Organisations across the globe are pursuing digital transformation so that they can take advantage of new digital technologies and implement digital processes. Many of these organisations have either kick started the process or have already taken on a digital first approach to their business operations. However, one commonality among these organisations is that their workforce strategy is often far behind their ability to actually leverage the digital tools they’re implementing. One of the main reasons behind this is that the organisations have technology at the core of their digital transformation, when in actual fact, it’s people who fuel the transformation.

Here are three reasons why people need to be the core focus of any digital transformation initiative:

A mindset shift is needed

Implementing the latest and greatest digital tools won’t get you any results if the employees don’t have a digital first mindset. All employees need to be willing to approach things differently when it comes to helping to grow and transform the company and better serve their customers. They need to be clear on the vision and reason for undertaking digital transformation in the first place, otherwise they won’t get on board. In addition to understanding the vision, they need to embrace the idea that the implementation of digital processes requires change for it to be successful. There are a number of steps you can take to ensure your employees are on board with digital transformation:

1. Develop a clear vision for the initiative that gives employees all the information they need and inspires them to embrace the digital change.
2. Find champions of digital change within the business who can help be the voice of reason and lead others on the journey to embracing all things digital.
3. Develop learning solutions for the organisation that educates and motivates employees on embracing change.

A change in behaviour is needed

For digital transformation to be successful, employees need to make changes to the way they look at digital tools. Just introducing new digital tools will not lead to lasting impact as the employees need the right skills and education to be able to incorporate the new tools into their existing business processes. Unless employees are engaged with the technology, then any digital initiatives will struggle to get off the ground. When humans and technology come together, there is generally a lower error rate than when they act along, however this in reliant on the employees embracing the technology in queston.

Support from Business Leaders is needed

Leaders within the business must be the pinnacles of change and set the example when it comes to behaviour and mindset. They must show what is required to ensure digital transformation initiatives are a success. There is a heavy focus on technology whenever we talk about digital, however the transformation aspect is highly dependent on employees having the right leadership to inspire and support them.

Leadership training can pay dividends in this respect, to enable leaders to lead their team through the change that comes with any digital transformation initiative. With the skills and education that comes from training, business leaders can push transformation forward by:

• Establishing open communication between employees and business leaders that ensures a solid feedback loop is in place.
• Recognise those who contribute most to new digital ideas and embed those ideas within business processes to improve the use of digital tools.
• Encourage employee learning and education.

Final Thoughts

While technology is a key component of digital transformation, it’s important to remember that at the end of the day it’s people who will enable the transformation to be a success. Technology can enable digital transformation, however it’s the employees who bring the new ideas and patch the digital tools and processes together to drive change. By focusing more on ensuring your employees are equipped to embrace a digital mindset, you’re setting your business up to have more chance of success in their digital endeavours.