Preparing For A Digital Transformation At Work

Going digital in the workplace has many benefits. You eliminate the paper trail that can violate the privacy of employees and clients. The data input process is reduced by one step, there’s less paper to file and keep track of, but most importantly? It helps the environment.

Although we’re now 22 years into the 21st century, going digital is not a reality for many companies, mainly because the process is disruptive. In an environment that’s still dealing with older generations  who may not be technologically savvy, transforming to a digital platform can be scary for some and challenging for others.

But here’s the thing, using technology to capture work processes is a lot simpler than it sounds. What usually happens is that the company you’re working for picks a database to use and everyone receives the training to use it. If you’re at a large company, there would be a tech department involved, working behind the scenes just in case something goes wrong. If you’re at a small company, costs of implementing and managing a digital database may be a problem. While it is an expensive undertaking, many companies get more than their trouble’s worth in a matter of years.

As time goes by, expect that technology will take over your work lives. That being the case, it’s best to prepare. My guess is that most companies are experiencing some portion of digital transformation right now. To get on board for a full-scale changeover, keep these pointers in mind:

1.  Play with your company’s digital databases during your down times. Understand how it is your database functions and explore advanced processes. Just because you’re not using every part of the database now, that doesn’t mean you’re not expected to use it sometime in the future.
2. When in doubt, turn to the IT department. Ask if they have any training modules you can refer to and what parts of the database they believe are worth your attention.
3. Use the functions that apply to you. There may be some unused abilities within the database that you should be using, but have not yet. Take this time to learn them and apply them to your daily work process.

Bottom line? Digital conversion can become your best friend because it reduces work processes and eventually makes your life easier. So it’s best to take the initiative and learn all you can before your company goes completely techno on you. You’ll eventually find that you’re able to shift from one work process to another in a matter of time, leaving you additional down time to catch up on those responsibilities you’ve been putting off.