from Nicole Kerber at
True to the quote from Frithjof Bergman (who gave his name to "New Work"), we now have the technology to organise and rethink work differently. But technology alone is no guarantee of successful change. Rather, it is the people and the organisation of companies (regardless of type and size) that make the digital transformation truly tangible and successful.
But what does it mean to make both the company and the individual ready and thus fit for such a change? From the large bouquet of measures, I would like to pick out just a few that seem important to me personally and have proven themselves in my work:
Clear objectives and orientation - why should we make the effort and what do I get out of it?
The WHY and "What is in it for me?" of a digital transformation plays the central role and represents the decisive point of orientation for employees. It is important to break down complex and extensive issues into understandable partial visions and stories that are tailored to the various employee groups. The following illustration shows what this can look like and is closely linked to another decisive factor: communication.
Communication - if you think it's too much, then it's probably just enough.
Here I pick up on a topic from the first blog. The type, frequency and intensity of communication is a very controversial topic. For some it's too much, for others it's too little and it seems you can't really please anyone. However, a few basic rules help to increase the effectiveness of communication measures. These include:
- clearly defined and communicated communication channels and a (flexible) communication plan that adapts to the circumstances
- coordinated and orchestrated communication activities in terms of time and hierarchy (if necessary)
- create space for dialogue and make transparent who is the contact person for which topics
- allow room for manoeuvre for unforeseen events
- install feedback channels from within the organisation and actively manage them with information
- involve and train managers and other opinion leaders in their various communication roles
- language and formulations appropriate to the target audience - the more heterogeneous the structure of the employees, the more important it is to find the right way to address them
Transformation to a learning organisation - Lifelong learning is more than just a popular buzzword for managers and universities, it is a real change in the organisation.
It is about finding out how work strengthens people rather than weakening them. Companies would do well to ask themselves what are the appropriate tools and skills that individuals and the organisation as a whole need in order to develop, survive and grow in a rapidly changing world.
The competences that will still be relevant in the future (depending on the focus and industry, these are very different cycles of 2-10 years) must be identified and promoted. This requires an understanding of how work is changing and what needs to be done in order to collaborate and communicate faster and more productively. Intrinsic motivation is crucial for this, but cannot be assumed for every employee. Rather, it is about identifying the factors that ensure that the "learning muscle" (as in sport) remains exercised - that employees have a desire to learn and draw positive experiences from it. It is crucial that the organisation provides the culture and framework conditions to ensure that this can work without friction.
Promising factors in the development of a learning organisation are, for example:
That brings us to the end of this little blog series and my very personal conclusion:
- digital transformation must always be considered on a company-specific and individual basis and therefore requires prior analysis.
- a strategic approach helps immensely to sharpen the objectives and framework conditions of the digital transformation (especially in sales) and to steer it in the right direction.
- to remain successful as a B2B company (including SMEs), there is no way around the digital transformation - whether as a hybrid sales organisation or through the further expansion of digital channels.
- the entire company will be affected by this transformation - in one way or another. Involving everyone to a certain extent and keeping them informed will therefore help to achieve the objectives.
- without appropriate communication, it will be very challenging to win over employees in a positive and supportive manner for such a project.
- when communicating, it is important to break down the WHY, WHAT and HOW for the organisation as a whole and the individual stakeholder groups affected and make them understandable.
- both the organisation and the individuals must be made fit for a digital transformation and supported - both in terms of their skillset and especially their mindset.
