Are You Digital?
How well would you say your organization has fared “digitally” this year? It is safe to say at this point most organizations were not ready to ride the digital wave that crashed upon everything in early 2020. A recent Brandon Hall survey found that only 10% of organizations were “ready” to shift seamlessly to a virtual workforce. What that meant for the other 90% is they had to grow up digitally very quickly. How ready were your business and operating processes to make the shift to all digital? Would you say you were “Digitally Mature?”
Thankfully, there is one term that was completely obliterated in 2020, “Digital Transformation.” The term alone brings painful memories of death march projects and repetitive presentations describing organizational “Transformation.” 2020 is not having any of that. Either adapt or perish, no time to transform. The phrases that have replaced the “T” word are now “Readiness” and “Maturity.” Both indicate a more immediate and evolved stance when it comes to leveraging technology.
The past few years I have met with clients to discuss their Digital Readiness or Maturity as it relates to their Learning and Talent processes. The responses were consistent, great interest up front with little follow-through after. I liken this to a personal desire to lose a few pounds; it would be nice, but I do not want to change too much. Lately, the conversations regarding Digital Readiness or Maturity have taken on a whole new level of interest. Instead of needing to lose just a few pounds, it is now a life threating choice if you don’t. Same goes with becoming more digital.
When most employees left their hallowed halls for the kitchen counters and dining room tables this year, they physically separated the ability to work around going fully digital. Walking down the hall, paper pushing, e-mail and siloed Excel sheets have seen their day. If the information you need is not somewhere in the Cloud, you can bet it will be soon. Thankfully, the tired Executive speeches have transitioned to announcements of new functionality or process; sometimes complete before you even knew they were up for consideration. Welcome to the end of “Digital Resistance.”
The organizations of Post-COVID or Post-2020 are all about action and cutting through Red Tape. Throughout the last few years, I have looked at data regarding digital maturity for organizations and it is blatantly evident that a change is taking place. Most data points collected Pre-COVID, hardly moved year over year. However, anecdotal surveys taken this year paint a very different picture. Organizations are no longer interested in drawn out transformation, they are Digitizing and Optimizing and at a rapid pace.
As our workforce is driven to more digital, virtual, remote options so increases the need for business and operational processes to follow. Using my weight analogy, I would say that when it comes to many Learning and Talent systems, most stood to lose a few pounds. The LMS or Learning platform was an uninviting place mandated destination. Generally focused on compliance content, 2020 has brought an “Extreme Makeover” in many ways to Learning & Talent. People are focused on their skills like never before. Aligned with my article last week on Adaption being fueled by Knowledge, we are seeing a “fitness revolution” when it comes to Learning especially.
Conversations with clients are tuned to improving their platform and department efficiencies (Maturity) to keep up with the new demands on their platform and content. As the learner demand for skills increases, so does the pressure and demand on the systems, people and processes required to support the platforms. Ironically, in previous downturns in the economy Learning and Training were some of the first line items cut from budgets; however, this time is different. Executives and Middle Management see the value in supporting learning.
Call it a result of the remote workforce or demand for Upskilling and Reskilling, but many organizations have even shifted to full empowerment of the employee. I’m hearing more from Executives around the Globe that they want employees to “Own” their learning. To make this happen, they need to platforms and resources to provide these assets entirely virtual. Hence, they have got to be Digital. So, it would seem the new circular reasoning that has been brought about by the pandemic is essentially what Modern Learning is all about; Learn, Unlearn, Learn Again. Although now, for organizations its: Get Digital, Stay Digital, Expand Digital.
If I were to look into my Crystal Ball for 2021 (for Learning only) I see more efforts around optimizing business processes to leverage Digital strategies. The pretense for long meetings in crowded conference rooms (the core component of many Death Marches) to discuss “Transformation” no longer exists. As budgets shift to reallocate Travel and Corporate Real Estate funds to Learning and Talent processes, look to see many more changes, perhaps enhancements to the Learning and Talent efforts within organizations. 2020 has shown us that an educated, skilled workforce is the greatest defense against uncertain times. Let us hope 2021 has less uncertainty and more development.