The phrase ‘Digital Transformation’ has turned into something of a buzzword of late. This is in part due to its overuse by self-entitled industry gurus, and the tendency of misguided brands to invest without strategy. But that’s not to say it’s not important, because it absolutely is, there just needs to be a defined methodology in place to achieve the potential of any transformation.
It applies to the technology you work with, it applies to the way you align your services with your customers’ needs – and as this article will discuss – it applies to the talent that you hire. Just as new technology is useless unless it has a purpose, the talent that you bring onboard should solve a specific problem for your business and act as a catalyst for digital success.
In today’s rapidly changing digital landscape, the highest performing companies are those that understand their talent needs and know how to meet them. Here’s how they do it.
Recognising the Importance of Investment
A Gartner study recently found that half of CEOs surveyed expected digital transformations to render their industries unrecognisable in five years time. If your business isn’t making steps to realign with the changing expectations of today’s consumer, there’s a chance you might not make it to the end of the decade.
Over the next five years, enterprise businesses will invest hundreds of millions of dollars in their quest for digital reinvention. With this, the demand for workers that understand how to use and implement technologies such as big data, IoT, and artificial intelligence will only grow.
So who will succeed in this demanding digital landscape? Those who invest early in building their digital workforce, those that cultivate and retain their talent, and those that offer training that empowers staff to embrace new technologies and digital processes.
Developing a Hiring Strategy
A good digital hiring strategy will set out a defined, staged and focussed plan of attack that will help you reach your goals. It will help you identify the missing pieces of your digital puzzle, it will help you engage stakeholders to obtain the necessary resources, and it will ultimately drive your business growth.
Where do you want to go? What skills are missing that will help you get there? Would I be better off hiring, training current staff, or outsourcing? Ask yourself these questions, and focus on return on investment through efficiency and impact.
An experienced hiring partner will work with you to identify your missing links and build your strategy. Our best tip? Invest the time in finding an agency that is willing to invest their time in you.
Driving Your Transformation
When searching for talent, look for specific skills that will help drive your digital transformation. These skills will vary by industry and the global market your business operates in, but many successful digital businesses share common traits. They’re customer-centric, data-driven, fast-moving and agile. Identify the must win moments for your brand, then map out the skills that are required to make them a reality.
Also, don’t make the mistake of hiring for hiring’s sake. There’s no point looking for external talent if your existing team has the potential to fill the skill gap. For HR, this is an opportunity to cultivate a culture that embraces upskilling and empowers employees to own innovation in their roles.
Digital transformation starts with the team members that drive it, and it’s their skills that will help you achieve your goals. Whether it’s by training, hiring or outsourcing; without access to certain skills, businesses will find it hard to provide a service that meets the increasing digital needs of their customer.
A Partnership for Digital Success
There is no golden rule when it comes to implementing digital changes within an organisation, as every business is different. However, any good talent strategy should focus on leveraging and upskilling existing talent, as well as exploring entirely new avenues that future-proof your business for the digital world.
By working with a talent acquisition partner such as eWave’s sister agency, Radium6, businesses have access to a wealth of experience in driving transformations through people. To hear more about Radium6’s unique value proposition, and its access to in-house technology training, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Sam Amirikia
Sam is a seasoned Talent Specialist with a genuine interest in all aspects of Technology including the Project Delivery lifecycle. With a relentless ambition to understand the unique challenges and requirements of a business, Sam is passionate about connecting clients with his global network of industry talent. Connect with him on LinkedIn.
