The Importance of Training Employees & Embracing Digital Culture

Within the last decade we have begun to see a cultural shift in the workplace nationally in the US, if not globally, to one of open communication and culture. This change in culture is due in large part to technology, which undoubtedly has improved employee productivity, and overall progress of the organizations that elect utilize tech to its fullest capacity. 

But, as Sara Brown, writer for MIT’s Sloan School of Management shares, focusing too much on the technology and tasks that come with digital transformation leaves out another vital component to successful transitions — a company’s employees, who need to be able to use new technology and feel comfortable and supported in new roles. 

 Moreover, and what is even more important to a company’s culture and growth is “what happens when the boss leaves the room. This workplace truism is particularly useful for leaders contemplating a significant culture shift. Furthermore as Westerman and his team from MIT, also write and use the infographic below, “Ultimately, four key values of digital culture stand out: impact, speed, openness, and autonomy.

Training teams, individual personnel, and most importantly, Managers on where and what the direction of the company is will be on of the most important investments they make moving into the future. The next and equally most important step will be how they live the company's leadership lives the culture they want to project. General Motors, CEO, Mary Barra, who is considered by some of the digital culture pioneers, once said, "I fully, strongly believe behaviors set your culture and you can’t fake, you know, what you do every day sets your culture,” she said. “You can’t pretend to have a culture that’s different than what you’re really doing".

So how does your company stack up? Take a look at the infographic and tell us about your thought on how your company is, or is not, up to par with digital culture. Then think of some creative and tactful ways you could express this to your leadership.

References

Brown, S. (2021). How to Nurture a Digital Workforce. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved from https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/how-to-nurture-a-digital-workforce

Schmidt, A. (2020). How Mary Barra led GM through its 2014 recall scandal and changed the company's culture. Fox Business. https://www.foxbusiness.com/money/mary-barra-gm-2014-recall-scandal-winning-formula

Westerman, G., Soule, D., Eswaran, A. (2019). Building Digital-Ready Culture in Traditional Organizations. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved from https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/building-digital-ready-culture-in-traditional-organizations/