As Covid-19 shut shops and emptied offices, millions of us moved our lives online. We’ve shared virtual dinners, reconnected with friends across the globe, celebrated birthdays on Zoom and attended virtual meetings and work events.
According to a survey of over 20,000 Europeans conducted by McKinsey & Company, these changes saw nearly 70 million more people across Europe use digital services for the first time in the last six months, with most respondents now preferring to interact with a company solely digitally.
“We’ve leapt forward five years, as the whole population has suddenly been forced to go digital,” says Paul Jenkins, a senior partner and leader of McKinsey Digital in Europe. “I can’t think of any situations in the past that have been remotely similar.”
The value of people
Accelerated investments in digital and sustainability could add up to 5.7 million new jobs across Europe by 2030, according to a new research report from Accenture.
European businesses are also placing a heavy emphasis on reskilling their workforces. More than three-quarters (86%) of European companies plan to upskill/reskill up to 25% of their workers in the next three years to keep pace with their company’s needs.
Successfully retaining the right talent by investing in upskilling/reskilling workers to complement emerging technologies can be attributed to a more long-term detailed approach to value planning.
The value of technology
It’s not that the infrastructure hasn’t been there before, but the phrase ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ comes to mind. Despite digital services offering greater efficiency, businesses have gotten comfortable and the unfamiliarity of tech has presented hurdles for many non-digital leaders.
B2B tech startups have a unique opportunity to bring innovation to the changing business landscape. Companies cannot stick their heads in the sand.
Digitalisation requires investments in technology, but for real digital sustainability, investing in people is just as crucial. Fuel your B2B tech startup with technology and drive it to success with people.