Businesses across the UK are facing a number of hurdles in their quest to become truly digital, new research has revealed.
In a survey of 150 IT decision-makers, 94% said their organisations are either planning, about to start or currently undergoing some form of digital transformation – but many of these initiatives have encountered ‘digital deadlock’.
According to IDC, which conducted the research with computing accessories supplier Targus, projects are stalling because organisations are failing to properly manage change and the impact it will have on their employees.
Delivering transformed working environments, agility, productivity and innovation “requires a fundamental shift in the way in which leaders introduce new technology, the way they define customer experience, as well as the way in which they engage employees and stakeholders,” according to Nathan Budd, senior consulting manager at IDC.
In practice, this means creating a culture to support the digital transformation.
“Sure, you need technology change, innovation and people to aid your digital transformation, but without the right culture in place everything will likely fall apart,” says Daniel Newman in an article for Forbes.
To improve digital culture, Newman recommends first defining what digital transformation means for your company. Work out what types of technologies will help the company reach its goals, and what shift in culture is necessary to bring those goals and technologies to life. Share this across the organisation, explaining why the tweaks in the culture matter.
Create a digital culture that allows for out-of-box thinking among employees, letting them innovate and learn from their failures. “A successful digital culture will reward not just success, but creative failure,” Newman explains.
And when it comes to taking on new employees, change your perception of the ‘right job candidate’. Rather than hiring for specific skills or jobs, think about hiring people with the qualities that will lead to a bigger, stronger, forward-thinking organisation.
