2024 is undoubtedly the year of AI. After the 2023 buzz around ChatGPT, MidJourney, and Bard, companies are now organizing themselves to practically integrate generative AI into their operations.
Significant investments are expected, but they won’t deliver a return without simultaneously addressing a key issue: employee training in digital tools and mindsets.
For organizations, upskilling employees is essential. The goal is to build a culture of innovation and collaboration that will enable companies to seize AI-driven opportunities and increase their competitiveness.
In recent years, several large enterprises have launched “Digital Academies”, among other initiatives, to train employees at scale.
This kind of program raises several questions:
- Why are companies investing in AI training?
- How are they organizing it?
- What results have been observed?
- How can you roll out an ambitious program in your organization?
AI training: passing trend or strategic imperative?
Is training employees on AI just a fad, or is it a strategic necessity?
Here are a few key statistics:
- According to McKinsey, about 70% of digital transformations fail due to employee resistance to change and company cultures that do not encourage innovation and adaptability.
- A study by Syntec Numérique and OpinionWay revealed that 70% of industrial firms consider digital technologies essential to maintaining their competitiveness.
- PwC reports that 75% of industrial companies have identified training and developing digital skills in employees as a critical factor in their transformation.
- According to the Boston Consulting Group, industrial firms that adopted a digital strategy saw average revenue growth of 7.3%, compared to 3.2% for those that hadn’t.
In short: it’s becoming increasingly clear to executives that digital training and business success go hand in hand. As a result, more and more large companies are making major investments in digital learning and culture through dedicated Digital Academies.
Who’s leading the way in digital training?
In recent years, several major companies have heavily invested in internal training. Among the most notable initiatives are the so-called “Digital Academies.”
Digital Academies can be defined as a series of training actions aimed at all employees within an organization. Their objective is to develop a shared digital culture across the company by providing a solid foundation of knowledge in this area.
Here are a few examples of major industrial groups that have launched their own academies :
Bosch : Since its launch in 2017, Bosch’s Digital Academy has trained over 95,000 employees worldwide in digital skills. Training is delivered through online modules, in-person courses, and certification programs for employees.
Schneider Electric : According to the French company, 220,000 employees were trained through the Digital Academy in 2020, representing around 80% of the company’s workforce.
Honeywell: The U.S. company has trained more than 70,000 employees in digital skills.
Safran: Since 2022, Safran has run a Digital Learning Academy. In the last year alone, 14,000 training modules were completed on key digital trends. The Academy also offers 7,000 modules solely dedicated to Data and AI.
In an interview with Alliancy, Anne Farah, HR Director for Digital Transformation and the Digital Division at Safran, stated that digital transformation “cannot rely solely on actions targeting only pure data profiles.”
The challenge and objective for Safran is to train as many employees as possible in digital skills a vision shared by many large companies.
Training… but with what results?
What is the ROI of digital training ?
It may be too ambitious to pin down a single number, but companies agree: the outcomes of digital upskilling programs are clearly positive.
Reported benefits of Digital Academies include:
- Training employees in key areas such as customer relationship analytics, risk management, operational efficiency, and fraud prevention.
- Driving innovation, by helping new ideas and projects emerge.
- Strengthening collaboration and corporate culture. Digital Academies are often part of onboarding processes and include modules on intrapreneurship and mindset transformation.
- Enhancing employer branding. These programs help attract new talent and increase the value of internal talent in the job market.
Where to start ?
So how do you successfully launch a digital culture shift or training program?
Here are some key steps to consider:
Appoint a leader at the highest level possible.
Internal leadership is crucial. In large organizations, roles like VP Learning & Development, Chief Digital/Data Officer (CDO), CIO, CHRO, Chief Transformation Officer, or Chief Enterprise Architect often lead these programs.Define a clear digital vision.
Avoid doing “digital for digital’s sake.” Employees need to understand the “why.” Start with a Kick-Off session that clearly explains your strategy and vision.Prioritize training for middle management.
This level is the true guardian of company culture. Without their buy-in, transformation is at risk.Talk business, not tech.
You won’t win support by jumping straight into technology. Focus first on business use cases and tangible value.Think long term and continuous improvement.
Don’t treat it as a one-off campaign. Design a program that spans several weeks or months, with regular “refreshers.”Stay open to the outside world.
One risk of Digital Academies is becoming too inward-focused. While it’s crucial to tailor content to internal processes and operations, also include external success stories and industry best practices.Mix training formats.
Don’t just launch an e-learning platform. Combine formats like workshops, events, webinars, simulations, and design thinking sessions.Build an ecosystem.
Digital Academies should lean on partnerships with industry peers, universities, public authorities, and innovation/tech scouting experts.
Through its “MyAcademy” program, Hubadviser supports organizations in designing and deploying custom Digital Academies.
We offer diverse, creative formats, led by digital champions with real-world experience in major enterprises.
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