Often, the greatest barrier to new digital transformation projects is not technology but instead the human part of the equation. Energy companies find that sometimes change intimidates employees, and resistance forms as the transition begins. Utilities need to acknowledge the problem, find departmental technology advocates, and invest in training to clear this barrier.
Despite individuals’ increasing reliance on technology in their personal lives, moving to new digital solutions makes employees uncomfortable. Change means that adjustments will need to be made, which runs counter to the human desire for consistency. Employees get used to working in a certain way and become so comfortable that they are reluctant to adopt new technologies.
In addition, they may feel inadequate and even embarrassed if they struggle at all to understand new workflows. Furthermore, the fear of automation replacing jobs is felt, whether or not it is part of the process.
Clear Communication is Key
Therefore, managers need to take steps to smooth out the process. Communication plays a key role in how well or not so well a transition goes. The company has to acknowledge employees’ feelings and provide them with a means, like a department forum or other channels, where they can ask management tough questions and get honest answers.
Second, the utility needs to communicate how the change will benefit them. They do not need to know the high level business benefits that were used to justify the new implementation. Instead, focus on how the alterations will make their job easier, more efficient, or more enjoyable.
Advocates Needed  Â
Also, finding individuals who can be promoters within departments is helpful. Employees spend more time with one another than with managers or the tech team. Consequently, they have more interactions and pay more attention to what coworkers say about the change than outsiders. Ideally, a few individuals are open minded, excited, and willing to embrace the change. Assigning them to a cross functional team provides an avenue to drive acceptance. Another benefit is it creates a back door channel that helps the company determine how well the development and implementation phases are progressing and what issues the deployment faces.
Professional education and training play a key role in building the right kind of culture. Do not assume that the transition will be easy, even if the new technology seems intuitive. The reality is 87% of executives recognize that there now is a skills gap in their workforce, according to McKinsey. Rather than thrusting new technologies upon employees, organizations should provide them with a strong foundation, so they have the confidence needed to adopt these fledgling tools.
Digital transformation enables energy companies to deploy new system features quickly. The technology moves rapidly, and employees often have trouble keeping pace. Therefore, energy companies need to recognize the problem, identify and cultivate departmental advocates, and invest in training to clear a digital transformation’s biggest potential hurdle: human resistance.