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It's 2020. Do You Know Where Your Digital Future Is?

Forbes Business Development Council
POST WRITTEN BY
Tyler Bowman

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It’s the new year. When we talk about leaning into cloud-based digital transformation, let’s face it: Most of us are already there — at least at home. We not only leaned; we also fell in, enveloped and wrapped it around our personal lives like a cozy cloud cloak. While in the comfort of our abodes, we utilize countless services and enjoy conveniences brought to us through the cloud every single day.

Privately, we are vested. Why not publicly?

It might be the first time in history that our habits at home have outpaced how we function at work. Remember the industrial revolution? Industry’s mode of operations and efficiencies brought us affordability — including in radios, televisions, dishwashers and microwaves — and completely revolutionized how we function at home.

It seems the digital revolution is working from the inside out. While we trust and rely on the cloud daily at home — from banking to buying almost everything — we leave for the office, and in many larger industries and services, it’s simply not there. Not yet.

It’s less like leaning into digital transformation and more like getting it ready for work and shoving it out the front door dressed in a suit.

At work, we are sometimes outdated. Many of our offices of every shape and size are stuck in siloed systems. Corporate culture has not embraced a true cloud migration model. We’re still investing and holding onto modes of operation anchored by our technology.

Again, why? As we look ahead into 2020, let’s address some of the current debates and lingering concerns in the corporate world -- and how to navigate them.

Generational Divide

Buzz about generational differences and work habits abounds. The Wall Street Journal recently published an article (paywall) on how to pay your babysitter — another trend that's driven at home. It’s not cash. Now it's the cloud, and it punctuates different attitudes toward digitalization between generations. (On the plus side, at least you don’t have to run to the bank machine at midnight.)

In her Forbes piece, Naz Beheshti addresses the often-spoken-about schism between generations. It's spoken about so much that a term has cropped up recently — “OK, Boomer.” To me, it has many negative connotations. According to Pew Research, millennials are now the largest segment of the U.S. workforce, surpassing Generation X by a small margin and baby boomers by a larger one. Yet according to 2017 Korn Ferry research, the age of much of our corporate leadership is higher.

It comes down to this: Millennials are driving a market disruption that many CEOs are grappling to embrace. But here’s another point Beheshti makes: Differences in life experiences do not necessarily result in irreconcilable core work practices and values.

Looking forward — across the generational divide — there is an opportunity for corporate leaders to bridge and embrace the disruption. CEOs, utilize your millennial might for good. Find the commonality. Build a transition team that includes the next generations.

Cost, Efficiency And Readiness

Often the reason to continue with outdated servers and software given around the board table is economic. Clearly that’s a legitimate and real concern.

I challenge you to take a look at the total cost of ownership for on-premise servers, including staff, equipment, outsourcing and security to pay for your system that you need for it to operate at a speed that may have surpassed its capabilities. What do all those Band-Aids cost? Maintaining and moving forward are two very different investments.

If you've decided to move to the cloud, craft your transition plan by assessing the work habits of your employees — both young and old — and figure out how to make sure your cloud platform can not only connect your staff to each other remotely, but also create opportunities for each member of your staff to access work files remotely. Both of these steps can have immense and immediate impacts on productivity for your organization.

Moving to the cloud is a capital investment. That is true. But you should also give a second look to how you do the math and the planning.

Security And Staff Capabilities

While it may be a comfortable feeling to back up your data on-site, it’s not necessarily more secure. Anybody can walk away with a backup disk or file from your on-premise server. This isn’t true with the cloud. While ransomware attacks are ongoing and constantly developing, protection and recovery are much simpler through cloud servers. When thinking about your server, remember to consider the cost of the physical management and updating required for on-premise management. When you choose to move your server to the cloud, security updates are ongoing and instant. Do a pro/con list for your business to assess the costs of maintaining on-prem vs. moving to the cloud.

Many also argue that staff capabilities are limited. This is a myth. The cloud shouldn't change how your employees operate on a day-to-day basis. For them, the transition is likely invisible. There are instant functionality opportunities for growth. How soon you take them on is up to you. During your organizational assessment before implementation, find out what your employees are seeking in terms of capabilities and productivity (and some may already be meeting them on their own), and make it a team-building opportunity for organizationwide growth. Develop FAQs around your new tools, and provide the answers as you transition.

Your Digital New Year's Resolution

While you analyze the pros and cons — the cost, the security, and your employees' readiness — think of the industrial revolution and everything born out of it that transformed our daily lives forever. With the digital age, we’ve gone from one mainframe to handheld personal computers in a fraction of the time.

The speed at which our lives evolve and continue to change is astounding. For the most part, we’ve already transformed. This year, resolve to pack up and carry your digital briefcase to work. How fast you unpack it is totally up to you. Map it out. Budget it in.

Meanwhile, let’s get back to the term “digital transformation” and what it means for you. If we’re asking where technology is taking your company in the future, then the answer may be to the cloud. It’s just a matter of time and making a connection between generations.

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