Four challenges that might be diluting your digital transformation investment

Navigating these common challenges can help you to maximize the value of your digital transformation investments

As the world becomes increasingly digital, businesses and organizations are facing new challenges in keeping up with the pace of change. For many organizations, digital transformation has become a top priority, as they look to leverage technology to improve processes, increase efficiency, and remain competitive in the marketplace. However, making the most of digital transformation investments and initiatives can be a complex and challenging process, with a number of common roadblocks standing in the way of success.

Lack of buy-in

One of the most common challenges companies face in maximizing the value of their digital transformation investments is resistance to change. With transformation initiatives failing at roughly 70%, fostering buy-in and consensus among employees and stakeholders should be a top priority.  It is expected that $2.8 trillion will be spent on digital transformation by 2025. It’s crucial to engage all stakeholders and provide education to promote understanding and encourage participation in the transformation journey. By fostering a culture of collaboration and inclusivity, organizations can overcome resistance and ensure the successful adoption and integration of new technologies and processes.

70%

transformation initiatives fail often due to lack of buy-in

Source: McKinsey

40%

organizations say they have brought digital initiatives to scale

Source: Gartner

Lack of clear strategy 

A lack of clear strategy is a common challenge in digital transformation initiatives. Without a defined plan, organizations risk making fragmented investments that fail to deliver the desired outcomes. To ensure success, it’s crucial to have a comprehensive strategy that outlines specific goals, steps for achieving them, and progress tracking measures. The strategy must also consider the entire organization, anticipate potential barriers and biases, and incorporate a transformation office or change management approach to drive buy-in and alignment throughout the journey.

The Skills Gap

The digital landscape is rapidly evolving, leading to a significant talent and skills gap in many organizations. With digital adoption accelerated by the pandemic, companies are continuing to face the challenge of reskilling and upskilling their workforce to keep up with the changing demands. The skill need was already a challenge before 2020 and the pandemic fast-forwarded digital adoption and skills needs by five years. However, many business leaders who are critical in driving digital transformation initiatives may themselves lack the digital competencies and strategies to manage the skills gap effectively. To bridge this gap and ensure the success of digital transformation initiatives, companies need to invest in training and development programs or partner with experienced dialogue partners who can provide the necessary skills and knowledge.

Integration

Finally, many companies face challenges with integration as they attempt to seamlessly integrate new technologies and processes with their existing systems and workflows. This can prove to be a complex and time-consuming task that demands proper planning and coordination. With the increasing number of cloud-based applications available and more stakeholders involved in technology decision making, the need for interoperability has become even more crucial. To maximize the value of digital transformation investments, it’s important to have a comprehensive understanding of the current systems and processes, and to prioritize interoperability and integration from the beginning of the planning process.

60%

struggle to align application strategies to overall business goals

Source: Accenture

57%

lack buy-in from senior leadership

Source: Accenture

44%

lack a clear business case or direction

Source: Accenture

Maximizing the value of your digital transformation investments and initiatives is critical for success in the ever-evolving digital landscape. However, navigating common roadblocks such as resistance to change, lack of strategy, skills gap, and integration can be challenging without the right guidance. 

One solution lies in utilizing a trusted dialogue partner to help determine where to start and how to overcome potential barriers. By leveraging the expertise of a dialogue partner, you can streamline your digital transformation journey, overcome any obstacles, and stay ahead of the curve in the fast-paced digital world.

We take the frustration out of transformation.

Digital transformation done right is inclusive of culture change, operational processes, organizational frameworks, the workplace itself, talent development, and business transformation. Digital transformation relies heavily on organizational culture to be successful and generate value.

We design, implement, and integrate transformation as your collaborative partner by taking the guesswork out of finding where your barriers to change complicate your work from pinpointing the exact areas to directing ways forward that actualize your organization into a vibrant, liberated, human-centric organization today.

 

Related Articles

Unlocking the potential benefits of decentralization

We’re in a new era (or at least the early days of a new chapter)—not just a new period in our technological history, but also a new paradigm for how people work and contribute to solving problems. One significant challenge I’ve found in working with leaders is that most organizations are not designed to adapt—let alone thrive—in this new era.