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Patrick Gallen

Partner, People and Change Consulting, 
Grant Thornton Ireland

Organisations that embrace new technology and skills will fare best in the dramatic shift towards a digital workplace.


The digital transformation of the workplace, which was once thought futuristic, has become a reality during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the initial period of the pandemic, most organisations had to undergo a dramatic shift to implement remote working through the adoption of a variety of new technologies and platforms, which accelerated their digital transformation by years.

Adopting hybrid working models

Over the past 18-months, there has been a shift in working patterns towards a hybrid model, which was previously unfamiliar territory for the majority. This has forced organisations to advance their digital transformation plans to enable this new way of working.

The shift towards the hybrid model, which was initially driven by necessity, has accelerated the transformation journey, and become the norm for employees globally. The utilisation of new technologies is no longer a choice, but rather, a business necessity.

The pandemic has changed the way we work, as well as the way we socialise. This has changed our workplace attitudes and resulted in the need for digital transformation of how people work.

The hybrid model, which holds many variations in association with the digital transformation journey, must utilise technological platforms to ensure businesses continues to perform; and that employee experiences in the workplace remain engaging.

The shift towards the hybrid model, which was initially driven by necessity, has accelerated the transformation journey.

Organisational challenges

Organisations are facing challenges as they adapt and support the future of the blended workforce, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to an organisations’ digital transformation strategy. It is important that leaders lead by example with a clear and transparent vision. This will result in organisations being ready for the next phase of the future of work.

Although the shift towards the hybrid model comes with both positive and negative aspects, the benefits are immense. One of the most important factors in communicating with all members of a hybrid working team is ensuring that information reaches everyone, whenever and wherever they are working.

In order to best reap the rewards of the changes now underway, organisations need to identify how their systems need to evolve to support the acceleration of their digital transformation.

Technological enhancement

According to McKinsey, the pandemic has increased the pace of digital transformation by seven years. The pace of digital transformation is continuing to accelerate as organisations are currently resetting their strategies and ways of working.

Organisations need to adopt technological platforms as required and upskill workers with the skills they need to thrive, not just survive.

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