Trend barometer

Goals in the Process of Digital Transformation 2020

Regularly, the IFIDZ conducts online surveys of executives on selected leadership topics. Now, the results of our Leadership Trend Barometer from December 2019 are available.

This time we wanted to know from the participants:

Which of the following tasks and challenges will you prioritize in your organization in 2020 in the context of digital transformation?

164 executives, corporate developers, and project managers shared their opinions with us.

Priority 1: Developing Corporate Culture & Employee Mindset

A result from the evaluation of the responses that was not surprising for us was: The biggest challenge in companies in the process of digital transformation currently appears to be their culture. 55 percent of respondents consider it one of the central challenges in 2020 to “align awareness and corporate culture even more strongly with the demands and opportunities of digital transformation.” Moreover, more than half of them (51 percent) see it as important and urgent to “ensure that all employees develop the necessary competencies and the required mindset for effective work in the digital context.”

Culture and Mindset are the Success Factors in the Transformation Process

This is not surprising, as employees and managers are the central key to managing the process of digital transformation: They are the ones who must work in the changed structures as part of the transformation process and bring the altered processes to life. They are also the ones from whom the necessary impulses and initiatives for the required changes must arise in day-to-day operations on the shop floor level.

Trust or Error Culture: Central Element of Corporate Culture

In initiatives for cultural change, the establishment of a trust or positive error culture seems to play a key role. At least nearly 40 percent of respondents consider it urgent that such a culture develops in their organization.

This is understandable as employees will not initiate change initiatives if they fear being immediately on the chopping block for a mistake or failure. In that case, all ventures by companies to increase their agility are built on shaky ground from the start.

The Survey Results in Detail and Overview

We have published the specific survey results for you below. We plan to conduct the next survey in spring 2020. We would be pleased if you could join us again next time.