Digital Transformation: Improving the Public Sector

Exactly what do we mean by digital transformation? Digital transformation is the change associated with the integration of digital technology into all areas of a business. Research shows that 47% of citizens interact with authorities online. This is one of the many reasons UK governments, and local councils, are keen to push forward an agenda which assists the government to work in a more modern way which benefits their employees, and also the needs of the people.

Why the sudden push for Public Sector Digital Transformation?

The Public Sector views themselves as the least prepared sector for Digital Transformation but that is beginning to change. One of the reasons for this shift is the emergence of UK-based data centres.

When Microsoft opened up UK data centres this improved public sector trust in cloud services, the UK Ministry of Defence and NHS trusts are among those who have embraced cloud-based solutions.

Another factor contributing to the push for digital change is that people who have previously worked in the private sector, are now holding high-ranking positions in the public sector. Due to their understanding and expectations of which IT services should be invested in, the pace for digital transformation has gained momentum.

What are the hurdles to overcome?

Although the need for Digital Transformation in the Public Sector is considerable, there are many challenges to be faced along the way.

Regardless of which sector you’re in, finding the initial funding to begin a new project can be challenging. This challenge increases in the public sector due to the varying political pressures and trying to do more with less money, to accommodate new customer demands.

Once a budget has been agreed, time frames generally tend to be shorter for public sector projects. Projects are frequently connected to political agendas, so they need to show results promptly to benefit constituents.

Another challenging factor is that most Public Sector organisations are using old, outdated systems which require a full replacement or refresh. The full support of everyone in the organisation is required to effectively execute digital transformation.

How embracing Digital Transformation can improve public sector services and experiences

The journey to Digital Transformation may not be the easiest but it’s well worth the time and resources used to get it right. Some of the key benefits are:

  • Saving money! Since 2012 the savings due to digital transformation have increased year on year.
  • Collaboration between departments – increase innovation across the organisation by making it simple for employees to cross collaborate and share ideas.
  • Being better equipped to deliver a service which meets customer expectations.
  • Increased engagement – important messages are never missed and opinions can be shared easily.

Want to know more about Driving Digital Transformation in the Public Sector? Check out our Whitepaper.

Early steps to Digital Transformation success

Each journey to successfully digitally transforming an organisation or institution will not be identical.  There are, however, a few steps which pretty much all organisations should at the very least consider.

  1. Migrating to the cloud – one of the most important steps is moving to a cloud-base productivity platform. Office 365 is a perfect example of a platform which can bring huge benefits including a large storage capacity, mobile working and collaborative working environments.
  2. Automating processes – Reports, records and filing tickets etc, tasks which follow a pre-established process can be digitised and automated. This not only reduces the risk of human error associated with this type of task, but also frees up employee time, giving them less monotonous administration tasks to complete and more time to spend on higher value work.
  3. Retire legacy platforms – get rid of those outdated systems to make way for new, modernised ways of working.
  4. Adopting innovative solutions – when innovation is embraced, traditional processes are updated, improved and made more efficient to improve the lives of everyone involved

Don’t forget that no matter how great your digital transformation journey goes; the real test and result relies hugely on the adoption percentage.

How to measure success – enablement and adoption

You can have all of the latest technology in place but if employees aren’t engaged it will never reach its full potential. In the majority people don’t like change, there can be resistance to new and unfamiliar ways of working. How can you change this and ensure adoption is successful?

Don’t just introduce new tools and processes, highlight why and how they will benefit employees work life.

A powerful tool which can easily help increase adoption and engagement is a fully functional, modern intranet or Digital Workspace.

Be ahead of the game! Most Public Sector organisations have an outdated intranet, often unused and unloved. It doesn’t have to be this way! A Digital Workspace, or a modern intranet, should encourage employees to make the most of all the news and tools available to make their job easier.

Fresh intranet brings together Office 365 tools and solutions to not only increase adoption but make the most out of your investment.[vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2=”Whitepaper: Public Sector Digital Transformation” style=”3d”]Government institutions provide millions of citizens with essential public services, improving lives and general standards of living. However, in the shadow of a recovering economy, tighter budgets and reduced staff numbers, many agencies struggle with providing a world-class experience to their citizens. This whitepaper will look at how, by adopting the right technology solutions, the public sector can improve the services and experiences it provides its citizens.

GET THE WHITEPAPER hbspt.cta.load(4107501, ‘d08c7c7a-981a-43cd-b9c0-433877e6a33b’, {}); [/vc_cta][/vc_column][/vc_row]