The imperative of continuous learning in Digital Transformation
AI is poised to surpass human intelligence, and the urgency for businesses to cultivate a culture of continuous learning among their employees has never been clearer. As technology evolves exponentially, maintaining relevance and competitiveness hinges on not just embracing Digital Transformation, but also on nurturing a workforce equipped with the skills and mindset to thrive in the age of the machine.
Digital Transformation is reshaping the contemporary business environment, opening up new possibilities and presenting challenges across diverse sectors. This strategic integration of digital technology into all business areas is not merely a technological upgrade but a radical rethinking of how organisations use technology to change business performance and customer interaction fundamentally. Digital Transformation has proven crucial for sustaining operations and fostering?resilience,?evidenced by the growing reliance on technologies such as AI, which is predicted to manage 85% of customer interactions by 2025 without human involvement.
Mo Gawdat, former chief business officer of Google X and bestselling author, draws on Ray Kurzweil’s Law of Accelerating Returns – the tendency for advances to feed on themselves, increasing the rate of further advance and pushing well past what one might sensibly project by linear extrapolation of current progress – to make this interesting, albeit ominous, point about AI.
Gawdat says, “By the year 2029 the smartest being on planet earth is going to be a machine. Imagine a scenario on where we’re not the humans, but the apes. Where there’s another being that looks at us as the apes. And that being is going to be smarter than us in five years’ time. If you look at AI from the inside, you realise that the Law of Accelerating Returns predicts that by the year 2045, AI is going to be a billion times smarter than human beings. This is comparable to the intelligence of Einstein and a fly.”
Therefore, the role of humanity in the age of the machine is of paramount importance. If you bring this philosophy down a notch, you can tie this reasoning into the importance of a business’s culture of continuous learning for employees, thereby requiring them to develop a digital mindset, central to its Digital Transformation journey. So that we aren’t replacing people with technology, but rather constantly teaching people to work better with technology.
Tony van der Linden , BBD CIO, says, “More than just upgrading technical infrastructure, successful Digital Transformation requires a shift in mindset towards re-envisioning business strategies and value propositions. We recognise that Digital Transformation is an ongoing process that requires constant adaptation and evolution. To drive this evolution, it’s crucial to develop a clear vision for the future and gradually build the necessary technological and human capabilities to achieve it. We understand that digital evolution involves not only implementing new technologies but also fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement to keep up with the rapidly changing digital landscape.”
According to Tsedal Neeley and Paul Leonardi, authors of?The Digital Mindset: What It Really Takes to Thrive in the Age of Data, Algorithms, and AI, when implementing radical change, managers must carefully weigh these two key dimensions: buy-in (the degree to which people believe the change will produce benefits for them and the organisation) and capacity to learn (the extent to which people are confident that they can gain sufficient literacy to pass muster). The highest levels of adoption occur when employees are motivated to develop competence because they fully buy into the transformation strategy and feel capable of helping make it a reality.
In a Digital Transformation, the ‘buy-in’ and ‘capacity to learn’ dimensions combine to produce the four quadrants of a matrix of responses: oppressed, frustrated, indifferent and inspired.?In the best-case scenario, people will be in the top-right quadrant in the Adoption Matrix graph below – inspired by the change and believing that they have the capacity to learn digital content. Managers should assess which quadrant each of their team members falls into and then work to move individuals from one to another as needed.
To promote buy-in, leaders should emphasise the significance of digital transformation by encouraging employees to envision the company's digital future and their role within it. After securing buy-in, managers should concentrate on boosting confidence, especially for those in the bottom quadrants. Experience with digital technologies and sharing success stories can enhance confidence levels, empowering employees to believe in their ability to navigate the digital landscape.
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Van der Linden notes that continuous learning fosters innovation, agility and resilience within organisations. Employees who are empowered to learn and grow are better equipped to drive digital transformation initiatives and stay ahead of the curve. Employees who develop digital mindsets are more successful in their jobs, have higher satisfaction at work, and are more likely to get promoted.
The dynamic nature of digital technology continuously influences organisational structures, job roles, employee competencies, and customer requirements. Leaders must not only adapt but also embrace adaptability. Digital Transformation isn't an end goal but rather a pathway to realising specific objectives. By fostering a digital mindset, employees throughout the organisation are prepared to capitalise on the opportunities presented by our ever-changing world.
To read more on the nuances of digitisation, digitalisation, and Digital Transformation and their impact on navigating a digital-centric future, click here.
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