Digital transformation.
It seems everywhere you turn in the corporate world, there’s talk about digital transformation. There’s a pretty good reason for that, too. Legacy software is being replaced, systems from Excel are being formalized into software, and even old paper-based reports are transitioning into a digital format.
From implementing new technologies to streamlining processes, businesses are undergoing a significant shift known as digital transformation. However, with this transformation comes a lot of pressure on employees to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate these changes effectively.
Unfortunately, nobody comes with all the prerequisite knowledge of business technology, not even the youngest employees. While it’s nice to think younger employees grew up with technology and, therefore, pick it up easily, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
If we’re going to go down the route of overly generalistic generational stereotypes, take a look at this article about Gen Z and what they feel they lack in job skills. In surveys, they worry more about learning hard skills than soft skills. Those hard skills include technical skills, which are part of digital transformation.
One of the most in-demand types of training is hard skills, especially technical training.
That means they need lots of training when it comes to digital changes. That’s why technical training is essential. Also, many systems that require training are custom and, therefore, require custom technical training.
As companies embark on their digital transformation journey, they’ll quickly realize that providing generic, one-size-fits-all training programs simply won’t cut it. Instead, organizations are turning to custom training solutions tailored to their specific needs and goals.
Also, people in the workplace prefer a less constricting work style, from working from home to taking training at their own pace. That means traditional training methods such as classroom-style training and even some instructor-led training have had their day.
Custom digital training typically offers a more innovative and engaging approach, especially for company technology. Cutting-edge methods like custom software simulations and eLearning are more powerful ways to learn the hard skills that all employees need in the workplace.
More immersive and realistic training experiences equip employees with technical skills and empower them to embrace digital transformation confidently. By investing in custom digital training, companies are ensuring their workforce is well-prepared to tackle the challenges and opportunities of digital transformation.
Software simulations is the best way for employees to learn corporate software.
From upskilling employees on the latest software tools to providing in-depth knowledge about emerging technologies such as generative AI, custom training programs enable organizations to bridge the skills gap and foster a culture of continuous learning.
If you want to make the most of your company’s digital transformation journey, consider custom digital training the ideal solution. Look at how tailored training solutions will revolutionize your organization’s approach to digital transformation.
What Is Digital Transformation?
Many people are talking about it, and it’s quite the buzzword, but what does it mean?
It refers to integrating digital technologies into all aspects of a company’s operations, fundamentally changing how it operates and delivers value to its customers.
Digital transformation goes beyond adopting new technologies; it involves completely rethinking business models, processes, and customer experiences. Sometimes, it also consists of updating an outdated system.
Digital transformation is the process of integrating digital technologies into all aspects of a company’s operations.
Because technology is constantly changing, digital transformation is a process that will never end. Even though a system is digitized, that doesn’t mean it won’t ever be updated, or the technology driving it isn’t outdated.
It typically also requires organizations to leverage data and analytics, which means cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and other emerging technologies that drive innovation to gain a competitive edge.
The Importance of Digital Training in Today’s Business Landscape
It’s not just technology that changes and systems being updated. People must adjust to and learn about the technology, and training must be sufficient for digital transformation to work.
No digital transformation strategy is complete without detailed thought about how to train employees. Technical training is essential because it’s an effective and efficient way of training employees. No matter how old an employee is, they will always need training in corporate technology. It’s not necessarily soft skills that younger generations lack; it’s often hard skills, including technical skills.
As companies dive deeper into their digital transformation journey, one critical aspect often overlooked is the need for proper training. Without equipping employees with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate this new digital landscape, companies risk digital transformation efforts being in vain.
Aside from implementing the technology itself, digital training is one of the most important aspects of digital transformation.
Traditional training methods aren’t efficient, and many employees don’t prefer them. They’re no longer desirable to many employees, nor are they sufficient for the needs of a fast-paced workplace.
Corporate technology is anything but generic; therefore, generic training programs won’t cut it either. Any generic technology (Microsoft 365) can mostly have off-the-shelf training for the basics. But generic training won’t cut it for most company systems and processes.
Custom digital training is essential to most organization’s success. It helps prepare employees to do their jobs well. It also reduces turnover and is a great way to ensure employees are well-prepared for their jobs.
The Benefits of Custom Digital Training
Successful digital transformation can only come with digital training, not traditional forms of training. Custom digital training offers several advantages over conventional training methods.
These are some benefits of backing a positive digital transformation strategy with digital training solutions.
Whenever & Wherever
Just as digital transformation has led to a freedom that employees have never before experienced in their jobs, digital training offers freedom that’s also new. Now, rather than employees being tied to a conference room during a specific time for training, they can take training whenever and wherever.
Just like employees are mobile, their training should also be, and digital training is precisely that, mobile. It can be done from a laptop, tablet, and sometimes even a phone. There are many ways to offer employees the right training they can take at their own pace (whenever) and wherever they are.
Real Training
Rather than having an instructor drone on in front of everyone, digital training can prepare employees rather than give them train brain. That means employees can practice with real challenges and in realistic software simulations for corporate software.
The training can be more interactive and valuable, but it can also be custom to each employee’s role. That means they can get realistic practice for their job specifically rather than generic training about software.
It’s easy for employees to learn how to use company systems when it’s directly applicable to how they’ll use the system in their jobs.
Affordable & Scalable
Digital training solutions are extremely affordable. While custom eLearning development can be costly to create, it becomes more affordable as more employees take it. Digital training isn’t just eLearning, though. It can also be performance support, which is one of the most affordable training methods.
Depending on the training needs, performance support, eLearning, and other digital training are all scalable and affordable methods of delivering training for any digital transformation project.
There are many more benefits of digital training solutions. We even wrote an entire post about the benefits of implementing corporate IT training programs. There remains a skills gap through the digital transformation of many organization initiatives. Let’s take a look at how custom training solutions help address them.
Addressing the Skills Gap Through Custom Training Solutions
One of the biggest challenges companies face during their digital transformation journey is bridging the skills gap. It’s not beneficial to the organization or employees to assume they’ll learn new technology as it’s deployed in the company.
So, the only way to address the employee skills gap is to ensure they’re trained to use the technology for their job. Custom training is necessary because some company software and its processes are unique for each organization.
It’s impossible to deploy off-the-shelf training solutions for customized corporate IT technology, or the process is so unique that it’s impossible for generic training to help. It’s also not fair to expect employees to make the connection from generic training to using the system for their specific role. Often, the disconnect is too significant.
Digital transformation creates a skills gap and digital training can close it.
Then, new jobs will come about from the digital transformation. As technology evolves rapidly, the demand for specialized skills in areas such as data analytics, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence continues to grow. Current employees must be upskilled, or new employees with those skills are required.
Custom training solutions offer a way to address this skill gap effectively. By providing employees with the opportunity to upskill or reskill in emerging areas, organizations can build a workforce equipped to handle the demands of digital transformation. Custom training programs can be designed to cover specific skill sets required by the company, ensuring that employees are prepared for the challenges ahead.
Fostering a Culture of Continuous Learning
With every digital transformation initiative comes the need for more training. Just like every organization should have a culture that learns to grow with change, it’s also necessary to continuously learn. That means every organization requires a culture of continuous learning.
That’s what will set apart organizations that slowly lose out in their market to those who excel.
Digital transformation is not a one-time event; it’s an ongoing process. As technologies evolve and new opportunities arise, companies need to foster a culture of continuous learning within their organization. Custom digital training plays a crucial role in this process.
Providing quality training through digital transformation encourages a culture of continuous learning.
Employees won’t have a mindset of continuous learning if they’re not provided the opportunity to learn. By investing in custom training programs, companies demonstrate their commitment to employee development and growth through all the changes. It sends a clear message that learning is valued and encouraged at all levels of the organization.
This helps attract top talent and improves employee retention rates as individuals feel supported in their professional development journey. If your organization doesn’t have a solid plan for corporate IT training, then now is an excellent time to make the case for digital training.
Making the Case for Custom Digital Training in Your Organization
If you’re still unsure whether custom digital training suits your organization’s digital transformation journey, consider this: investing in your employees’ skills and knowledge will directly impact your company’s success.
One of the most significant differences between employees who want to work and those who leave quickly is whether the company invests in their employees or not. While pay is a factor in how much employees feel valued, other more important factors exist.
In every list on the internet of essential factors for happy employees is whether employees have growth opportunities and professional development. A meaningful way to show you value your employees is by providing them with training that is effective, valuable, and helps them grow.
Employees want (and will be more loyal to) a company that cares about their growth and will train them properly.
Custom digital training enables organizations to stay ahead by equipping their workforce with the tools to embrace change and drive innovation. It ensures that employees are confident and competent when it comes to using new technologies and using them in a way that’s helpful in their jobs.
Because every company is unique, every corporate IT training effort should also be unique. If doing right by your employees isn’t the best case for custom digital training in your organization then I don’t know what is. It’s the only way to help your organization navigate the complexities of digital transformation.
Wrap Up
Custom digital training is essential for companies navigating their digital transformation journey. It provides solutions that help employees easily change as the organization and systems change. It also helps address specific employee needs and provides a unique and helpful way to learn new technology and how it’s used for their job.
By investing in custom training programs, organizations can bridge the skills gap, foster a culture of continuous learning, and propel their company toward success in the digital age. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to unlock the full potential of your workforce and embrace digital transformation with confidence.
We work with organizations that are going through digital transformation every day. The custom digital training we build is geared toward helping employees do their jobs better while easily navigating organizational change. Schedule a free consultation to discuss your digital transformation efforts and how we can help your employees thrive.