The digital journey: Get your business on the right track

Sariba digitalisation

"Digitalisation" is experienced by many as a "buzz word" these days, but the fact is that many businesses are at the start of an absolutely necessary journey. No industry will remain untouched by the digital revolution. How to get your business on the right track in the digital journey?

The digital journey is not about converting analogue processes and manual steps into digital processes. Nor is it about adding a digital "layer" to business-as-usual.
The core of digital transformation is about genuinely rethinking:

  • How we engage customers, employees and candidates
  • With what tools and on which platforms the business operates
  • How products and services are delivered

Think digital whole!

Digitalisation changes how employees, customers and other stakeholders interact with the business. A company that genuinely wants to become digital should therefore rethink its processes from A to Å, and focus on the entire value chain. By introducing digital technologies, the organization is brought together, breaking barriers of traditional mental models such as organizational structures, silo orientation, etc.

Internal and external interaction and real-time information for better decision-making (analytics and predictive analytics) will make the organization more proactive and attractive to talent who want a modern, robust and forward-looking employer. First movers will be able to create a competitive advantage.

The digital journey – who will be the tour guide?

Digitalisation is often referred to as a concept it is responsible for: It is perceived as technology-driven by the fact that technology development has created a space for change.
But digitalization challenges all components of a business; strategies, business models, processes and management.

This suggests that the journey should be led by business. Digitization will always result in one or more changes since it generates a push towards doing something different. The digitalisation journey should be handled as an organisational development project and not as an IT project, where the following areas are affected:

  • Review/reassessment of strategy with clear objective
  • Review/analysis of processes (from A to Å)
  • Management of organisational changes – culture, organisational culture, job descriptions, new procedures, competence, etc.)
  • Evaluation and adoption of new IT support tools
  • Involvement of the organization

To ensure the benefits of digitalization, travel managers should take a holistic view of the business - ensuring interaction between the different parts of the organization.

Is the digitalization journey relevant for HR
?

Digitalization is most relevant for HR because:

  • Generation Y expects their work-related environment to have adopted new technologies, and that they should have at least the same opportunities to take advantage of digital opportunities there as in their private lives.
  • Increased market pace requires organisations to be increasingly proactive in their changes and for lead time to implement them to be as short as possible
  • The demands on business efficiency are constantly increasing
  • Digitalisation will be a driver for redesigning the company's business model

In summary, it is important that HR increasingly takes the driver's seat in the company's digitalization journey - a role that has previously largely fallen to IT. We are in a paradigm shift, where IT is no longer the sole leader in digitalization, but key supporters and contributors to business.

The term "digitalization" can be perceived as a buzz word, as "social media" was a few years ago. But at its core, digitalization can and should be a driver for the creation of business 3.0. Do you want your HR organization to be taken to new heights? Sariba is happy to help - get in touch with Lionel Layerle.