While the construction industry in the UK is not generally known for its pioneering approach to digital transformation, it’s not necessarily stuck in the dark ages. There are some companies proving that technology can be hugely beneficial to business, from data analysis to engineering and design applications. Technology in itself is not necessarily holding back progress, as it’s already been proven in many industries. Could it be that there is a lack of skills available to drive digital transformation?
It is not just technical know-how that’s needed, there’s mindset shift that needs to take place. If there’s one thing to be learned about technology, it’s that it never sits still. It’s constantly changing, developing, and innovating, and it requires a mindset to match.
Five soft skills needed for digital transformation:
1 – Creativity: The ability to be able to think through the challenges a business is facing and take a critical look as how technology might be able to solve those problems. The solutions may not always be obvious, which is why a creative approach is needed.
2 –Collaboration: Digital transformation works best when it is rolled out throughout the organization, and this requires a collaborative effort. A great advantage of technology is that it can link departments by providing a central database that people in different departments can access.
3 – Flexibility: Because there are so many applications of technology, a one size fits all approach doesn’t work. Rather technology should be adapted according to the business needs, and this requires flexibility, both in thinking and implementation.
4 – Responsiveness: In reality implementation will never truly be ‘done’. Effective digital transformation requires the ability to respond to change, and doing this requires a future outlook with the mindset that things can and will change. Decisions shouldn’t be cast in stone, but rather allow for movement in the direction required.
5 – Transparency: Technology can be intimidating, especially when there is a steep learning curve involved. Clear communications are a critical part of successful digital transformation because you need people to buy into the concept before you can start to implement.
If you’re looking to implement digital transformation in the near future, how well equipped is your organisation in terms of these soft skills? Yes technical IT knowledge is important, but getting these soft skills in place will facilitate a far more effective implementation of the projects you undertake.
Related article: What skills are needed to drive digital transformation in construction.