When it comes to workplace innovation, many forward-thinking businesses follow a simple mantra: “Change before you have to.” They pursue organizational or technological changes in order to stay ahead, rather than catch up – and they rely on their employees to adapt quickly to the new standards and structures they put in place. The pandemic threw a wrench into that neat and tidy outlook on innovation. Businesses had to change.
The digital transformation that many companies underwent in 2020 continued in 2021 at a rapid pace as the pandemic continued to impact the world. While many of my digital Top transformation trends predictions from a year ago were proven correct, others didn’t quite come to fruition and were displaced for more urgent and strategic needs as the pandemic persisted. What does this mean for 2022?
The pandemic accelerated digital transformation across all industries, exacerbating Australia’s tech skills shortage. Research from RMIT Online identified a need for 156,000 new technology workers in Australia, with 87% of jobs now requiring digital skills. This skills gap is set to cost the economy $10 billion in lost growth by 2025 in technology, media, and communications alone.
Government agencies had to adapt to a rapid increase in demand for services in 2020. They also had to adjust to a remote workforce. Many found themselves picking up the pace of their digital transformations and trying to modernize during a global health crisis. Perhaps above all else, many learned the importance of using the right digital tools, platforms, and services. They still have a long way to go.
CIOs can finally claim victory in information hide-and-seek with help of AI-powered search technology Why do companies still struggle to respond to a service complaint, recommend a product, or connect employees with the data they need to make critical decisions? These tasks are critical to retaining customers and engaging workers in a competitive marketplace, yet each relies on finding the right information, and that’s no easy feat.
Manufacturers were already reexamining how they use technology when COVID-19 hit and significantly accelerated that need. Some transformed and were able to pivot quickly, but others are still grappling with challenges in their supply chain and demand fluctuations. There will be more changes, including unexpected ones, and manufacturing operations must adapt quickly. Digital transformation has some real advantages in the industry.
As companies undergo digital transformation, they are becoming more effective, efficient and productive and are delivering an improved user experience. “Digital transformation creates a roadmap for the evolution of innovation inside a business,” says Jay Srage, managing director of Dubai-based Centrigent, a partner of Pittsburgh’s Milhem DTL, led by Ray Milhem.
The year 2020 proved that we need to “adapt” to the unknown, the “new normal” and the constant transformation of what would become a new state of living — one that meant being “displaced” and personally disconnected. If the global Covid-19 pandemic taught us a lesson, it was that we could incorporate new ways of living by self-isolating yet maintaining social integration via a digital presence.
Today’s decision-making is different than even a few years ago. More “data” is used, and the data inputs take several forms, including humans. A big part of today’s strategy and decision-making at enterprise-class organizations are committees, made up of a company’s subject matter experts and relevant stakeholders for a critical company initiative.
