The challenges of the pandemic forced businesses to re-invent or completely overhaul their digital presence and the technology that supports it. At Evolve, we’re virtual by design and fully remote which means we are heavily dependent on technology and our digital presence. This also means that we need to be transforming ourselves daily to meet the needs of our clients. In order to embrace and keep pace with the constant change we need a transformation mindset and be continuously learning.

Common goals for any type of transformation typically include improving efficiency, increasing customer and employee engagement, reducing costs, and increasing revenues.

But, in today’s world of work every business must be in a constant state of transformation. Every day we must change how we work and live in order to keep up. The last year has brought significant changes to how and where we work and created a need to be mobility focused. Digital transformation itself has had to undergo a sort of transformation and go back to the fundamentals because of this. We can forget about the “digital” part for now.

According to The Harvard Business Review 70% of digital transformation initiatives do not reach their goals due to an absence of a learning and change mindset. Transformation has a way of magnifying the flaws that cannot be fixed with a band aid. For this reason, it is helpful to think of transformation as an outcome to successful learning and change initiatives.

To undergo transformation there has to be:

  • A learning culture.
  • Program and change management ready to support the transformation.
  • Regular and clear communication.
  • Stakeholders buy-in and employee engagement.
  • Optimization of technology and processes.

We saw this theme emerge at this year’s DevLearn conference and DemoFest expo. More than ever companies are focusing their efforts on a holistic learning and change approach to help them move the needle and increase initiative success.
Evolve, in collaboration with The Select Group and Rusty Taco, walked away as the Best of Show Vendor at DemoFest, for our Taco Builder Game that utilized on demand practice of the entire taco menu, enabling targeted learning and recipe simulation. Check out the Learning Gamification Case Study here.

The Taco Builder game was a part of a blended learning strategy that built skillsets while also changing mindsets. It was the right tool, implemented at the right time, using the right technology. The outcome, an onboarding transformation grounded in change and learning.

Transformation at its core must change the way in which we do something (changing mindsets) while also developing the organization with the skills and information they need to be effective (building skillsets). In order for transformational initiatives to be successful we must look at every initiative with a learning and change mindset. We need to build skillsets and change mindsets for transformational change to be successful.

Planning your transformation initiative:

  • Be need-driven. Tools and technology are meant to support and enable change. Make sure you have supporting technology, infrastructure, and clear definition of the need before getting started.
  • Align the organization to the change. Remember that 70% of transformation initiatives fail without change management.
  • Be “customer-obsessed.” An employee may be a customer, a customer may become a partner, a partner may become an employee. It is just as important to serve your customers as it is to serve your employees, partners, and vendors.

Outcomes of transformation

Organizations that change mindsets and build skillsets can successfully implement initiatives by establishing a learning culture and identifying where and when digital tools will be the most beneficial.  We can help you in this process. Schedule a consultation today to get started.