Ready or not, digital is your new business imperative. The existence of mobile devices has enabled organisations, employees, and customers to be more connected than ever before. Digital technology has been a game-changer in how business leaders connect with their employees and engage the customers. The new digital transformation is here, and business leaders are urged to start preparing the team to embrace the digital transformation.

According to PwC Global Survey in 2015, 73 percent CEOs believe that lack of key technical skills by employees is a threat for business growth. Most people think digital transformation is related to the IT department, but this notion is not necessarily true.

Rather, the process should involve all elements as it will impact the entire company. Starting from the senior management to the lower rung of the organisation, leaders should ensure that employees across all departments have adequate knowledge to support the digital transformation strategy.

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Here are four ideas for you to welcome the new digital era:

Align digital transformation with the business objectives

With digital transformation driving noteworthy change across all industry areas, companies should be able to align the digital transition with the business objectives. As a leader, you should be able to paint a bigger picture of how much digital transformation will change your company.

Everyone throughout the organisation should be fully-committed to face the challenges in the digital economy. It is your responsibility to provide understanding to all departments about the business strategy to win in the digital era, as well as the key role they will play.

Understand your talents

Human capital is the most powerful force when it comes to achieving business goals. Not only human capital has a role to play in changing the tools and processes, digital transformation requires companies to upgrade their talents and skills as well.

Before demanding your team to embrace digitalisation, you should observe and understand your talents first. Are they computer-literate? How literate are they? Did you check their digital-literacy during the interview? If you find employees demonstrate poor digital knowledge or are not confident to develop their digital literacy skills, you should support them with necessary training programs to support industry demands and changing business requirements.

Be prepared for resistance

Dealing with change is not something that happens fast. Along the process of digital transformation, there will be people who hold resistance to change. Not only from staffs, there are times when resistance even comes from senior managers as well. Sometimes people are being too comfortable with current condition that change is seen as nothing but a burdensome intrusion.

When you face such situations at work, leaders should be able to provide understanding to all employees about what digital transformation entails, what it means for your business and why it should be applied in the organisation. Start with a little change first, such that the employees will not be shocked and eventually they will get used to digitalisation sooner.

Start now

Do not wait for the perfect time to take action. While you need to observe and analyse every step in an agile manner, some decisions should be made quickly. Sometimes, it is okay to move forward and take the risks.

You might make mistakes and fail along the process, but make sure to get up quickly as well. Realise that digital is the new future for business, so do not hesitate to embrace the change.

In the globalisation era with rapid changes and uncertainties, businesses cannot hold themselves away from change and managing disruption. Success in the digital economy does not solely depend on your strategy to implement digital transformation. Other than this, you should prepare your employees to embrace the process slowly and gradually. It is your choice to keep up with the digital demand and shine, or refuse the transformation and cease to exist.

Read also: What Does it Take to be a Digital Leader in the Public Sector?