The Human Factor Within Your Digital Journey: How Leaders Can Develop a Digital Ready Workforce

By Mario Middendorp, Head Of Global Customer Care, VEON [NASDAQ: VEON]

Mario Middendorp, Head Of Global Customer Care, VEON [NASDAQ: VEON]

Digital transformation does not only impact your business models and organizational structure, but also one of your most valuable assets: your workforce. The human factor will play a key role in the success of your digital transformation. However, this transformation is far from an easy ride. A survey by McKinsey* shows that less than 30 per cent* of the companies can confirm they had a successful digital transformation.

Therefore, to increase your chances of a successful digital transformation consider integrating below mentioned key topics into your digital roadmaps.

Cultural change

As with most changes in organizations resistance will occur. Here is a crucial role is for leaders to define a clear vision for the digital journey and which (joint) cultural values will be important. Leaders should also inspire and facilitate teams to achieve the company digital vision. Start with assessing your current culture and define what needs to change. Ensure to co-create your companies digital vision with your employees. This will benefit their commitment and motivation.

Leaders will need to change as well and should reflect what change is required for them and more important be transparent about this towards your employees. Ideally, you put a separate work stream for leaders into your roadmap.

Different value add of employee

As your business models changes, your value chain will also change.

Define for each of your functions the revised value add deliverables. Ensure to keep your revised business models linked to your workforce as these two influences each other.

Ability to execute

Once you defined the vision and your revised value chain (products and services), you will have a good insight into what will be required in terms of skillset for your respective functions. The next step would be to set a benchmark if your workforce has the right skill set to fulfil these. This gap analysis will initiate actions like training and coaching plans, redefine/change job roles, different governance and organization structure. You will also maybe even say farewell to functions and people. As gaps will remain after this benchmark, hiring external talents will be required. So ensure you have a top-notch talent acquisition process in place.

Customer centricity 2.0: pro-activity

Digital transformation will also change the way customers are served and their expectations will change as well. Do not make the mistake to think that sending out a CSAT survey is customer-centric. Even sending an NPS is reactive. It is all about the drivers behind customer satisfaction. So besides carefully listening, analysing and acting, reach out “pro-actively and ask you customer ”What do I need to do to receive an excellent score from you, dear customer?

Continuous evaluation of cooperation

Now internal hierarchical governance structures will change, disappear and agility comes along, this will change the way teams cooperate. This will mean that more interdisciplinary collaborations will be required. With the knowledge of this, it is becoming even more crucial to evaluate your cooperation. This will generate valuable information on what goes well and what needs to be changed or improved during your transformation.

Define for each of your functions the revised value add deliverables. Ensure to keep your revised business models linked to your workforce as these two influences each other

Ask yourself the question: is cooperation a fixed agenda topic during meetings in your organization?

Based on my experiences I dare to bet that 90 per cent of you are not! So, as leaders show that you do this in your MT/board meetings, before asking this to other teams. I am fully aware the above-mentioned steps do not cover all challenging elements companies are struggling within their digital transformation. By at least considering the above five pointers, your chances of completing a successful digital transformation will increase.