Many multinational organizations have digital transformation projects in place-some were put on hold due to the impact of the global pandemic while others were simply accelerated because the consequences of the pandemic meant that they could no longer delay such a crucial project.
Cloud platforms, cloud digital tools and technology platforms that connect people, processes and business functions often form a major part of any digital transformation project. The reason for this is that cloud platforms are a launchpad for digitization- they come with innovative digital tools and features that help organizations deliver business processes in a faster and more efficient manner.
In this article, we will examine what cloud platforms can bring and why these platforms are the subject of much ongoing investment for global organizations who are looking to streamline operations, introduce greater efficiency and carve out a competitive edge.
A strategy enabler
In the past, cloud platforms being used to optimize the delivery of business-critical services, were often viewed as an alternative to expensive outsourcing of activity to third party providers. While there is undoubtedly an element of truth in this, this view is a slightly narrow one and tends to provide a somewhat limited view of the capabilities and overall benefits that cloud platform functionality can bring to an organization.
Today, a cloud platform is seen as a strategy enabler- connected technology systems with broad ranging capabilities, that can deliver on board mandated strategies, especially if the focus is on improving efficiency within the organization to enable business growth and scalability.
Essentially, cloud platforms and the adoption of digital technology, have become critical to enabling overall business strategy. It is also in widespread use, so those that do not adopt cloud platform technology are starting to look dated and behind the curve. The use cases of cloud platforms have been well documented and verified in recent years, to such a degree, that fewer and fewer businesses view it with any kind of suspicion anymore. Instead, they view it as the launchpad for better business processes and the optimization of back-end business services.
The benefits are simply too good to ignore, and the ability to scale cloud platform usage in line with growth and business objectives, using it more as you need to, is a major game changer in the business landscape. At board level everywhere these days, digital adoption and the cloud environment will be mentioned as key drivers when it comes to delivering on any forward-looking strategy.
Unlocking capabilities
Many of the key advocates of cloud platform adoption point to its ability to unlock capabilities within an organization. All organizations have positives in terms of people, processes and technology-but something is missing that prevents them becoming all that they can be. Cloud platforms can provide this missing link in the form of enhanced digital activity, faster processing of data, better customer experience, streamlined processes & activity and clearer visibility and control over key deliverables within a business unit.
When business leaders look at cloud adoption as a partnership technology, an enabler of productivity and something that can enhance and take existing technology and processes to the next level, they then begin to discover the true capabilities of cloud adoption.
Human resource department and global payroll processing are two areas that benefit hugely from digital cloud adoption. One of the main reasons for this is both departments feature manually heavy internal processes-repeatable data entry, checking and validation of employee data for HR purposes or payroll processing across multiple countries.
A cloud platform can be of major benefit here-firstly, it can connect the HR technology or HCM to the global payroll system smooth and efficient two-way data flows. It can also help introduce automation and artificial intelligence so that bulk data files can be uploaded, manually processed, checked and validated in a matter of seconds. This saves endless hours of administrative burden for both these crucial departments.
This is what we mean when we say cloud platforms unlock capabilities- HR professionals and global payroll professionals can focus their time on high value priority work when a cloud platform takes on the burden of manual entry. Capabilities are unlocked, staff are free to do so much more, things happen faster, accuracy and security are improved, and the efficiency gains are visible and measurable.
A digital journey
Digital transformation project needs will always be quick to point out, that cloud platform adoption is a journey as opposed to a one-off technology stack implementation project. It needs to be accompanied by a digital mindset in order to get the most from it.
This is a journey with no end and the possibilities are far reaching. The best digital platforms come with easy integration and customization options so that additional features, data storage, and information protection security updates can be added as and when they are needed.
Cloud platforms are flexible and agile in nature- they can give you more as you grow and need more. From integrations to extra software applications to simple plugin updates, cloud platforms are designed to respond to the specific needs of the organization. A global payroll control platform for example, responds to the need a global employer has to choose their own payroll vendors, by enabling the employer to on-board, swap out or change vendors anytime they want.
This is a digital journey- business needs change and evolve over time, or they are forced into exploring new avenues due to an unfortunate system shock, such as a financial crash or a global pandemic. The consequences of such a system shock can be more easily absorbed when an organization is using a flexible and agile cloud platform to run its core business critical services. Without such a platform, the organization will likely find themselves in panic mode and searching for an expensive and somewhat inconvenient, rip and replace technology solution- this is a situation company should be working very hard to avoid.
Stay the course
This is really about support and buy-in at board, line manager level and leadership level. Cloud adoption needs to be sanctioned from the top down, the C-suite need to transform into digital advocates and communicate regularly to a global workforce about the importance of establishing a digital mindset.
Digitization is the methodology of the future; everyone is going there, and digital transformation officers and project managers are becoming a more common sight at multinational companies around the world. This is not a technology implementation or a one-off purchase- this is a digital journey; cloud adoption is a mindset and cloud services are prerequisites.
Treating it as something of a culture change at an organization which had not in the past, placed major emphasis on digital adoption, is a good approach. The vast and transformative potential of cloud platforms to massively boost operational efficiency and take a company in an entirely new direction is something that should be embraced with enthusiasm.
It is also about staying the course- the early days of adoption will be challenging as people get used to cloud computing technology and new processes-some bumps in the road are inevitable-no company ever really avoids this, regardless of what the public perception may be. But those who stay the course and remain committed to long-term cloud adoption will soon see a clear connection between the adoption of this new technology and the creation of long-term business value.
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