Why HR Leadership is Critical for Digital Transformation Success

To delve into why HR leadership is critical for digital transformation success, it is essential to first understand the role of digital transformation.

What is Digital Transformation?

The transition from a company that relies only on manual intelligence to one that relies on technology is known as digital transformation. Firms undertake this effort of integrating automation and making every practice data-driven to achieve effective exponential growth through digital transformation. In an era where everything is being digitized rapidly, it is no longer an option but a need for businesses to make good use of any new technology that emerges.

In order to excel in the field of human resource management and to be equipped to drive digital transformation, it is important to invest in an executive education program such as the Global HR Leaders Program (HRLP) from the National University of Singapore Business School. This is a 6-month online program that is focused on the future of work, allowing you as a participant to strengthen and enable your organizations for the digital era.

HR’s role in digital transformation

The key goals of digital transformation in HR are to automate processes and minimize time spent on repetitive work, improve employee experience, and use the remaining time to develop strategies that benefit the organization.

An HR leader needs to head the process since it is expected of this department to be focused on compliance, efficiency and risk reduction. HR plays an imperative role in getting the workforce completely prepared and engaged in the process. On the other hand, if the organization’s workforce itself is not in the favor of getting the transformation made, the initiative remains of no consequence. HR also plays a key role in ensuring support throughout the business. They are ideally positioned to give value-added business insights on its people.

Benefits of Digital Transformation

Digital transformation generates new opportunities within the business, allowing for the organization’s own employees to thrive within the firm. As a result, the firm’s talent is better retained. Automation saves a lot of time and energy for employees that would otherwise be spent on tedious chores and can therefore get more significant work done that requires more creativity, problem-solving and collaboration rather than repetition. Organizations strive to make their processes data-driven through digital transformation, which then leads to increased decision accuracy and effectiveness. Organizations that invest in digitizing save a lot of time and money in the long term because procedures are simplified and enhanced.

This provides an opportunity for HR to have visibility throughout the workforce and allows for leaders to boost internal mobility while decreasing external recruitment expenditures.

Factors necessary for a successful digital transformation

• • Setting a clear goal

It is very important to have a clear vision of why the organization needs digital transformation since the process not only requires an investment of resources but of the people of the organization too. It also requires the employees to adapt to the new settings without compromising the quality of the work. Hence, it is imperative for organizations to have a clear vision as well as to communicate that vision to their people with clarity.

• • Engagement of the workforce

Digital transformation is not only a process of the recreation of strategies and infrastructure. It involves people to adapt to the newer processes to make use of the advanced tools effectively.

• • Fostering a productive culture

The primary aim of taking up the initiative should be to focus on fostering a productive work culture so as to channel the energy of the workforce being consumed on tedious activities and put it to better use to bring forth effective results for the organization.

• • Setting a clear procedure structure

It is critical to structure the process in order for it to be successful. This entails prioritizing objectives and developing a dedicated digital experience team with well-defined roles, duties, objectives and accountability. Ensure that everyone on the team is aware of the goals and processes so that you can stay focused.

• • Effective execution of the strategies

The time and effort invested in planning the entire event, as well as developing a procedure and strategy to achieve the goals, may all be for naught, if not carried out correctly. To guide continuous digital transformation and customer experience efforts, it is imperative to implement, learn and adapt. Evaluate the status of your change on a regular basis so that you can make improvements as needed.

Challenges

• Getting everyone on board
• Helping managers go through their share of transformation
• Focusing on enhancing employee experience

How can HR lead digital transformation?

• By providing various crucial perspectives
• By managing the process of the change
• By listening to and taking employee demands seriously
• By controlling the nature of the new work environment to be conducive to the team
• By building the importance of alignment and a sense of comfort around adaptation