Some apparel, fashion, and luxury companies won’t survive the current crisis; others will emerge better positioned for the future. Much will depend on their digital and analytics capabilities. If ever there was a time to turbocharge digital, it is now. It’s important to understand that digital transformation is not only about the process but mostly of the the people within these organizations. Empowering your employees with growing a digital mindset is fundamental. It will boost opportunities, expectations and a start for the first step towards a (more) digitally oriented and agile organization.
A need for digital transformation
Going fully digital is a great aspiration in today’s day and age, but nine in ten business leaders are puzzled, hesitant and postponing action to realize success in the digital realm. That’s the word from a survey of 8,300 top business and IT executives, conducted by Accenture. It identified the best habits of enterprises that are achieving results from their digital transformation efforts. This research shows that the strongest players will quickly scale up and strengthen their digital capabilities, which will allow them to capitalize on future opportunities and protect their businesses from risks. Successful leaders prioritize to invest more in existing digital capabilities. They pioneer on new ways of engaging with consumers online. Still, many brands are wondering how to bridge the digital divide.
Leading digital change asks for a digital mindset
In the age of digitization, change management comes to the fore. Today, talking to your people about future changes is a top practice before executing any aspect of digital transformation. The idea is to increase loyalty around everything that is going to happen and get people excited about your digital transformation plan. Successful digital enterprises are led by individuals who have a strong belief and understanding of the power of technology to deliver growth and opportunity. What traits do digital leaders have in common that is helping them achieve greater growth?
• Leaders find what works, and replicate it.
• Leaders see new adopting new technology as a strategic, not just operational move.
• Leaders don’t take a wait-and-see attitude.
• Leaders are firm believers in up-skilling employees — on a continuous basis.
• Leaders don’t believe in boundaries when it comes to both technology and human potential.
The people part of digital transformation
Growing a digital mindset with your employees, is just as important as the technologies, processes and infrastructure involved. A huge part of that is the culture of a business and what it offers in terms of learning and development. Not only to drive an organization’s digital maturity but also to demonstrate investment in the future of their employees. The most important part of digital transformation is your people. Empowering employees to see how their involvement can help progress the transformation. Not only because this engages them in the process, but also enables them to see how it impacts on the success of the business. Involving HR can help lead this process. They are best placed to understand the capabilities of individuals within the organization and understand where the skill gaps are. Employees can benefit from the perspective of the HR department through talent development. Recruitment can be utilized in the instances that those in-house do not have the necessary skills required.
ISRID connects you to your future
Without this “why,” people involved in these digital transformation projects will never engage. To support your digital transformation process, ISRID develops Digital Mindset Programs. They are designed to involve and empower your teams and to develop their digital mindset and knowledge. These programs offer Management Team change management sessions, digital mindset classes and fashion-tech masterclasses for your teams and one-on-one coaching. If you are interested in what I can do for you, I am only 1 email or call away.