In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, organisations must adopt new technologies and embrace digital skills to stay ahead of the game. However, embracing digitalisation can be a daunting task, especially for those who are not digital natives. That’s why we need to focus on subtle but consistent and constant nudges away from old ways of working towards the future. By encouraging the use of technology and promoting the adoption of new digital skills, we can reduce complexity, increase collaboration, and maximise efficiency. In this blog post, we explore what a digital native is, small steps that leaders can take now and the power of subtle nudges in digitalisation and how they can help make your organisation a success in the digital age.
We’ve achieved so much with Technology in such a short space of time.
From computer-aided design to digital twins connected through the Internet of Things, there are unbelievably realistic games that immerse you in new worlds from the past, future, and everywhere in between. Augmented and virtual realities can alter your reality on the spot. Now, we are seeing artificial intelligence taking the world by storm. You can now have your very own virtual assistant in your pocket, such as Jarvis from Iron Man or Holly from Red Dwarf (depending on your demographic). I know which one I’d prefer.
While we might not be there quite yet, it is widely reported that 90% of all the world’s data has been generated in the last two years, and we will continue to create more every second of every day.
The reality is that many businesses are falling behind when it comes to embracing digital technology.
Why is this? Well, it could be because current leaders are not digital natives. When I was in school in the 90s, we could only access computers through computer rooms. The most I could do in IT lessons was make childish animations of people falling off cliffs using Paint and PowerPoint slides. We were being taught to type on computers, not to code, host cloud services, create websites, or edit videos. So, I understand that for non-digital natives, these tasks can feel confusing, novel, and unnatural.
However, we must embrace digital technology regardless.
If we don’t keep up, we will get left behind. Tomorrows challenges are going to be achieved through technology and we need more digital skills. From Climate change to global economic recovery to the UN’s sustainability goals down to the delivery of mega projects and programmes and the building and selling of goods and wares. They are all going to rely more and more on your organisations ability to adopt new technologies and digital skills.
A survey of over 1000 businesses, conducted by Business LDN as part of the Local Skills Improvement Plan for London, found that 43% of businesses experience difficulty in hiring technical and skilled support roles. In the next two to five years, digital skills are expected to be in highest demand. More than half of respondents (56%) reported a need for advanced digital skills, and a third (33%) reported a need for basic digital skills. This need is even greater in certain industries, such as creative and construction (closer to 50%).
It’s not about making drastic changes that fundamentally alter the way your people have always done things. We know that can be scary and counterintuitive. A good strategy is to deliver subtle but consistent nudges away from old ways of working and towards the future. This can add huge amounts of value to your bottom line and benefit your people.
In 2019, I worked on Crossrail and introduced new digital technologies to the engineering team to encourage better collaboration and visibility during the testing phase. Despite resistance from some who believed that “Signal Testers will never change their ways of working,” this subtle change had obvious benefits. The introduction of technology changed behaviours and had a massive impact on the achievements of Crossrail from 2019 onwards, when it needed it most. The transition from “traditional” ways of working to adopting technology and using new digital skills reduced complexity, increased collaboration, and, most importantly, optimised workforce time to focus on the important parts of the job instead of chasing paper trails.
As a leader, there are three simple steps you can take now to improve your organisation’s digital capabilities:
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Embrace digital: Start by embracing digital. Are you digitally active? Have you made it a priority in your organisation or are you stuck in the past? Do you have a Chief Information or Technology Officer in place? Winston Churchill, during World War 2, kept a scientist named Frederick Lindemann close by at all times. Lindemann was a master at converting data into clear charts to promote strategies and focused on rapid experiments and fast failures. Who is your Lindemann? If we as leaders don’t embrace the “art of the possible” and ensure that digital and technology are integral to our organisations, we will struggle to meet future challenges.
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Understand your organisation’s current digital capabilities: Make sure you truly understand your organisation’s digital capabilities. Can you achieve the “art of the possible” with the resources you have? Or do you need to bring in new skillsets? Can your current workforce meet the demands of your newly embraced digital aspirations? Ask yourself these questions.
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Plug those gaps: Keep your mind open to more than just young talent from universities and technical colleges. Consider other opportunities, such as mature entry-level applicants with unique skills in the digital space that are retrained resources from adult education. Organisations need to invest in skills that are not natural to non-digital natives, such as full-stack developers, Amazon Web Services, web application development, software development, and cybersecurity. Services like the Digital Hub provided by Westminster Adult Education Services offer access to these skills. Consider what relationships you have with providers like this to plug the gaps.
In summary:
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Digital skills are necessary to stay ahead of the game.
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We must embrace digital, understand our organisation’s capabilities, and fill in any gaps.
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Lastly, and most importantly, signal testers will change