Breakthrough study — finding a balance between people and technology

Dell Technologies has released research into digital transformation and how it affects employee wellbeing, aiming to break through at the intersection of people and technology.

73 per cent of Australian respondents believe that their organisation does not adequately consider the employees requirements when planning digital transformation programs. While 69 per cent believe that the failure of these programs is due to their colleagues.

Senior vice president of Dell Technologies Australia and New Zealand, Angela Fox, says that strong leadership is needed to allow digital transformation to happen.

“While businesses need the right technology to transform, technology relies on employees to embrace it and make it work. Leaders need to understand individuals' strengths, concerns, and weaknesses and use that knowledge to shape engaging change programs,” she said.

“Our study shows there’s plenty of opportunity for leaders to support their people with clear communication and empathy, encouraging a positive relationship with new technology.”

Burnout

56 per cent of Australian respondents said they were suffering from burnout/poor mental health which was affecting their ability to work.

This, coupled with the 53 per cent who believe their organisation does not know what it takes to digitally transform their workplace, has left employees dissatisfied.

Dell notes that in order to innovate change, employers need to understand how to improve connectivity, productivity, and empathy.

Connectivity

83 per cent of Australian employees would like their organisation to become better at defining flexible work arrangements as many have been left in the dark as to what correct protocol is. Leaders are also unhappy as they do not have the necessary equipment to manage remote teams.

Organisations could empower employees by letting them choose their preferred working method and giving them the tools to complete their tasks.

Productivity

Employees are running on limited time frames with staff shortages rocking many industries. By delegating repetitive tasks to automated processes, employers can free up their staff to focus on more enriching work.

Just 45 per cent of Australians said their work was stimulating and 69 per cent said they would like to receive more training to improve their skills.

Empathy

84 per cent of Australians believe their employers overlook different perspectives while 35 per cent believe leaders treat staff as dispensable.

In order to integrate digital change, employees must be comfortable. With 33 per cent overwhelmed by the pace of change and 31 per cent fearing technology will replace them, employers must exercise care and understand their employees’ needs.

By equipping people to do anything from anywhere, freeing people to discover their best work and leading digital change through empathetic leadership, employers will get the best out of their employees and allow for a smoother transition.

Australia v the world

Australia’s results are concerning compared to Dell’s global results. While 56 per cent of Aussies are suffering from poor mental health/burnout, only 41 per cent are globally.

This begs the question: are employers doing enough to keep employees happy? With burnout being a big focus of the study, employers may need to focus more on empathy rather than productivity.

This divide is further shown with the 73 per cent of Aussies vs the 67 per cent globally that believe their organisation underestimates the people requirements of going through digital transformation.

It seems that in just about every question posed by Dell, Australian employees were less trusting and more dissatisfied with their employers.

Employers should take Dell’s study on board and consider their employees’ wellbeing when implementing change.

You can find the full report from Dell here.