DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION /dig·i·tal trans·for·ma·tion/ n.
The integration of digital technology into a business that fundamentally changes how it operates and delivers value to stakeholders.

Remote work and the use of digital platforms for business has dramatically increased in recent years, and the COVID-19 pandemic has served to further accelerate a global adoption of the digital workspace.

In April 2020, research conducted by Gallup estimated that up to 62% of employed Americans worked at home during the crisis. A survey of 25,000 Americans by MIT, Stanford, and NBER found that 34.1% of the labor force had switched to remote work and that 14.6% were already working from home pre-COVID-19.2 These figures suggest that approximately half the workforce is now working remotely.

Gallup – U.S. Workers Discovering Affinity for Remote Work

A recent IDC study found that 87% of U.S. enterprises expect their employees to continue working from home three or more days per week once mandatory closures are lifted, and 90% of enterprises think that more of their workers will work from home in the future. Moreover, by 2024, IDC expects mobile workers will account for nearly 60% of the total U.S. workforce.

IDC – U.S. Mobile Worker Population Forecast, 2020–2024

Forward-thinking organizations are embracing this systemic shift, as it has become apparent that they can maintain (or even bolster) their productivity and profitability while employing remote workers. According to research by McKinsey, 80% of professionals enjoy working from home and 41% report that they are more productive than they had been before.

McKinsey & Company – Reimagining The Office And Work Life After COVID-19

A majority of executives (74%) agree that video meetings improve the effectiveness of teams and enable individual employees to be more productive. Moreover, 79% percent of senior executives say video communication is more effective than audio conferencing.

Forbes Insights – The Visual Advantage: Harnessing Video-led Unified Communications To Drive A More Agile, Connected And Effective Culture

According to a McKinsey global survey conducted in June 2020, 85% of executives across a full range of industries in eight countries said their businesses have somewhat or greatly accelerated the implementation of technologies that digitally enable employee interaction and collaboration

McKinsey & Co. – McKinsey Institute Survey of Business Executives

Research shows that challenges presented by the virtual environment (i.e. absence of physical proximity, feeling of detachment, miscommunication) can be abated through training to increase individual virtual competence (IVC), which captures the key knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) required for remote workers to perform effectively.

Wang & Haggerty – Individual Virtual Competence

The most successful remote workers prioritize the core competencies of communications, media, and social skills to harness the power of technology and drive business growth.

Sawatzky – Remote Work – Competencies & Motivation

A survey of 39,195 employers in 43 countries found that 54% of employers are providing their workforce with additional training and development. 56% of employers are upskilling staff in soft skills including communications.

ManpowerGroup – Solving The Talent Shortage: Build, Buy, Borrow and Bridge