Digital Transformation: How a Strong Organisational Design Makes the Difference

When companies embark on a journey of digital transformation, it often involves changing the way they work (sometimes dramatically) by adopting digital tools such as an ERP system or integrating AI into their processes. These changes can bring significant benefits, but to realise the full impact of digital transformation, the organisational structure should always be scrutinised as well.

Why Organisational Design is Essential for Digital Transformation

1. Preventing Fallback to Old Ways of Working

One of the biggest dangers in digital transformation is that employees fall back into familiar ways of working. This often happens when new technologies are not properly incorporated into the existing structure. By carrying out an organisational design, companies can ensure that the new digital tools are effortlessly integrated into daily processes.

2. Optimisation of Processes

Digital transformation offers an opportunity to optimise processes and make them more efficient. However, without a well-thought-out organisational structure, these processes cannot be fully utilised. An organisational design exercise helps identify bottlenecks and restructure workflows for maximum efficiency.

3. Maximising Investment

Digital transformation is often a significant investment. Without a matching change in organisational structure, there is a risk that this investment will not yield the intended return. By changing the organisational structure, companies can ensure that new technologies are maximised and that the investment pays off.

Roadmap for Organisational Design in Digital Transformation

Step 1: Create a Clear Vision and Strategy

Start by formulating a clear vision and strategy for digital transformation. Why does your organisation want to transform digitally? What are the objectives? By answering these questions, you will lay the foundation for a successful transformation.

Step 2: Map the Current State of Affairs

Analyse the current business processes, IT systems and digital capabilities. Identify which parts of the organisation are already digitised and which still need to be addressed.

Step 3: Identify Bottlenecks and Areas for Improvement

Conduct a thorough analysis to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies in the current organisational structure. This will help determine what changes are needed to support digital transformation.

Step 4: Develop a Detailed Organisational Design

Design a new organisational structure that supports the digital transformation. This may mean creating new roles and responsibilities, restructuring existing processes and integrating new technologies.

Step 5: Communicate and Implement the Changes

Communicate the changes clearly to all employees and provide training and support. This helps reduce resistance and ensures that everyone understands and accepts the new ways of working.

Step 6: Monitor and Optimise Continuously

After implementation, it is important to continuously monitor and optimise the new structure. This ensures that the digital transformation is permanently successful and that the organisation can adapt to future changes.

Conclusion

When embarking on a digital transformation journey, it is essential to also pay attention to organisational design. This ensures that new technologies are fully integrated, processes are optimised and investments yield maximum returns. By conducting an organisational design exercise, companies can experience the full impact of digital transformation and successfully navigate the digital world.