In a world that’s increasingly reliant on technology, people are experiencing drastic changes in habits and behavior, that have established the need for digitization in the workplace. But despite unprecedented growth in the digital space, there is a lack of adaptation in the professional environment.
Traditional leadership styles, when applied well, have proven successful. For this reason, many managers wonder “why change if things have been working well for me?” Some people also see remote working as an opportunity to slack on responsibilities.
However, there are many advantages to digital transformation. According to HR studies, 76% of surveyed Spanish professionals state that the digitalization of their departments has allowed them to prioritize all issues related to their employees’ well-being.
This transformation impacts cultural, personal, corporate, strategic, and operational aspects, compelling a change in how we relate, work, lead, think, plan, and even balance professional and personal life.
For this reason, it is crucial to prepare for this change. Simply providing the latest devices and cutting-edge technology is not enough. The change goes much deeper and should consider individuals as the starting point for all decisions the company makes.
Business actions for developing digital competencies
But how can companies start working in this way and enjoy the benefits of digitalization? Below, we explain the most important steps.
Set objectives
What are your company’s needs? What are the weak points that can be improved thanks to current technology? Which processes can you streamline, decentralize, and/or automate to enhance productivity? Answer these questions to discover the main objectives.
Review job definitions
Take another look at your job descriptions and assess where they could be updated to feature new responsibilities related to technology.
Outline and update required skills
Establish the skills your workforce needs to develop in order to adapt to a more digital workplace, keeping in mind changing trends in this area.
Measure the level of digital competencies of your staff
This will allow you to make informed decisions regarding the measures to adopt based on the current capacity of your team.
Organize your training plan
Use calls, projects, chats, categories, roles, gamification, or any other necessary means to plan the steps your employees need to follow to adapt to the digital workplace.
Measure the progress and results
Measuring the impact of your efforts and making any necessary adjustments is essential. It might be necessary to seek the advice of experts in skills and technologies to successfully adapt to the digital transformation. Although associated with extra costs, this can help avoid unnecessary complications and speed up the implementation of crucial initiatives.
Key competencies for digital transformation
We’ve already seen the importance of defining competencies to help employees adapt to a more digital workplace. Below, we explore some of the key skills to consider from both a personal and professional point of view:
From a personal standpoint, the employee should:
1. Improve their learning agility and self-development through new technologies.
2. Learn to create and share information through digital media.
3. Enhance their digital communication and social skills.
4. Establish and maintain a personal brand that does not harm their company and, if possible, positions it favorably on social networks.
5. Develop the ability to disconnect from digital media to avoid falling into technology-related conditions such as nomophobia, ‘whatsappitis,’ and ‘cyberchondria.’
In terms of their relationship with work, they should:
6. Efficiently manage information and documentation through digital media, taking into account cybersecurity criteria.
7. Organize themselves effectively using collaborative and management tools, for example, Sharepoint, Trello, etc.
8. Manage digital projects with remote teams.
Regarding their relationship with their team:
9. Adapt to working in remote teams.
10. Apply leadership 2.0 skills.
11. Incorporate techniques, methodologies, and behaviors to promote and educate in virtual environments, LMS, virtual classrooms, collaborative forums, etc.
Regarding their relationship with clients:
12. Acquire and apply skills for e-commerce.
13. Strengthen criteria and guidelines for customer service in digital environments.
Finally, those managing teams should:
14. Adapt their strategic planning to new technologies.
15. All of this, while working on an essential skill to encourage others: adaptability to change. By setting an example in this regard, they can create a cultural of digital transformation throughout the organization.
Create a culture of digital transformation in your organization
These competencies should be complemented with training in the technological tools that employees must use, to ensure they have the knowledge needed to adapt to the digital transformation.
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