Ranera pointed out that "we are all Internet users and we are used to being treated in a friendly and attractive way. Why not do the same with our employees?" In fact, internal communication is one of the most important fields to deal with as part of digital transformation. "The use of the intranet and the newsletter continues to dominate," said Ranera, who nevertheless celebrated the fact that "means of communication are changing" and that "intranets will be totally different to what we are used to" thanks to the new possibilities offered by technology.
However, the Íncipy and Inesdi study also shows that some 11% of companies have a corporate social network platform that is not being used. This is one of the major challenges on the table. Ranera stressed that "where these platforms offer the most value is in helping these large and traditional organisations to become more horizontal and to work better in a network."
More involved employees
""All employees need a basic knowledge of digital skills," insisted Ana Sánchez Blanco, academic director of Inesdi. Having employees who are familiar with the digital environment not only has an impact on the company's productivity, but also helps the effectiveness of Employer Branding campaigns that digital tools make viable. "What an employee shares has eight times more impact than when a company does it directly," insisted Ranera to highlight the importance of gaining the commitment of employees for the project.
Thus, Maria Alsina, Senior International HR Manager Europe at Inditex, concurred that "when people are looking for work and see an involved and motivated employee, it is much more credible." For those who recruit talent, therefore, achieving this almost involuntary collaboration from employees is very valuable.
Whatever the case, the study presented on Tuesday also reveals that 29% of companies are already incorporating new digital profiles. "What surprises me is that more than 70% have still not incorporated any!" said Ana Sánchez Blanco. Moreover, she pointed out, "if all they have taken on is a community manager, they will not achieve digital transformation with that alone."
The academic director of Inesdi also warned that "in 2020 there will be a need for 900,000 technology professionals, but only 17% of students are doing technology degrees."
Motivating the millennials
"The millennials are driven by projects and they prioritise their peers selling them an idea rather than the company message," said Alsina from her experience at Inditex. There are two generations living side-by-side in the fashion giant. "In Human Resources we have the job of mentoring both sides," she admitted. Thus, they try to make sure that the millennials teach the seniors the new ways of working, and for these in turn to transmit the company culture to the younger generation. "The new generations want to know it all at once, so keeping them motivated always requires a much greater effort," she warns.
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| The president of Íncipy and Inesdi, Joana Sánchez, moderated the debate with Maria Alsina, Glòria Ausió and Maria Castellanos. PGF |
At Ricoh Spain they also live with this intergenerational situation, with 45% of staff made up of millennials. "They are people who expect something else," recognised the manager of Human Resources, Glòria Ausió. "Making them the protagonists of the transformation is key to keeping hold of them. We have to give them a voice so that they lead a lot of initiatives in which they are the best ones for the job," she said.
They also look for this involvement at Amplifon. "We not only want to present the company to people on the outside, but rather to foster pride in belonging and for the employees to be the best ambassadors," said Maria Castellanos, the company's Talent Development Manager. Amplifon has just launched its Career portal, where all the content is created by real employees of the company. "We will now select 20 employees in Spain so that they help us to spread the content. It is like with restaurants, you end up trusting those that friends and acquaintances recommend," Castellanos pointed out.