Companies are becoming increasingly aware that an efficient workforce is only as effective as its leaders want it to be. But to keep up in today’s tech-driven world, an organization-wide digital transformation may be what is required.
In the last decade, digital initiatives that impact the workforce have become prevalent, with many companies developing what can be called a digital IQ – that is, as PwC defines it, a company’s ability to use technology, and to profit from it.
So if digital IQ is key, how can executives leverage it to optimize their workforce, increase efficiency and help their business grow?
Digital technology is changing the way we work.The key to digitizing your company
According to a recent survey by PwC, 80 percent of executives said that identifying opportunities to digitise the company was crucial for the financial wellbeing of their organisation. In addition, the survey said, a digital IQ would allow business leaders to make their workforce more efficient and increase productivity.
The key to increasing your digital IQ is to create a roadmap that will seamlessly integrate new technology into company life, mirroring the experiences that staff have in their personal lives. It’s jarring for staff to live in a smart world, only to venture to the office at 9 a.m. to technology from a decade ago.
- Example: Mobile technology is prevalent outside of the office – with the Pew Research Center finding that 77 percent of North Americans own a smartphone – but not so prevalent inside the office. Yet, a Samsung/Frost & Sullivan survey found that when managers could use smartphones for their work, it increased productivity by 34 percent.
Other ways you could improve efficiency by increasing your digital IQ include investing in automation, easier-to-use systems, cloud connectivity, and so on – essentially, technology that helps staff work faster and dedicate more time to improving products or satisfying customers.
Start from the top down
An effective digital IQ needs to be supported from the top down. Decision makers must understand the importance of the digital ecosystem and take steps to ensure that workplace tools and techniques are used by the right people at the right time. This includes the entire C-suite, from the CEO to the CIO and CFO.
Effective leadership leverages all options for success.Taking the next step
Developing a digital IQ is merely the first step. As digital workplace transformation continues to mirror the fast pace of society, decision makers will need to make certain every level of the company is on the same page. An effective workforce takes direction from the top, a leadership chain that must give people the tools and techniques to succeed. Anything else is likely to see the transformation come to a virtual standstill.
To find out more about workforce optimization solutions that integrate seamlessly into existing business architectures and enable digital transformation, contact Call Design today.