By: Shikha Kathuria, Agile & DT Scrum Master and Coach - NWOW NEAT, LTI

Digital is rapidly reinventing workplaces like never before – from processing workflows to leveraging the workforce for shaping new-age experiences to customers. New-age technologies and tools like data and analytics, IoT, Robots, AI, ML, virtual assistants, wearables, and 3D printers are accelerating digital transformation like never before. On top of it, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced enterprises to think and act digital now and for the future. Otherwise, they face the reality of becoming a thing of the past.

Are we lost in digital transformation?
Absolutely! That’s where a lot of enterprises have got it wrong. Digital transformation is not the be-all-and-end-all solution for enterprises. So, what’s the missing link between the digital and the real world? Your workforce. Even with the best technologies, your enterprise is bound to fail if you have the wrong people at the wrong place at the wrong time.

There is a difference between human and resources
Let’s take an analogy of a sports team, which might look great on paper. However, all plans can go for a toss if you have the right players playing in the wrong position. Likewise, an enterprise is an entity on paper. The people who put this paper into performance is your workforce. Treating them as a mere resource rather than humanizing their skills and efforts is a mistake most organizations make in this day and age. Resiliency is the new currency of new-age digital workplaces. Especially, in the pandemic times. Without an engaging and collaborative workforce, all your digital plans, strategies, functions, and implementations can come to a grinding halt.

Agility seems to have an answer
Agility is the new catchphrase in digital enterprises today. Many equate agility with digitalization and tech infrastructure. However, it’s much deeper than that. It is a human network of trust, bonding, and transparency. Personal agility can lead to organizational agility with an empowered workforce and quick decision-making ability.

However, have you answered these five questions to gain agility on a personal and organizational level?

Is my enterprise ready for emotional agility?
Often, emotions run high in high-pressure organizations. Scepticism, negative mindsets, and unwanted reorganization can create emotional friction within the organization. A humanizing approach would be to create a conflict management team, which possesses the art of negotiation and handling emotions.

Is your workforce grasping learning agility?
Successful organizations promote the advancement of the learning curve. This step includes transparency, forming new connections, acquiring new skillsets, and gaining new perspectives beyond the current framework of processes and workflows. The work environments of today require people to accelerate their skills, education, innovation and promote self-development in an ever-changing transforming environment.

Is your agility changing with the times?
Change is the only constant in the fast-paced workplaces of today. In such a dynamic business ecosystem, employees need to either adopt or adapt to changes in the work environment. This change orientation gives birth to resilience, which needs to be sustainable and positive for growth and performance. To power agility in change management, enterprises need to make sure of a smooth transition of your workforce’s ability to react and embrace the benefits of change. Change is the catalyst for creating an organizational culture and breakthrough enterprises.

Are you powering empowerment agility?
An enterprise is truly agile if it allows or encourages the workforce to take action and make decisions. This factor becomes all the more important in uncertain scenarios like the pandemic, digitalization, and fast-paced businesses. Today, the workforce at the workplace needs to be independent, innovative, imaginative and empowered to make decisions. At the same time, the leadership team or employers need to build a conducive environment for a sense of confidence, security, and motivation for all employees. This process will enhance the output of delegated tasks, increase operational productivity, and increase cohesive teamwork between teams in the organization.

Are you building relationship agility?
A borderless and diverse workforce, cross-cultural teams, remote working, and digitalization, relationship management, and agility will take a front seat in the workplace of the future. Teams and employees will have to be agile in resolving any discord or conflict within the organization to create seamless operations and build an ecosystem of trust, harmony, and values to succeed. Moreover, fortified human networks and connections will add intellectual capital to the organization and improve its competitive advantage.

Final words
To make our organizations thrive in the ever-changing corporate environment, humanizing workplaces are the key to success. Purpose brings happiness and fulfilment in the long run. Teams and individuals who personally grow will lead the organization to expand, which can only be leveraged by the positive environment in which people operate.