3 KEY COMPONENTS TO DEVELOPING & MAINTAINING A DIGITAL CULTURE
At Onesto consulting we realize that digital transformation strategies need to be bold and will involve a major cultural shift within an organization to achieve the desired outcomes and value. Therefore, we believe that the following steps are critical to develop and maintain a digital culture at any organization.
Create a Digital Culture using ‘Excellence’
Make sure that each associate has clear objectives that are centred around delivering excellence for Your customers. These objectives roll up into team objectives to foster a culture of collaboration and teamwork across the organization. Use a rewards and recognition programs to identify where teams or individuals have stepped out of their comfort zone to achieve a result that helps drive a culture of excellence. Leaders across the organization must role model these behaviours and be consistent in the language and messaging used to promote these ideas.
2. Create a Digital Culture using ‘Alignment’
Ensure that each associate at all levels of the organization are aware and understand the overall purpose of the organization and that they keep this purpose at the centre of all of the activities that they do. This can be achieved by driving regular engagement activities to really illustrate the purpose of the organization.
Another important element is change management. Implementing a robust change management framework which can be used to guide the digital transformation strategy ensuring that nobody is left behind when it comes to understanding the ‘Why’. Engage and seek input from all levels of the organisation which enables you to be proactive and address issues or provide clarity early on before negativity or confusion start to set in.
Provide upskilling opportunities on both new technologies and new ways of working to ensue teams are fully equipped to thrive in this new digital world that. This can be achieved through the creation of academies and each associate is given the opportunity to enrol in the academy topic that is relevant to their role. Seek input from associates who are directly impacted by the digital transformation efforts. this can be done through regular surveys, focus groups, interviews and even hacktathons for larger problems.
3. Create a digital culture using ‘Innovation’
Creating a space where innovation is supported and encouraged is a crucial component in driving a digital culture. We believe that by encouraging associates to be curious and to experiment with new ideas that you will unlock the best ideas from all levels of your organisation. This can be achieved through the following steps:
Leadership Support: leaders must set a clear vision and actively promote a culture of creativity and experimentation. They should encourage risk-taking, provide resources, and celebrate innovative achievements
Empowering Employees: Empower employees at all levels to contribute ideas and participate in innovation. Provide avenues for idea-sharing, such as innovation challenges or brainstorming sessions.
Encouraging Experimentation: Create a safe space for experimentation where failure is seen as a learning opportunity. Use agile methodologies to allow for quick feedback and adaptation
Recognizing and Rewarding Innovation: Recognize and celebrate innovative ideas and contributions. Implement reward systems to incentivize innovation and showcase successful innovation stories.
Psychological Safety: Foster open communication and transparency to encourage idea-sharing and collaboration. Ensure that innovative ideas are welcomed and considered regardless of hierarchy.
Through implementing these key components, organizations can harness the creativity of their employees to drive digital transformation and maintain a digital culture long into the future.