To be an effective modern business – regardless of the industry – you need to embrace digital. Innovations in the data analytics and business intelligence sector can deliver some huge benefits for productivity and efficiency, but accessing them means making positive moves toward transformation.
Perhaps the most critical element when it comes to business intelligence (BI) solutions is people. Whether it's the management team, IT department or a dedicated data specialist using them, the tools for BI are only as good as those who will be interacting with them. With that in mind, the path to becoming a data-driven business is developing a receptive and accepting culture among your workforce.
The value of company culture
A supportive, enjoyable and collaborative working environment for your employees is obviously a nice thing to have, but research has indicated that culture plays a strong part in the overall success of your organisation. In Deloitte's recent 2016 Global Human Capital Trends survey, 82 percent of respondents noted that strong company culture is a potential source of competitive advantage.
That said, a concerning number of those surveyed felt they did not have a strong grasp on their own culture; just 28 per cent of respondents believe they understand it well. Until you have a clear idea of how the people within your operation interact with one another, making any significant improvements can prove challenging.
Driving data initiatives from the top
Big data analytics can have an impact across all departments of the business; the secret is getting the people involved invested in adopting the solutions. The most effective way to nurture data-driven culture is to let the leadership team guide the way, giving them the tools to demonstrate the importance of BI to the remainder of the workforce.
The most effective way to nurture data-driven culture is to let the leadership team guide the way.
The Economist Intelligence Unit asked over 500 senior executives about digital transformation initiatives, and found that almost half of all respondents noted top-down guidance from executives was the most effective strategy for promotion of data-driven culture.
Alan Duncan, research director at Gartner, comments that simply opening the discussion is a good first step.
"As something members of the organisation must do collectively, substantive business transformation begins with culture, and culture begins with a shared language for how information is managed and used," he says.
Stellar's Seven Essentials for BI Success framework is designed for this very purpose – to drive data initiatives from the top down and to build engagement and communication across every level of the organisation.
You can read more about Stellar's Seven Essentials for BI Success framework on our blog or contact us directly to learn how we can successfully guide your organisation towards more effective data culture, as we have done for many of New Zealand's most recognisable brands.
Sources:
http://dupress.deloitte.com/dup-us-en/focus/human-capital-trends/2016/impact-of-culture-on-business-strategy.html?id=us:2el:3dc:dup3020:awa:cons:hct16
https://www.tableau.com/sites/default/files/whitepapers/tableau_dataculture_130219.pdf
http://blogs.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/3-key-steps-to-a-data-driven-business/
