Role of CIO is evolving, same as technology

The hybrid work environment has now become the new norm in our emerging digital-first ecosystem. However, over the longer term, companies need to consider how to address continued collaboration and teamwork as employees move toward a model where, even when they are working together, they will not always be located in the same physical space.

That means people within the remote working landscape will not have the same impromptu interactions they used to have around the water cooler. Businesses will need to create more bonding opportunities for staff.

It is also worth thinking about managers’ accountability as they interact with employees, from onboarding new staff and understanding training requirements, to managing productivity and providing guidance, all from a distance.

On the business process side, companies will need to think about business operations workflows, and how to digitise them. Digital transformation is only going to continue. Businesses need to ensure they have the right digital platform to enable the right hybrid landscape to ensure ongoing growth.

Digital transformation is now a key driver for business success and often results in the lines blurring between technology and business. It also means that the role of the CIO, CTO expands, and they take on a more strategic role to identify new growth areas to drive profitability.

As CIOs are expected to lead both, business and digital transformation initiatives and their outcomes, we can see IT leaders restructuring to adapt and respond to the shift in business needs. However, there must be an emphasis on getting the customer experience right, implementing a security strategy to support the hybrid-work model, driving innovation and ensuring overall employee wellbeing and satisfaction.

Decision making is a key component of every IT leader’s day to day functioning. These decisions have a direct impact on the business, and it must be a collaborative effort from the team. Bringing people into the decision-making process enhances creativity and lends a fresh perspective to the task or challenge at hand.

Involving counterparts in the decision-making process fosters collaboration and helps break down organisational silos. However, what is really critical is including the right people who will be implementing strategies and agreed solutions, in the decision-making process.

It is key to think about creating a specific role of a change manager into IT organisations to follow change and to ensure right technology implementation and also anticipate and work on resolving all roadblocks.

The principal opportunity from digital platforms is to optimise costs as well as to improve efficiency through innovative network digital services. It allows the atomisation of processes and make consumers, customers and staffs day to day more productive and optimised. This opportunity lies in all sectors from healthcare to education and governments.

It is not anymore about only finding the right technical solution to answer a specific need; it is more about what technical solution will have a direct impact on productivity and efficiency of the employees that will directly impact the business growth.

Technologies involved in digital transformation largely include AI and ML, cloud, data analytics and management, IoT, communication, robotics and a number of emerging technologies like 5G. Although DX initiatives may not implement all these technologies together, it brings together multiple technologies where data and secured networks play a critical role in enabling workflow automation.

Principal challenges for decision makers

• The role of a CIO is evolving, the same way as technology.
• IT decision makers must look at their career progression as a means to evolve and develop based on their skills, experience and desire to grow.
• They need to enhance their business skills to enable their career growth.
• The new era which started two years ago at the onset of the pandemic, has mostly changed all the usual positions as we know it.
• Nowadays, it is all about business; all support functions including IT are here to support business growth.
• This should encourage CIOs and IT leaders to reinforce their business skills to continue being a part of the game and having the right added value.

Key Takeaways 

• Digital transformation is a key driver for business success and often results in the lines blurring between technology and business.
• The role of CIO, CTO will expand, as they take on a more strategic role to identify new growth areas to drive profitability.
• We can see IT leaders restructuring to adapt and respond to the shift in business needs.
• Decision making is a key component of every IT leader’s day to day functioning.
• Decision making has a direct impact on business and it must be a collaborative effort from the team.
• Bringing people into the decision-making process enhances creativity and lends a fresh perspective to the task or challenge at hand.
• What is really critical is including the right people who will be implementing strategies and solutions, in the decision-making process.
• It is more about what technical solution will have a direct impact on productivity and efficiency of employees that will directly impact business growth.

IT decision makers must look at their career progression as a means to evolve and develop based on their skills, experience and desire to grow.