The weakest link in digital transformation

Big Data, Machine Learning, Cloud Computing, Internet of Things, BYOD, Blockchain and many other state-of-the-art and disruptive information technologies have brought about significant changes in corporate business models. These changes have enabled us to get more out of the information we manage, reduce investment in IT equipment, optimize communications and even to be permanently connected; however, they are not global solutions which completely transform companies.

Real technological change in companies comes as a result of digital transformation, which implies an adaptation to the new current-day challenges, incorporating technology into company business processes in a way which affects all the elements of the business value chain and not just certain components.

In the short to medium term, company digital transformation will not be an option, but rather a necessary process to follow. Currently, according to the IDC consulting firm, 66% of CEOs consider digital transformation to be a key part of the business plan. And, in the upcoming years, according to the «Digital Vortex 2019: Continuous and Connected Change» report (IMD and Cisco), there is a widespread belief that more than a third of the major companies in each sector will be pushed out of the market within 5 years.

But what benefits does it bring to organizations over other strategies adopted by companies? Fundamentally, digital transformation increases operational efficiency, promotes the company’s competitive advantage over third parties, generates new user experiences, provides untapped revenue streams, fosters a culture of innovation within the company and allows for greater internal collaboration.

One of the challenges companies face when carrying out effective digital transformation for their internal structure is to increase the use of devices and the application of technologies within the different departments. This often involves having to deal with reluctance on behalf of workers to actively participate in the transformation process, whether for fear of having to face tools and applications they don’t know, lack of motivation or simple resistance to leaving their comfort zone. The human factor thus becomes the weakest link in the digital change strategy, despite being a key part of the process.

In a study on «Employee Digital Transformation in Spain», Gartner predicts that, «the greatest source of competitive advantage for 30% of organizations will come from the ability of workers to creatively exploit digital technologies». The success of a process of corporate digital transformation will therefore depend, to a large extent, on the role played in that process by the company’s workforce. We have recently seen companies like Thomas Cook fail in their transformation process because they neglected the human factor.

Encouraging the participation and engagement of all employees in the digital transformation of the company is essential to ensure it is successful and, in this respect, gamification has much to contribute.

Based on a learning model that directly links with game dynamics, gamification employs tools from the world of IT and from the worker’s current environment. Using gamification platforms such as those we provide in GamePaths, with dynamics to motivate the adoption of change through scenarios, rules and progress and mechanics to help achieve goals by means of teams, competitions, rewards and feedback, the different departments have the resources necessary to acquire the knowledge required by their company’s digital transformation at their fingertips, without having to resort to traditional training methods such as class attendance or monotonous repetition of concepts. As a result, a results-oriented transformation is promoted. Gamification proposes learning which is intrinsically linked to the digital world to which the company is directed, where employees can reinforce what they have learned through competitive games with their colleagues, while activating team cohesion mechanisms and fostering employee motivation.