No time to read? Snack on these:
- According to McKinsey, the value of technology is only felt when combined with human capabilities
- 21% of decision-makers find change management to be one of the biggest obstacles to digital transformation
- Organisations that prioritise change management are seven times more likely to meet their project objectives
- Technology alone doesn’t drive transformation—people do, through skills, behaviours, and mindsets
- Mint’s 5-step approach includes stakeholder identification, communication planning, aligned implementation, communication execution, and skills enablement
The success of digital investment depends on people. When employees are provided with the right communication and training, then technology implementations have a significantly higher chance of uptake and longevity. As McKinsey points out, the value of technology is only felt when it is combined with human capabilities – people will always be central to ensuring technology is managed and optimised correctly. Yet, change management remains challenging – 21% of decision-makers find it to be one of the biggest obstacles to successful digital transformation.
When companies embark on digital transformation initiatives, they often focus on the technical elements – choosing the right platforms, migrating data, and configuring systems. However, when these initiatives fail, the culprit is rarely the technology itself but rather the fact that the human element hasn’t had the attention it deserves.
The process of equipping people with the skills, mindset, and support they need to embrace technology is the missing link between investment and realised business value. Technology alone doesn’t drive transformation – people do. Even the most innovative solutions will fail to deliver value if employees resist using them or lack the necessary skills to leverage their capabilities effectively. Effective change management is crucial for the success of any initiative. According to Prosci’s research, initiatives with excellent change management are seven times more likely to achieve their objectives compared to those with poor change management. Even a modest improvement from “poor” to “fair” change management can increase the likelihood of meeting objectives threefold. The better you implement change management practices, the higher the chances of delivering on project goals.
The reason so many high-level IT system implementations never realise the long-term benefits they set out to achieve is because companies focus disproportionately on the structure and technical aspects of the IT solution itself and not on engaging business users in the process of solution acquisition, design and implementation.
Successful digital transformation requires alignment across three critical dimensions:
- Technology: The platforms, tools and systems that enable new capabilities.
- Processes: The workflows, procedures and methodologies that leverage technology.
- People: The skills, behaviours and mindsets needed to embrace new ways of working.
At Mint, we’ve developed a proven methodology for digital enablement that maximises adoption and accelerates value realisation. Our framework encompasses five essential elements:
1. Identify stakeholders and change sponsors – this first step involves mapping the entire stakeholder ecosystem and understanding each group’s needs, concerns and potential sources of resistance.
2. Plan enablement strategy and communication – with a clear understanding of stakeholders, the next step is to develop compelling change narratives that articulate the why behind transformation, how technologies align with the organisation and its people, and transparent implementation timelines.
3. Plan the approach aligned to product implementation – instead of imposing change from above, the goal is to facilitate collaborative planning that incorporates user feedback, creates opportunities, establishes realistic timelines, and develops contingency plans.
4. Execute on the communication – the most successful communication campaigns for technology adoption have segmented messaging for different stakeholder groups, multi-channel delivery systems to reach all users, transparent timeline communication, and a two-way dialogue.
5. Enable through training, reinforcement and coaching – digital enablement needs intentional capability building through role-based training programmes tailored to specific user needs, microlearning opportunities, and hands-on practice scenarios.
Prioritising digital enablement supports teams and individuals as your business embraces digital technology across your ecosystem. If you’re looking to transform your approach and empower your people, watch our recent webinar, where Mint experts shared practical strategies to help you accelerate digital with your people.
