Mediaboss Marketing

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Digital transformation continues to be a business priority in 2023 and beyond. According to Boston Consulting Group, 80% of business leaders plan to accelerate their digital transformation programs.

The challenge is that many transformations aren't initially successful. According to Boston Consulting Group, only 30% of transformations are initially successful.

Why?

One of the top contributors is skills and talent development needed to support transformation.

There is a tremendous digital skills gap that is hindering success. According to a study by Salesforce, only 29% of professionals in the US are "very equipped" with resources to learn digital skills, and only 29% are very actively learning digital. Two-thirds of respondents said they are not prepared for the social media skills needed in the workplace over the next 5 years. McKinsey also reports that 87% of companies have or will have a skill gap in the next few years.

So how can businesses increase their digital transformation success rate and grow the skills of their teams? The easy answer is to send them to trainingbut training alone isn't enough. A comprehensive upskilling program is needed to drive the success of your digital transformation, and you can create one in nine easy steps.

When looking at your organizational goals for digital, establish the skill sets needed to be successful. For example, if you'd like to create a digital-first marketing organization, the team will need skills in digital marketing strategy, digital analytics, customer journeys, content optimization, and specific channel training like SEO, digital media, social media, and more.

The skills needed will vary based on roles within the organization. For example, a senior leader needs a strategic understanding and the ability to prioritize, whereas executional marketers need more detailed knowledge to support the execution of the plans.

The starting point is to understand the skill gap that you currently have. Many professionals overestimate their digital skills in self-assessments because they don't know what they don't know. The skill gap assessment can be based on surveys, consultations, or gaps in performance.

Determine the skill gaps that need to be closed and how they are prioritized. Most digital transformations take years to complete, and continuous training is an ongoing process. You don't need to do everything at once. Determine the priorities in closing the gaps.

Level-set knowledge and training are vital to the success of digital transformation. The organization needs to be on the same page and speak the same language. A base level of digital literacy and fluency is required for all roles.

This training can be executed through a self-paced online training or certification program. Alternatively, businesses can create a digital boot camp for employees to attend to get everyone on the same page.

It is sometimes easy to view training as one-and-done. You execute the training and check it off your list. One-time training is rarely enough to improve digital skills sufficiently. Once the level-set training is complete, the organization should have a plan to improve mastery or fluency in specific areas. For example, a content optimization workshop can improve digital content, or a customer journey workshop can define the journey from the customer's perspective.

Continuous digital skill development touchpoints are needed to continue to meet the dynamic digital skills needed.

In addition to broad training, there are also specific audiences that will need specialized training and skill development programs. For example, senior executives and leaders need to drive the change. They should have a customized program that could include 1:1 coaching or executive digital programs.

Additionally, digital experts and advocates in the organization should be identified and fostered. Create specific training to advance their skills and ability to champion digital.

Digital is always evolving and growing and there is much to learn. A culture of continuous learning and curiosity will be better positioned to keep pace with changes.

Establish touchpoints to drive continuous learning. This could be through open-enrollment training opportunities, webinars, email newsletters, internal discussion forums, or discussions at meetings. The important outcome is to keep digital top-of-mind and continue to learn.

When possible, incorporate rewards into the development program. This could be as simple as swag or incentives for completing training or include gamification like leaderboards or point systems.

Reward employees to encourage the behavior you want to see.

In addition to rewards, recognition both formal and informal can go a long way in driving behavior. Establish formal recognition by integrating it into existing communication channels. For example highlight best-in-class executions in internal newsletters. Give out digital awards at company-wide meetings.

Also, encourage leadership to provide informal recognition. For example, a congratulatory email to a team member who achieved certification, or a round of applause at a team meeting for those who met the target on time.

Recognition is associated with higher completion rates for training programs and also shows that digital is a priority for the organization.

Finally, measure your success. To maintain support and justify your investment, be sure to measure your success along the way. Success should be measured in terms of both activities completed (e.g., 80% of marketers were certified) and outcomes (e.g., 70% of marketers reported campaign improvements by applying what they learned.

Measure your success and report it frequently to leadership to stay top-of-mind, justify the investment, and showcase the impact of upskilling.

Keep in mind that digital upskilling is a continuous process. Digital is always changing and evolving, so organizations need to build continuous learning programs to meet their current and future needs.

Read more from the original source:
Nine Steps To Build a Comprehensive Digital Transformation Up-skilling and Training Program - Newsweek