Building Digitally Dexterous Workforce for Digital Ready Organization

DIGITAL DEXTERITY (DD) is the ability of employees to adapt and adopt existing & emerging technologies in their field to produce better results for their organization.

Do your organization has similar attitude ?

Digital Dexterity requires leaders to take initiatives and encourage employees to break barriers by having a futuristic mindset. While technological aptitude is essential, the right attitude to drive and adopt digital technology and change is a must.

Do your organization has similar leadership aptitude ?

Communication, collaboration, data, insights, talent management, skill development, and training are essential aspects of Digital Dexterity to create an organization-wide impact. Companies, especially those with outdated legacy systems stuck on doing "business as usual," are rapidly hiring Chief Digital Officers and creating Centers of Innovation and Excellence to try and keep up.

Enter the COVID-19 crisis. While it may not be a welcomed shock to the system, it is driving the rapid adoption of digital technologies and ways of working needed for companies just to stay relevant and continue to operate.

Let's understand further more aspects to adapt and adopt .

In your pursuit of digital transformation, there is one key ingredient that often slips through the cracks: digital dexterity. Without this critical competency, employees will never fully maximize the value of enterprise technology, and resistance will persist.

 WHY "Digital Dexterity" IS MUST IN 2021 ONWARDS ?

1. Technology is growing and changing at a rapid rate and few companies are adopting it and many companies find it difficult to cope with the change.
2. To build better strategy, we need Leaders with better Digital Dexterity
3. Organizations are moving towards being fully-digital It can be possible with pool skilled employees
4. Many important aspects like business processes, user experience, and operations are inclined towards technology now
5. Future business Models will depends on 5G , Internet of Things , Blockchain or Edge Computing
6. This also includes servicing customers in new ways.

 Digital dexterity is A prerequisite to digital transformation success and It's must !

QUALITIES OF "Digital Dexterity" Leadership

The first barrier is thinking anything “digital” is owned by others – like IT, those with “digital” in the title, or even a new executive formally tasked with “digital transformation.” The reality is that every part of an enterprise is impacted, and every leader can be an amplifier or blocker of digital adoption. If leaders do not see how digital technology and ways of working translate to their role, there is little hope for sustained impact from transformation efforts – and for their ability to drive success in the future.Organization should have few leaders or champions who should practice Digital Dexterity themselves and slowly inherit to other employees. Role of Human Resource becomes very important to create as awareness framework as part of competence and training

One Digital Dexterity Leader should have following qualities -

1. Forward-thinking to keep eye on changing world & industry   
2.  Flexible mindset with Technological aptitude
3. Open-mindedness & Ready for digital changes considering eye on organization strategy
4. A digital-first approach in each initiative e.g. Digital Branch
5. Data-driven decisions thru BIG Data adoption
6.  Promoting an engaged workforce with collaboration tools
7.  Willingness to adapt new technology and new agile business models
8. Adopt & Learn essential skills e.g. AI, RPA, BIG Data etc
9. Industry connects with peer organizations and governments
10. Collaboration with innovation ecosystem , accelerators , startups , industry influencers

BENEFITS OF "Digital Dexterity

Digital transformation is an increasingly popular buzzword nowadays and having digital dexterity, your employees can definitely bring about this change faster.

1.Efficiency booster for overall organization productivity

2. Flexibility in accepting new roles

3.  Digitally forward-thinking to give your company an edge over its competitors

4. Better collaboration - to communicate and coordinate with their business teams and peers

5. Awareness of digitally disruptive technologies will bring new business models and connect dots in operations

6.  Ability to work remotely & Anywhere

 Digital dexterity needs to become an organization-wide competency

HOW TO ACHIEVE "Digital Dexterity" AT OUR WORKPLACE?

Organizations need to foster the right culture and mindset to encourage experimentation, failure, and learning around new digital operating models and experiences along with the process, tools, and coaching on how to innovate. Digital Dexterity can be achieved gradually at workplace. It will need support from many business units in the organization to work together.

It should have digital dexterity council which will execute step-by-step execution and monitor the progress with below aspects -

1. Create Keys Leadership around Digital Dexterity - Make sure your leaders are onboard to stay aware of these unique threats.
2. Understand your employee’s mindset and help in creating a digitally inclined ecosystem. This can be done thru Surveys.
3. Keep digital dexterity at the forefront in day-to-day routine . This can be done with regular trainings and engaging intranet portals.
4. Experiment on a smaller scale Start small with a team or a department. Create TechInfluencers in each team
5. Share your progress with like-minded individuals and you can work together
6. Motivating the employees to learn and become technologically knowledgeable.
7. Encourage continuous training & create a skilled talent wizard pool. It can help your digital transformation efforts succeed continuously. Incorporate necessary skills e.g. technological psychology, communication, and social skills. 
8.  Crete New Roles for promote Digital Dexterity
9. Conduct Workshops with Industry experts to boost overall knowledge level of employees
10. Conduct Hackathon or Internal competition to engage employees & understanding current Digital Dexterity index.

 An organization as a whole should own Digital Dexterity. It’s not just the obligation of the HR and IT team to look after it. With DD, organization archives agility and adaptable towards any cultural and technological changes to meet Strategy objectives 

 Way ahead

When the Mosaic browser, with its consumer-friendly interface, was released to the world in 1993, most had no idea how radically this first foray into the internet era would transform our lives – both personally and professionally. The last ten years of IT have been about changing the way people work. The next ten years of IT will be about transforming your business. At least 40% of all businesses will die in the next 10 years. In Today’s era of volatility & agility there is no other way but to re-invent.

Creation of Sustainable Digital Dexterity at organizations is way forward to keep existence in Digital Economy.