The Covid-19 pandemic is driving people, companies and governments towards digitalisation and digital platforms.
In a bid to help flatten the coronavirus curve, many employers are allowing their employees to work from home (WFH). In fact, WFH has become the new normal.
But even prior to that, it was reported that 70% of companies either had a digital transformation strategy planned or were working on one.
Enterprises that did not have a digital transformation strategy were the worst affected by the pandemic, as they were forced to go digital with little preparation.
Covid-19 has made digital transformation a requirement.
Restaurants are using their websites to accept takeaway orders, educational institutions have switched to virtual learning and hospitals are making telehealth appointments online.
International tech CEOs, channel heads and executives are saying that demand for cloud, software and automation is going to keep increasing.
Here are some ways Covid-19 is accelerating digital transformation in companies.
Collaborating while working remotely
Prior to the pandemic, only one-third of US employees worked from home, according to the Workhuman survey. However, with employees remaining physically apart, the way in which they collaborate has changed completely.
Companies are relying on technology that supports collaboration as employees need to stay connected and communicate. Most companies are using tools such as Zoom for video conferencing, web conferencing and webinars, Google Suite & Microsoft 365, word processors, presentation decks and so on.
Zoom lifted the 40-minute limit from its free basic plan for China to allow healthcare workers at over 1,000 hospitals to use the platform for online consultations at the height of the pandemic.
Remote onboarding and training
Many companies are trying to make remote onboarding work. Corporations, including big names such as Amazon and Walmart, are hiring as there are positions that need to be filled despite the pandemic.
Several digital adoption platforms, such as Whatfix, ease the onboarding and training process by allowing personalisation of content, promoting interactive learning automation and increasing productivity.
Platforms such as Kissflow are being used to automate workflows such as sales invoices, refund requests or marketing campaigns.
Telehealth
The telehealth industry was already growing rapidly before the outbreak.
It had been estimated that by this year, the market would reach US$24 billion. But since the crisis, healthcare systems are being pushed by public health officials to expand their telemedicine via smartphones and other tools.
Digital platform LogMeIn is allowing healthcare providers, educational institutions and non-profits to use its video conferencing tools.
Practising telemedicine is helping to maintain social distancing. A bill for coronavirus funding was passed in the US Congress that reversed the rules that restricted video services to Medicare patients.
This underscores the potential for telehealth, not only in the current situation but in the future as well.
Events being held virtually
Many event planners are switching to virtual events due to movement and gathering restrictions.
Google Cloud Next ’20, a three-day conference, has now become Digital Connect, a free, international, digital-first, multi-day event. It will be using content from Next ’20.
Another event to switch to digital is the Collision tech conference in Toronto. The management has postponed the in-person event to June next year.
Conferences are important to exchange ideas and for professional networking. Companies are turning to platforms that combine video, networking and other tools to leverage the benefits of networking at an in-person event.
Keeping in mind the interests of public safety, event organisers and business owners must come up with alternative options, which could lead to innovations that improve how people meet and interact virtually.
Maintaining employee productivity
According to the website EmailAnalytics, statistics show that WFH leads to a 13% performance increase. And employees report higher productivity. But there are challenges as well.
Companies are making use of engaging tools to reduce employee performance issues.
Tools like Trello are used to allow team members to work more collaboratively and get more done. It is great for managing and prioritising projects.
Companies also use the BaseCamp software tool for project management, increasing accountability and communicating more efficiently.
Ensuring business continuity
To ensure that the business continues and recovers post-pandemic is crucial, and planning must begin now.
Companies have to implement the right strategies and use the correct tools to limit the damage to their business caused by the pandemic.
Businesses are turning to business continuity management software to assess risks and develop solutions.
Tools such as BCM planning software are used to document recovery procedures and conduct business impact analyses and threat and risk assessment.
Oracle Risk Management with embedded artificial intelligence techniques is used to automate advanced analysis for enterprise resource planning (ERP) role design, separating duties, data privacy and preventing financial fraud.
Also, tools like SAI360 are being used to develop effective integrated risk management solutions.
Wrapping up
With pretty much every business around the world at risk because of the pandemic, the digital transformation of companies has accelerated.
Companies that have not already gone digital have been forced to turn to technology to reduce the impact of the outbreak and keep their companies running smoothly.
The pandemic has emphasised the value of digital channels, products and operations.
And, as predicted by the experts, digital tech is here to stay, and many companies may choose to allow their employees to work from home permanently, considering the benefits.
This article first appeared in The New Savvy
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