What Does Digital Adoption Mean in the Modern Workplace?

In 2019, The Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Initiative in the Poole College of Management at North Carolina State University conducted a survey to gauge C-suite perspectives on top risks for the year. The findings revealed that respondents were most concerned about their ability to undergo digital transformation in order to compete with more tech-forward peers.

Meanwhile, The Harvard Business Review reports that despite spending $1.3 trillion on digital adoption solutions, approximately $900 billion was wasted.

This begs the question: what do companies need to do in order to successfully achieve digital transformation to stay ahead in 2021 and beyond?

Digital Adoption Challenges in the Modern Workplace

There are a few bottlenecks that prevent companies from successfully achieving digital adoption.

1. Lack of Technology

Many businesses either don’t have time, money or the knowledge to keep up with technology and ensure their systems are up to date with the latest and greatest. Others, however, consciously choose to invest very little in technology products. In many cases, these companies either don’t have a substantial customer base to justify those investments, or they simply don’t have a culture of innovation.

2. Too Many Digital Tools to Choose From

The software stack continues to grow exponentially as each year passes. Often, organizations think “more is more” when it comes to software, but research has found that too many applications leads to confusion and, in many cases, app fatigue. Instead of boosting productivity, this phenomenon has the opposite effect, leading employees to drop applications instead of learning them.

Sometimes companies offer user guides and other resources that would improve their employee experience and user experience, but those alone don’t offset the impact of application clutter.

What Drives Digital Adoption?

There are several reasons why technology adoption is important to the success of a business.

• Technology improves the overall employee experience by making work easier.
• Technology allows employees to be more efficient when performing work tasks.
• Companies that embrace new technologies are able to attract and retain high-quality employees.
• Companies that embrace new technologies experience increases in customer service quality and revenues.

Once a business decides that it wants to implement a digital adoption solution, what is the next step? It’s time to look at implementing a Digital Adoption Platform (DAP).

What is a Digital Adoption Platform?

A digital adoption platform is a specific type of software designed to introduce new technologies to employees in a seamless way. DAP products were developed to improve user onboarding and training for companies. Early versions of DAPs offered some type of on-screen assistance to users in conjunction with web-based applications. Today, they are an essential part of the process.

The DAP is virtually placed over the top of the web application to assist users who are learning how to use the software. The DAP’s help feature integrates seamlessly with the software to avoid distracting the user.

DAP Features to Look For

• Adaptability: When considering a DAP, look for one that is adaptable and has the capability to guide a user through any given task. For example, if a new hire is looking for help setting up a password, the DAP should guide the employee through the process with a series of prompts, clearly illustrating how to complete the process.
• User-Friendly: The instructions provided by the DAP should be clear and easy to follow.
• Analytics: The analytics function indicates how the walkthroughs are being used. It points to any issues and provides step-by-step instruction on how to resolve any given problem.
• Automation: The analysis function also indicates which types of processes have repetitive functions. These can be automated to reduce the time they take to perform.

Benefits of Introducing a Digital Adoption Platform for Enterprises

Companies invest in digital tools to help employees perform their jobs properly. They also invest in training their teams so they can use these tools to their fullest capacity, whether it’s the office intranet, an expense claim form, presentation software, etc. Benefits include:

Increased Efficiency and Productivity

Digital tools help employees complete their work in less time and with fewer steps. This frees them up to participate in team projects and work involving other departments.

More Innovation in the Workplace

Digital tools save workers time. Instead of spending time putting out fires, employees can think creatively and work together on bigger projects.

Higher Customer Satisfaction Rates

Employees spend less time searching for information. They are better able to focus on problem-solving for customers, leading to improved customer satisfaction rates.

Improved Employee Experience

The right tools are made available to employees so that they can do their work well and take pride in it.

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Why is Digital Adoption Important?

The goals of digital adoption include:

• Improving employees’ work processes to make them more efficient; and
• Making it easier for customers to access the company’s products and services.

If the employee experience and customer relations can be improved, then productivity and company profits can potentially increase. Forbes reports that startups that implement this type of “digital-first” strategy have been able to boost their revenue by 34%.

1. A positive digital adoption plan is directly related to employee creativity

A successful digital adoption initiative allows employees to do more with their time at work, which gives them additional opportunities to be creative on the job. A study published in the Journal of Business Ethics found that creativity and job satisfaction are directly connected.

2. Employees are less likely to consider leaving their current job

The same study mentions a connection between a digital adoption plan, higher employee satisfaction rates and lower employee turnover. In short, workers who find their jobs personally satisfying, and who feel they can use their creative abilities, are less likely to be looking for work elsewhere.

3. A digital adoption process makes onboarding new employees quicker

Even the most qualified candidate will still have to spend some time learning the company’s software and procedures. Digital adoption tools are an efficient, cost-efficient way to get new hires up to speed quickly.

4. It is also directly linked to customer retention

The benefits of digital adoption also impact customers. Many of the interactions between customers and employees occur online. They can be through the company website, an app, or another platform. Customers are not reticent about shopping around online before making a buying decision, and they have become more sophisticated over time about their online experiences.

An adjustable digital system that can provide a personalized experience can be key to customer retention.

5. This is a crucial component of staying competitive

Companies that invest in digital technologies in order to stay competitive run the risk of being left behind. Customers and employees will eventually notice if the competition is ahead in this department. This ultimately makes retention more difficult.

How to Build a Digital Adoption Strategy

The best way to go about putting a digital adoption strategy in place is by starting with a plan. The studies cited at the beginning of this article show that many companies do not plan as a first step.

1. Get employees on board first

Find a way to get employees excited (or at least interested) in the new software that is being introduced to the company. Keep in mind that, for many people, change is uncomfortable. For some, it is stressful and even scary. Let them know they will receive the appropriate support as the company makes this transition and that it is beneficial for everyone.

2. Allow employees to train while using the application

It is not enough to give someone a manual and expect them to read it and understand how a new software program works. They need to be able to see it and interact with it on-screen. Employees must be able to work with the software and learn about the features while using the walkthrough features. The training is available in the app, and the interaction between humans and the software should flow as easily as possible.

3. Give workers content in their preferred formats

People often have specific approaches to learning new information. Some like to watch videos, while others like to read articles online and prefer to download information so they can make notes. All of these methods are good.

4. Ensure workers have access to software updates

Cloud-based software has the advantage of always staying current. There are no updates that need to be downloaded, and customers who choose these types of solutions can always be assured their version is the most up to date available. In a situation where updates need to be downloaded, it is important that employees always use the latest version of software applications.

5. Track user progress and ask for feedback regularly

The only way to determine whether the digital adoption strategy is successful is to measure it. Track user progress in real-time. Are employees using the app? If not, why aren’t they motivated to use it? Employees should be encouraged to be open about any difficulties they are having. It’s important to identify where the problems are coming from so that they can be corrected, and workers will continue to use the digital adoption platform.

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