks, it is an adaptable business that can survive and bounce back.
The higher order of a company needs to first understand what is working and not working for them.
It is the employees that suffer if a company is using outdated technology. Hence, getting their feedback is essential for your digital transformation journey.
Here is how you can make it easier for your business to adapt to new digital technologies.
1. Training Employees To Adopt New Technologies
As much as businesses try to adopt new technologies, the project is doomed to fail if their employees don’t see any benefit in it.
Hence, understanding the need for digitization of employees’ training is very important for increasing productivity and decreasing their workload.
Businesses need to understand why their employees are unwilling to adopt new technology.
Also, many surveys show that companies underestimate the time it takes for a digital transformation journey to be completed. Businesses need to know that digital enhancement does not happen at lightning speed.
2. Creating A Roadmap For Your Digital Transformation
Companies need to know their goal for introducing new digital technologies. To do this, they first need to study their current work environment.
What can be improved? What needs to change? What are the employees saying? These are valid questions that a business needs to understand before creating a roadmap to start its digital transformation business process.
Companies also need to set milestones in their roadmap. This will help them map their progress. Most companies fail in their digital transformation processes because they know only the result of the process and not the stages involved.
3. Increasing Employee Efficiency Is A Sign Of Digital Transformation
Companies will come to know that they have successfully implemented digital technology in their business when their employees start becoming more efficient.
When employees no longer waste their time on manual processes, they get more time to focus on essential tasks for the organization which will improve time management skills.
Better customer service and smoother information flow within the workspace are sure signs of digital transformation.
4. Using Automation Tools To Boost Productivity
There are certain things that automation can do that are beyond human capabilities. Companies need their employees for significant business tasks. If they spend the majority of their time just gathering information, your business is at risk of losing to your competitors.
Automating repetitive tasks by introducing digital technology into your business can free up your employees. If your employees are efficient, your business would be successful.
5. Learn How to Use Data for Your Business
Going digital allows companies to collect more data related to their services. Digital transformation technologies make it possible for your business to earn more income.
When you gain data-driven insights about your business, you can make better business decisions. Allowing employees to access analytical tools will help your company gain further impetus.
6. Using Data Insight Tools Like Google Data Studio
Furthering our last point, it is important for your business to use high-end analytical tools to create reports and dashboards to make better decisions.
Learn how to use data for your Business. Data insight tools like Google studio will aid in your digital transformation business process. Using data visualization tools will help your employees understand business data in an easy-to-understand fashion.
7. Your Aim For Going Digital
Before venturing into allocating costs to enhance your businesses’ digital capacities, it is essential to know precisely what your business aims to achieve with digital transformation.
Are you aiming for better customer service? Increase the efficiency of your employees with tech? For your business is crucial to know precisely what your plan to get from going digital is.
8. Human Errors Decreases, Accuracy Increases
Another thing that is possible with the help of digital transformation is an increase in inaccuracy. With employees engaging in manual tasks, the risk of human error is more.
Additionally, digital technology can help employees automate menial tasks, reduce their paperwork, and increase efficiency.
However, businesses also need to assure employees that using powered technology does not mean that they will replace them with AI.
There is a fear among employees that they might lose their jobs due to automation. Businesses must make it clear that technology is a supplement, not a substitute for the employee.
Companies adopting digital technologies on traditional enterprises need to realize that they only stand to lose without keeping employees at the heart of their digital transformation business process.
A common misconception that people have is that digital transformation means only adopting new technology. However, it is much more than that.
Businesses that focus only on tech and do not simultaneously take care of their customer and employee service are setting themselves up for failure.
There is a need to understand and adopt digitization by looking at the benefits of digital transformation for employees.
Enhancing your employee efficiency and customer service is the ultimate goal of digital transformation.
