Digital is no longer one aspect of a business, but is integrated into every aspect of today’s companies to support them differentiate from competitors, deepen customer relationships, and drive business growth. Executives need to take an active role in growing the digital skill set and securing talent which will allow them to innovate and build the workforce of the future.
Businesses across different sectors are finding their marketplace being shaped by digital and so ensuring they have a fully equipped workforce is a main priority. For decades, companies have outsourced many IT projects and functions of their business operations. This has allowed them to quickly implement new technologies and access talent for particular areas such as Mobile Technologies, Big Data, Cloud Computing, Cyber Security and IoT (Internet of Things).
Business leaders need to direct their investment toward talent and the role it plays in their digital strategies. Skills development is just as important as creativity and innovation, which can be attained by scaling the workforce up and down according to business needs. However, although there is a high demand for digital skills, it is in short supply which is costly for both businesses and the UK economy.
Working with external technology professionals allow businesses to harness the skills and deep domain knowledge of technology professionals to push boundaries and keep pace with industry competitors. Tapping into key skills and expertise provide businesses with the digital capabilities to propel their business forward. Businesses can deploy talented individuals with a variety of skillsets to ensure the expert execution of projects which are connected to core business objectives.
Every business is becoming a technology business, so the first step to becoming digitally motivated is for business leaders to adopt a new digital mindset. There shouldn’t be a disconnect between the IT team and other business functions – finance, marketing and sales. It’s about reworking and restructuring the culture of the company that promotes a digital DNA thread throughout the business. Integrating digital shouldn’t just start and end with investment in IT infrastructure, but should go hand in hand with talent to ensure expert management of these new digital technologies.
When securing talent to support businesses navigating through the digital disruption, business leaders should not assume a ‘one size fits’ all approach. By adopting a hybrid approach to workforce solutions, which combines traditional forms of recruitment with project consultancy, business leaders have the flexibility and agility to adapt to changing business requirements. Through more autonomy and control, business leaders are gifted with the opportunity to customize their workforce solution to various projects. This allows businesses to scale up or down resources depending on project needs to drive positive outcomes. It’s about giving businesses a menu and choice in their talent management solutions – when they want, where they want and how they want.
