Digital transformation, technology and people

Do organizations absolutely have to embark on digital transformation?

We have all noticed: habits have changed with the explosion  of online commerce and the arrival of hybrid work. To cope with both, and thus maintain a good satisfaction rate with users and employees, adjustments are necessary.   underline the need for organizations to start/accelerate/strengthen their digital transformation (depending on the stage they are at).

When asked what digital changes they would like to prioritize, IT managers answer in favor of automation, which narrowly edges out security concerns (1%). 

(source Randstat)

(source Randstat)

This is a fairly logical response, no doubt shared by all managers, to given  the recruitment and retention issues that companies are experiencing today (and will continue to experience for some time to come, according to forecasts).

However, implementing digital acceleration projects does not happen by itself, even if there is a real desire on the part of management to move in that direction.

-> 75% of IT managers are experiencing delays in their IT projects

Delays can be caused by a change in priorities, lack of qualified personnel or increased costs, to name the main reasons.

This can lead to a vicious circle: delays generate additional costs, which negatively impact the budget... which can slow down recruitment, precisely when new manpower would allow faster delivery and the achievement of business objectives!

As a result, the teams in place are more busy putting out fires than preparing for the challenges of tomorrow.

How to deal with the challenges posed by digital transformation?

There are several solutions to avoid this squaring of the circle, such as encourage  recruitment by developing its employer brand, retain current employees by working on cohesion, commitment and the meaning of their work, model the knowledge available to facilitate their internal mobility, develop the skills of the next generation, etc. This is true for IT, as it is for all other departments.

How to get help with your digital transformation?

While the effects are real, they are rarely immediate. When it comes to competition, deliverables or business objectives, time is rarely an ally. Therefore, calling on a company   , whose specialty is this, can greatly help.

First, because the first step of a successful transformation is not to think about technological solutions, but to define a preliminary action plan, the real key to a successful transformation.

A plan must:

• Understand all the implications for the organization: transforming its processes affects all departments.
• Specify the objective and target of this transformation. The plan also serves to clarify the company's current state, its position in the market and where it wants to go.
• Identify the value chains that will contribute to differentiate from the competition and those that are counterproductive.
• Detect the necessary processes and how they affect the existing processes, human and technical resources, in order to measure the gap between the current state and the needs of the company.
• Establish a roadmap that prioritizes and plans the initiatives to be deployed, while ensuring alignment with all ongoing projects.
• Enable change management and therefore human support for employees, the only way to promote acceptance and adherence to the digital transformation project... and therefore its success.

In conclusion

Digital is not everything. More precisely, digital transformation alone is nothing if it is not accompanied by human resources development (recruitment, retention, training, etc.). This is even more true with a shortage of manpower.

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