How to navigate the digital journey
Given we’re all “going digital” and embracing new ways of working in the 21st century, what are we witnessing as successes and challenges? What’s going well and what’s not?
Below are some thoughts, not by any means a textbook style approach to change management or business transformation, but just some views based on recent, personal experiences that might ring true for you and your digital journey.
1) Top level buy-in
Everyone always bangs on about this but it’s true. Nothing says you mean it more than your CEO being the voice behind embracing digital. And nothing removes credibility like your CEO shouting for a paper form the next time he or she wants to change their healthcare cover. If you get the support of the people at the top table before you’ve even started then your chances of success will improve substantially.
2) Commit to it and stand by it
There will be times when it’s tough and it’s easier to go back. Don’t do it. Anything in life that’s easy isn’t worth doing. The first time a senior employee wants to circumvent the new digital direction, don’t cave. Help them through it, show them the benefits of what you’ve done and why it makes their life easier. Crumbling at the first sign of a challenge puts you back at square one.
3) Live and breathe digital
If you’re still talking PRINCE2 then you’re not thinking digital. Read up on what agile means. Be lean. Become a scrum master. Seriously though, you don’t need to do these things but if you want to master digital you have to embrace it within your everyday life.
4) It’s a journey not a project
There won’t ever be a day when you sit back in your chair and think “That’s it, I’ve cracked it!” It’s is a continuous journey. There’s always going to be something within your business that could be improved by using technology. Are you still requesting season tickets and paying by cheque? Do you still record time through Excel? Are your expense submissions supported by a form with copies of receipts? These are just some examples that will show you that the journey is incomplete.
5) Digital doesn’t mean ‘no humans’
You’re doing this because you want the personal experience to be better. That doesn’t mean removing the people element of it. Some people will embrace change immediately; some will take a little longer. But one thing is for certain, we’re not just replacing humans with robots. Think about the different people in your population. What stage of their life are they in? Do they need that little bit of hand holding? If you embrace technology to do the mundane every-day stuff you’ll have more time to help those that need it when it really matters.
I wouldn’t call that a list of “top tips”, just some thoughts to help you along the way. Just turning something digital won’t improve it, figuring out why you do something and then thinking about how technology could make it better will. And, if you manage to add in some marginal gains through the tips above I’ll look forward to hearing about it.
Join our session “Digitising your EVP” at the REBA Reward Leaders Forum on 18th April to talk about it some more.
This article was provided by JLT Employee Benefits.
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