For many years, corporate technology applications, especially in non-revenue-generating departments like HR, finance, marketing, legal, compliance and workplace technology, have been low on the priority list for investments. Traditionally, CIOs and technology executives focus on modernizing revenue-earning IT applications, racing to keep up with the rapid evolution of technology—from digitization to cloud adoption and now, AI integration. This race has resulted in a substantial backlog of legacy applications degrading the employee experience.
The Need for Transformation:
With the advent of Office 365 and the shift toward hybrid work cultures, the challenge of providing a holistic employee experience has become more complex. Organizations struggle with improving the onboarding process, enabling employees to personalize their Intranet and ensuring a consistent experience across all internal applications. According to a study by Harvard Business Review, employees switch between 22 different applications and websites over an average day, which not only disrupts focus but also leads to a 30 percent loss in productivity.
Strategic Planning for Transformation:
Transformation leaders must understand where to start with their modernization efforts and strategize for successful transitions. Key objectives should include improving employee experience, enhancing satisfaction, eliminating legacy processes and improving cross-departmental workflows. Initiatives must be carefully vetted and sequenced based on interdependencies and overall impact on corporate strategy.
SaaS Applications:
In today’s environment, SaaS applications offer a strategic advantage by providing cost-effective, scalable and easily updated solutions. Companies should focus on selecting a core platform like Workday for HR and complementing it with a few specialized SaaS applications to cover niche processes. This approach avoids the unnecessary complexity and cost of developing bespoke solutions in-house.
Transforming corporate technology is not just about adopting new technologies but about creating a strategy that aligns with and supports the broader business objectives.
Data Strategy:
A consistent and coherent data strategy is vital. As organizations rely more on SaaS applications, it is crucial to bring data into centralized data lakes and organize it by function. This not only creates a unified and consistent source of data but unlocks new insights by combining data from various departments. Effective data integration, robust data governance and advanced analytical tools are essential components of a successful data strategy.
The Final Key Takeaway:
Transforming corporate technology is not just about adopting new technologies but about creating a strategy that aligns with and supports the broader business objectives. By focusing on improving the employee experience through better application management, prioritizing strategic SaaS adoption and implementing a sound data strategy, companies can enhance productivity, foster innovation, and remain competitive in the digital era.
