🤩 Before you begin

A recent Gartner survey reports that in 2021, 32% of the global workforce worked remotely. That number is expected to grow as people seek more flexibility and businesses try to keep up with the competition.

Tech is useless if you don’t know how to use it. People are often resistant to change, so implementing new technology without the proper support will not yield the desired results. In addition, you will also come across some employees who fear that technology and automation will take away their jobs. You need to address these issues as soon as possible if you’re to successfully build a digital-first culture.

Head these concerns off with solid training and a transparent communication strategy. First, assess your team’s initial skill level. Offer job-specific training on how each role can make the best use of the software.

Second, invite employees to give feedback and emphasize how digitization will help enhance, not reduce, the value they bring to the company.

When it comes to creating a corporate culture, senior management holds the key. Regardless of the values listed on your website or painted on office walls, if your managers and executives don’t reflect them, neither will your employees.

When you’re trying to build a digital-first culture, leaders must evangelize the approach in everything they do. Lead by example. Imagine how it looks if employees are told to use Asana to manage and share tasks, but their boss still relies on the good-ol’ spreadsheets.

In today’s workplace, you’re only as strong as your least-digitized business unit. Empowering one department while leaving others to run as-is means that you’re missing out on critical efficiencies digital transformation can bring to every facet of your business.

Digitizing minimizes the risk of losing data or people missing critical information. That’s why it’s essential to integrate your various tools as much as possible, so different business functions can operate efficiently.

Managers, executives and employees are all working toward one common goal: Make the business successful. Yet, according to McKinsey, nearly 70% of change programs flop because of employee resistance and a lack of management support. Avoid this by getting your employees invested in the change you’re making. The proof is in the numbers. The same McKinsey study has found that when people feel like they have a say in the transition, these initiatives are 30% more likely to last.

When drafting job descriptions, make sure you list the technical tools, skills and working style you expect. Do this with your current employees and potential new hires as well. Clear expectations and transparency go a long way in fostering a shared digital-first mindset.