A digital transformation fundamentally changes the way in which a business serves its customers and, in doing so, fundamentally changes the entire business. With this in mind, gaining employee buy-in and maintaining engagement throughout the end-to-end program is essential to a successful transformation. In fact, employee resistance to change is one of the leading reasons that digital transformation projects fail .
As discussed in our previous article, setting out a clear vision, goals and metrics plan will provide the clarity and reassurance that employees look for during times of uncertainty. Paint the big picture, but also spell out exactly how their roles will be affected and the positives this will bring to both them, the organisation as a whole, and your customers.
This is a big one. Organisations where leaders communicate openly with employees throughout the transformation process were eight times more likely to report a successful transformation. Keep communication regular, clear and simple, reiterate the positives and don’t lie (it’s ok not to know all the answers, just be honest and keep the tone positive).
Again, where possible, allow stakeholders to be involved in the setting out of goals and metrics or invite a subset of employees from different departments to collaborate in ideation sessions. Enabling employees to feel they are effecting change, rather than becoming victims of it, will make all the difference.
Creating the best structure in order for teams to work effectively - also known as a Target Operating Model TOM - will help to improve efficiency and empower leaders; all of which will help employees to perceive the transformation as an achievable goal, rather than an impossible task.
If your Vision, Goals, Metrics and Strategy is your plan of action, your Target Operating Model (TOM) is how your business needs to be organised in order to enact that plan.
A TOM focuses on defining the culture, practices, processes and technologies your business will need in order to meet the increased expectations for digital. Not only will a TOM enable you to ensure your business is capable of delivering the digital transformation program - at speed - but it will also help everyone in the organisation to visualise the new company ‘blueprint’, how teams will work together and what any newly created or existing roles will cover.
To learn about how Switch can help you deliver a well-defined digital blueprint, book a consultation with us today and realise your digital future.
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