The COVID-19 pandemic put organisational change into hyperdrive. Businesses were compelled to move to work from home or hybrid working models, which changed the ways they distributed work and communicated. Agents could no longer turn to someone sitting next to them or raise a hand for assistance. The entire flow of work became dependent on technology.
Not only did businesses rapidly and radically shift in 2020; consumers shifted as well. In the United States, e-commerce grew by 44% in 20201 and the global rise is estimated at 24.1%, 2 but supply chains were disrupted as demands on delivery companies soared. Customers had to deal with lengthy hold times or wait days—or even weeks—for an email reply. Governments adjusted regulations, mandates, and guidelines frequently and rapidly. Business agility and resilience became paramount, and many organisations needed to accelerate technology implementations and change their thinking and policies about remote working.
The pandemic forced industry leaders to make major changes. In fact, 80% of businesses fast-tracked at least some digital transformation in 2020.⁴ They adopted digital tools and technology to support strengthening cybersecurity, remote work, and customer and employee experience. Digital provided opportunities for improvement as well as future possibilities: new ways of working, channels of communication, automation, and benefits of new tools and data integration. Sixty-five percent of leaders now agree that companies must digitise in less than five years or face “doom.”⁵ This sink or swim imperative is driving many organisations to evaluate and change their approach.