The role of IT and HR in digital transformation

It’s hardly surprising that during their digital transformation processes, businesses are focused on the technology. They think primarily about hardware, software and applications — yet the most important transformative factor in is the employee and their digital experience. Businesses should not overlook this.

Digital transformation is as much about cultural change as it is about technological transition: defined by technology, sure. But also defined by the ease with which employees can use it to do a great job — in the working style of their choice. An employee experience (EX) that doesn’t match employee expectations will have them heading for the door.

Where does the responsibility for creating a culture that delivers a great employee experience lie? Is it with IT or HR? The consensus among employees, CIOs and CHROs alike is that it’s both. The IT focus is tools and technology. The HR focus is people and processes. Digital EX sits at the juncture of the two. Closer collaboration between the IT and HR decisionmakers can drive the cultural shift needed to adopt the digital strategies that deliver a great employee experience — with the help of some innovative tech solutions.

What today’s employees want is workplace technology that mirrors their personal lives: smart devices, easy access to data and the opportunity to connect and collaborate from anywhere. One of the main factors critical to digital EX is the ability to access the apps and information employees need to effectively plan, collaborate and execute — from their first day on the job.

Partnering with a mobile device management (MDM) provider can help a company’s IT function deliver a stellar employee experience by ensuring employees have their hardware of choice and a zero-touch deployment process: new staff simply unbox and power on to receive instant access to all the resources they need. MDM systems give individuals greater control over their workplace tech, and can lead to a 60% reduction in productivity loss for the end user.

When companies are scaling, maintaining that focus on digital EX can be challenging, as IT departments become overburdened with tasks such as password resets, and software rollouts. MDM helps IT and HR maintain a digital employee experience that ensures high levels of employee engagement, motivation, and productivity as the business expands.

A great employee experience results from a culture that puts employees first. Employees with access to the apps, devices and workstyles they need to excel at their jobs contribute most to the success of your business.