The Top Digital Transformation Challenges

March 22, 2023

Achieving digital transformation through a suitable and well-strategized campaign will always reward organizations that put effort into properly introducing change to their operations

But despite how meticulously planned the transformation is, there will always be challenges to overcome, and though they differ in priority depending on the company size, the top few are always the same.

1-  Lack of effective strategy

There’s more to digital transformation than simply flooding your company with software solutions. It isn’t just about giving your team the tools they ask for or being able to boast a fully digitized process.

There’s a lot of research and analyses to be done beforehand, as digital transformation affects the customer just as much if not more than the workforce itself. Leaders should always ask themselves how their digital transformation strategy affects the end-user, and how it makes their experience better.

Furthermore, attempting to force change without a clear approach or goal on the horizon will only waste your team’s time. Keep in mind that different departments will have to adapt to digital change in their own way, but ultimately the entire company needs to understand their shared goal and work together to reach it.

2- Budget limitations

Any form of change worth the name will require a certain amount of financial investment. But one thing to keep in mind is that digital transformation doesn’t have to be rushed to be successful.

When facing budget constraints, employers should keep in mind that executing their digital transformation strategy can take time, sometimes more than initially anticipated. And that isn’t necessarily a bad thing if you’re aware of what your budget can handle.

In fact, companies are urged to stretch their digital transformation campaigns over a lengthy amount of time, as it eases the budget issue and gives leaders enough time to analyze short term results and adapt if necessary. It’s not a race, take your time, and don’t bite off more than you can chew.

3- Change management in the workforce

Change, especially change on such a level, must be introduced to the workforce in such a way that it allows for an adjustment period. Generally, people are set in their ways, and professionals most of all, like having set processes that they are familiar with, a certain order to how they approach their work.

When leaders attempt to introduce large-scale change in the form of digital transformation, it’s very likely that they will encounter some employee pushback, as the workforce may find digitizing their processes a bit too complex for their liking.

But it’s important for leaders to make it clear at the strategy-crafting stage that the team will need to adapt. This is why it’s recommended to announce the plan for digital transformation prior to implementation so that the entire workforce has the time to prepare for it.

Beyond spreading awareness of your upcoming digital transformation internally, employers can employ change management techniques to help their teams prepare for new processes and improve day-to-day operations.

For example, training programs that cater to each individual department can be introduced early on, so that any new software is leveraged to its full potential, and so that precious time isn’t wasted when the digital transformation campaign kicks off.

4- Knowledge and expertise to lead digital transformation

Many companies aiming to fully digitize their operations often overlook the fact that it cannot be achieved simply by reading a few articles. Theoretically, the idea may seem sound. Finding a ready-made strategy online may appear as a valid approach that saves valuable time and costs.

But unfortunately, that’s not how it works.

Beyond outlining digital transformation per the industry’s requirements, the audience’s behavior or preferences, achieving digital transformation requires the knowledge and expertise that comes from successfully implementing digital technology in past projects.

You need the right talent to lead digital transformation and a workforce that’s comfortable enough with technology that training and orientation wouldn’t present too much of an issue. But in the end, having a C-level executive on board whose focus revolves around digital change is one of the first challenges that you can encounter.

This presents an opportunity to internally assess your leaders, and to analyze whether third-party interference or a recruitment campaign is essential to achieving your goals.

More often than not, companies believe their existing workforce is suitable for digital change. However, a thorough analysis can reveal that this isn’t the case. Headhunting agencies like JB Hired provide services to not only source experienced digital transformation experts but also to help identify which roles are required for the strategy to be effective.

Achieving digital change is a massive undertaking, sometimes bigger than the company itself. But all of these challenges are simple hurdles standing between your organization and significant growth in customer satisfaction, employee morale, and revenue. An innovative strategy comprised of the right talent, a cooperative workforce, a well-crafted approach, and a patient attitude are key to reaching your goals.

In case you’re looking for qualified talent to help you on this aspect, get in touch with JB Hired and source the talent your digital transformation needs!