For CIOs, it’s about the people, not the technology

As the orchestrator of ecosystems, CIOs can connect people and technology to help transformations succeed.

In brief

• EY teams and the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School researched why transformations succeed or fail.
• The research identified six key levers of transformation success and how CIOs can use them.
• When implemented correctly, the research shows that the six levers can increase the likelihood of successful transformation 2.6 times, to 73%.

The need for organizations to effectively transform — and to do so continuously in the face of disruption — is critical for success. 

How can Chief Information Officers (CIOs) help execute successful transformations while building exceptional customer experiences and a rewarding place to work for their people? A recent research collaboration between EY teams and the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School provides key insights into the answer.

Using predictive analytics to evaluate the research data, we identified six key levers rooted in human behavior that, when pulled at the right times and in the right ways, can increase the likelihood of a successful transformation outcome by 2.6 times, to 73%.

Taking a step back and proactively listening to employees will benefit CIOs. Through deep listening, they may discover new ways of working and learn innovative solutions from others within the organization. Creating a safe environment in which employees want to come forward with new ideas will be key.

Key takeaway: Listen intently to what your people have to say and seek to tackle issues in a constructive and emotionally supportive way.

4. Empower: unleash the experts

In the research, a CIO of an online fashion retailer explained how they give their data scientists the freedom to explore how they can best add value. The CIO believes in unleashing their experts to experiment without repercussion.

Within many organizations, technology teams are constrained or are chronically concerned about IT systems going down. These organizations need to move beyond a mindset of tickets and transactions to establishing KPIs that measure the outcomes that are most important to the business. The focus should be on technology and functionality that makes the lives of their people easier. If CIOs and their teams have a shared understanding of the business outcome, they can establish shared responsibility for achieving it.

Key takeaway: Focus on the big picture. Give tech teams the freedom to meet the outcome rather than simply telling them what to do.

5. Build: see the humans beyond the technology

In transformations, CIOs tend to lead with technology and fail to ask what the end user wants or needs. But technology isn’t the vision of a transformation — it’s the enabler that brings the vision to life.

Nearly half (48%) of respondents in successful transformations said that their organization had invested in the right technologies to meet their transformation vision versus 33% of respondents from underperforming transformations. 

CIOs also need to be able to see the human elements of transformation — the impact it will have on the employees’ experience, the customer experience and the teams delivering technology solutions.

Key takeaway: Prove the value of new, technology-enabled approaches early and enlist early adopters to bring customers and employees along in terms of realizing the vision.

6. Collaborate: create a culture of communication and co-creation

Today’s constant state of transformation requires interdependency and collaboration. Yet, often one of the first things to go in a transformation is the budget for fostering a new culture and new ways of working.

CIOs need to understand that people respond to information in different ways. As a result, it’s important they work closely with the business to implement a range of communication platforms that facilitate new ways of working and enable leaders and workers to share their experiences and key wins throughout the transformation journey. Supporting this, 41% of respondents in high-performing transformations said that their organization’s culture encouraged new ways of working, compared with 28% in low-performing transformations.

Key takeaway: Work closely with the business to build interdependency across teams to manage both the emotional and rational elements of change.

Harnessing the power of people together with technology for success 

Using these six levers, CIOs can work closely with the business and across the partner, supplier, customer and employee ecosystem to make purposeful decisions about technology in transformation. These decisions can reduce overlap, increase efficiency and ultimately aid in improving employee experiences, customer experiences, engagement and fulfillment across the entire organization.