Digital Transformation Strategies To Adopt In 2021

I think we can all agree that 2020 has been an unprecedented year. We’ve experienced a pandemic, massive wildfires, political tensions, racial injustice, supposedly murder hornets, and a horrifying shortage of toilet paper. I, for one, hope that 2021 heralds in a more positive outlook and a kinder, gentler America.

In 2021, digital transformation initiatives and remote working will be at the top of the list for CEOs. According to a Deloitte study, roughly 75% of CEOs indicate that the Covid-19 crisis has created significant opportunities for their companies.

The good news is that digital transformation is here to stay. Employees will continue to work from home as enterprise organizations determine exactly what the future of work looks like. It’s likely that remote working will be a large part of digital discussions. In addition, in-office workspaces will continue to morph and grow to accommodate social distancing practices and create a safe place for employees to work. Hybrid workspaces, co-working, and flexible work hours may also be part of the new workplace mix.

What has 2020 taught us about digital transformation and remote work? Here are 7 digital strategies you should adopt in 2021:

Fast track your digital transformation plans

The initial economic downturn caused by Covid-19 created a situation where enterprise companies were forced to make difficult budget cuts. These organizations then fast-tracked their digital efforts in order to accommodate customer demand, the lack of in-person interaction, and making sure remote workers had the technology and tools they needed to work from home.

Digitize content and information for easy access

Employees are overwhelmed by technology. There are so many ways that companies share information. For instance, try finding an email attachment that was sent to your inbox two weeks ago. Or, is the document you need in Dropbox, Slack or Google Drive — or on your computer’s hard drive?

This Igloo report found that over half (51%) of employees have avoided sharing a document with a colleague because they couldn’t find it, or thought it would be too difficult to find.

With an enterprise mobile app, all of the information your employees need can be organized to reach the people who need it most. For instance, different teams or departments can have their own channels to communicate with each other. Marketing, sales, human resources, and other departments within your company can collaborate and share relevant content instantly. Also, content can be edited in real-time, so employees have the most up-to-date information at all times.

Encourage digital communications

Digital content is key to keeping employees connected and engaged with the information they need. Employees are working from home. They can’t simply pop their head over the cubicle wall and ask their neighbor a question. Now, all that raw material that keeps employees informed and productive is stored digitally, and employees need to access it via the Cloud and platforms like Google Drive, Dropbox, Egnyte, and more.

While your organization has accumulated a lot of digital content over the years, it needs to live in a central digital repository. There also needs to be an easy way for employees to quickly find what they need. Make sure you breakdown the silos within your company and combine all access to relevant information into one unified location. Then, employees can search and access the right content quickly and easily.

Connect with remote employees

The ability to communicate in real-time is what brings people together. Everyone has a smartphone these days. There are 3.5 billion smartphone users globally and 77% of Americans have smartphones. Now, employees can always be connected with each other, using platforms such as Slack, Skype, Microsoft Teams, and other chat platforms.

With many employees working from home, you’ll need creative ways for employees to virtually connect with each other and collaborate. Employees can connect in team rooms, via web conferencing, or connecting with fellow workers via a group chat platform or direct messaging.

Reach customers where they are

The digitalization of both customer experience and employee experience has emerged as a critical part of ensuring business continuity, during and after the pandemic. Enterprise organizations will need to be more agile and reach customers where they are in the buying process, but also reach them via the right technology. For instance, younger generations live on their smartphones. They might want to be reached by phone or text, or connect with your company via Intercom. Older generations may prefer using email or a desktop application to communicate.

It’s time to take a proactive stance

Digital transformation is happening at a faster and more agile rate than any of us would have imagined. According to a TechRepublic Premium survey, 60% of respondents have altered digital transformation plans due to Covid-19. During the pandemic, we had to innovate to stay afloat, so we pivoted and put digital at the forefront of our organizations. Now we know that digital is here to stay. It’s time for enterprise organizations to take a proactive stance and create the digital transformation story they envision for 2021.

Consider a no code enterprise mobile app

At CatalystXL, we want to help you quickly and easily share information and foster collaboration across your entire organization. We can deliver a no code, custom branded enterprise mobile app that unlocks answers and provides insights via our Cardware™ platform — sharing categorized content in a powerful flashcard format. Our mobile app fosters a community of collaboration, engagement, and connectedness for your employees – both in and out of the office.

Book a demo today.