One of the most important aspects in Digital Transformation is that your employees are engaged and fully on board with the changes that will be happening within the business. It is important to encourage your workforce to be involved early on in the transition and ensure communication between CIOs and employees is clear regarding the new systems and process that will be adopted.
Your employees are typically the ones using the systems that will be going through a Digital Transformation. Some may not be keen on the changes you will be introducing and may oppose the new systems. Involving your team early on in the decision making and planning process can encourage support and engagement from your employees.
Here are 5 ways you can get your employees involved and encourage them to get on board with a Digital Transformation:
1. Communicate the plan
The key to a successful Digital Transformation is communicating the plan for the business and being transparent about how the systems your employees use every day might change. It is important to communicate how Digital Transformation will benefit the team and the reasons for deciding to do it. Continuing this communication throughout the Digital Transformation will engage your team through the whole process so they feel involved and understand what is happening, especially if these changes will directly affect how they work.
2. Explain how the changes will benefit them
Your team may be wondering what is wrong with the current systems you have, people like things they know and are comfortable with and therefore might feel apprehensive about the changes new systems will bring. It is your job to be clear about the planned changes and educate your employees with how it will benefit the team and make their life and role in the company easier.
3. Let employees express concerns
Letting your employees express any concerns they may be having and answering any questions will reassure them the change will be good for them and the business. Being open with your team about each stage of the Digital Transformation process will help them understand the change and plan for it. It will also give them an opportunity to voice feedback and opinions which might assist the project.
4. Invest in Training
Training is key to a successful Digital Transformation, ensuring all staff fully understand and are trained on the new system prior to rolling it out. This will also assist your workforce in remaining productive and ensure nothing is missed during the changeover from old to new systems.
5. Continue to keep employees engaged
Digital Transformation for an organisation can take years to complete successfully, especially if it is a business wide transformation. Keeping employees engaged in a long-term project can be difficult. Therefore, it is important for CIOs to be open about the plans for the future stages of Digital Transformation. This will encourage your workforce to adopt the changes you are implementing and encourage support for this long term change.
Final thoughts
It is important to gain trust and support from your workforce. Organisations that are successful in Digital Transformation put a lot of effort into creating a culture that accepts change. CIOs have a responsibility to train their employees and knowledge share on the benefits Digital Transformation will bring to the organisation. Using clear communication, training and creating a trusted environment can encourage engagement and allow for a successful Digital Transformation.
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