Anand is the CEO & Product Owner at Amoeboids.
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We are in times of unseen changes—in our personal lives, in our work, in the ways we think—and by now, it is evident that we have to change not only our surroundings but our long-held views and practices, too. Changes like the increased adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging tech drive the business that gives employees more time to focus on value-added work, which is a marked departure from what they are used to.
This change in mindset, along with the ever-changing requirements of the market, needs a sure hand to succeed. Guidance and training for employees are also necessary during digital transformation, and HR teams can assist in handling the challenges.
The Need For Resourceful Humans During Transformation
According to a McKinsey & Company survey, 31% of digital transformation efforts are successful regardless of actions taken. The survey lists leadership reluctance to mindset change, treating transformation as a business process and minimal attempts at cultural changes as major obstacles to digital transformation. These issues can stem from a lack of understanding of employee pain points, and HR team members can clearly define these issues and find ways to address them. They can devise ways to get the workforce equipped with new skills, create new roles within the organization to manage the new challenges or find some feasible solutions.
Here are a few of the steps that an HR person can take if they are playing an active role in guiding their organization’s digital transformation.
Establishing A Culture Of Learning And Growth
Helping employees get ready with an understanding of the latest tools is an HR domain. In association with technical team leads, HR team members can devise personalized development plans based on employee interests. Organizations like Google have a "Googler-to-Googler (G2G) program where employees spend a fixed number of their work hours learning and teaching important skills.
Having leadership teams actively buy into these upskilling initiatives is essential. HR teams can create a "mentor" pool of subject matter experts who can then explain important new developments in their industry sphere to the organization leaders. Learning about the cloud or the advantages of AI, for example, can help leaders make informed decisions while hiring vendors.
Aligning Personal And Organizational Goals
Employees who succeed in their organizations tend to have similar goals, and this idea of contributing to something purposeful creates a close-knit culture. HR teams can enable this by adopting a goal-setting framework like OKRs, where employees understand how their contributions make a difference to the organization and can set their goals accordingly. There are multiple types of OKRs, and organizations can use the ones that best suit their needs. By uncoupling performance from remuneration, organizations can show that they are truly invested in the success of their employees.
Redesigning Employee Onboarding
Newbies are the hardest hit in digital transformation efforts, and HR teams can simplify the journey for them. Right from the moment a prospect gets confirmation mail to their first day, create touchpoints to ease their way in. Plus, the task of developing guides or processes can help teams streamline their work plans, too.
Ensuring Everyone Plays Their Part
Digital transformation requires employees to change the way they work, at least for some departments. HR teams can support this by introducing the new transformation-based guidelines and making them a part of the organization’s onboarding process. Digital transformation is everyone’s responsibility, not the tech team’s alone. With the support of HR, every member can pitch in and transition smoothly.
Bringing The Future Of Work Into The Present
With unprecedented changes to working styles over the last two years, technology organizations are still debating between in-office, WFH and hybrid models. While the preferences may differ, there are plenty of other employee pain points that need addressing—be it connectivity, lack of face time or something else. Addressing these issues in the middle of a digital transformation exercise requires the expertise of HR professionals who have to balance both employee well-being and the organization’s success.
Transformation Is A Human Resource Process
Leaders are right in stepping toward digital transformation in an era where the average lifespan of Fortune 500 companies is shrinking. But doing so without a human resources representative would mean focusing on the processes and not on people. The new generation that is entering the workforce brings a new flavor to the working culture, where employees are equally focused on different aspects of life and expect support from their employers, too. They value flexibility and transparency and are more collaborative than competitive—56% of employees wouldn’t consider a job if they weren’t in alignment with the organization’s values.
Understanding the pain points of employees and addressing them while motivating employees to improve the bottom line requires strategic input from HR. HR managers can focus on enhancing employee lives, be it through talent acquisition, training programs, individual one-on-ones or a plain appreciation call.
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