INTERVIEW OF THE MONTH
INTERVIEW WITH MR. NITIN DHINGRA,
Chief Digital Officer (CDO),
Somany Impresa Group
Digital Capability Building: The Essence of Successful Digital Transformation
In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, businesses are continuously seeking ways to harness the power of technology for their growth and success. Digital transformation has become a strategic imperative for organizations, enabling them to stay competitive, improve operational efficiency, and deliver exceptional customer experiences. However, embarking on a successful digital transformation journey requires more than just adopting the latest technologies; it demands building a strong foundation of digital capabilities within the workforce.
At Somany Impresa Group, a conglomerate with a legacy of over six decades, digital transformation has been embraced as a cultural change by Mr. Nitin Dhingra, the Chief Digital Officer (CDO). With the establishment of four highly competent departments – Data and Analytics, Go to Market, Industry 4.0, and Automation & RPA – the group laid the groundwork for its digital transformation journey in February 2022. The focus on digital capability building became paramount to ensure the success of their ambitious digital initiatives.
Why did you believe digital capability building was crucial for Somany Impresa Group’s digital transformation?
Digital capability building was the cornerstone of our digital transformation journey. To achieve a successful digital transformation, we needed a skilled and digitally aware workforce across all levels of the organization.
It was essential to foster a digital mindset that would embrace technology as an enabler and drive innovation.
What were the main challenges you faced while implementing digital capability building initiatives?
Implementing digital capability building initiatives presented several challenges, but we viewed them as opportunities for growth. One of the key challenges was foster a mindset of active participation and engagement.
We encouraged knowledge sharing through various means and active participation of employees.
Another challenge was customizing the learning program to cater to the diverse needs of our workforce. We leveraged the expertise of external subject matter experts, including a Ph.D. holder with patents in digital transformation, to co-create customized course content. This content covered emerging technologies such as RPA, IoT, AI/ML, and AR/VR, ensuring that our employees gained practical knowledge aligned with our specific business requirements.
How did the employees respond to the overall concept of digital capability building?
The response from our employees to the training and the overall concept of digital capability building was truly exceptional. We witnessed active participation and engagement from our workforce, leading to the creation of over 100 digital champions who were recognized and rewarded by our senior leadership via a R&R program.
Through the knowledge-sharing sessions, roadshows, and quizzes, we fostered a culture of awareness, participation and recognition in fun ways. A few learning platforms also provided an opportunity for employees to highlight their expertise and share their success stories, creating a sense of belonging and pride within the organization. The strong response and appreciation from our workforce reinforced the value and importance of digital capability building.
How did you facilitate knowledge sharing and encourage cross-pollination of thoughts during the digital capability building program?
During our digital capability building program, we focused on fostering collaboration and learning among our employees. We employed a comprehensive set of strategies, including internal workshops, digital communities, innovation challenges, and knowledge-sharing events. To enhance the learning experience and make it engaging and fun, we developed our own dedicated fun-based and engaging learning platform for knowledge-sharing events.
Furthermore, we made sure to invest in advanced digital collaboration tools, enabling seamless communication and real-time collaboration among teams. Cross-functional project teams were formed to encourage reverse mentorship between IT and business units, allowing employees to learn from each other’s expertise.
In our commitment to promoting a culture of knowledge sharing, we implemented a Reward and Recognition policy dedicated to digital capability. This policy recognized and rewarded employees who actively participated in knowledge sharing, encouraging a continuous flow of insights and ideas throughout the organization.
Regular progress reviews and a robust governance mechanism ensured accountability and alignment with the program’s objectives. As a result of these concerted efforts, we are proud to report significant success, with over 200 digital initiatives undertaken, 80+ successfully implemented, and an impressive 220+ new ideas generated. These initiatives have significantly enhanced customer experience, productivity, and both top and bottom-line growth, show casing the success of our digital transformation journey.
Do you think it’s required to enhance the digital capability of your team, and what steps did you take in that direction?
Absolutely, enhancing our team’s digital capability was crucial. We implemented a weekly knowledge-sharing initiative called “Learn and Relearn.” For instance, if someone had worked on a Warehouse Management System (WMS) project, they would highlight not just the technical details but also provide insights into the business benefits of WMS, the business case behind its implementation, and how the business utilized it post go-live. This approach allowed our team members to gain a comprehensive understanding of the projects they were working on, ultimately leading to more mature and effective teams.
We extended this initiative to internal IT teams, enabling cross-functional learning. The collaborative environment facilitated knowledge exchange, creating a skilled and well-rounded workforce.
As a result, our team embraced a digital DNA, becoming core digital evangelists, and gaining expertise from Business, Function, and Technology. This transformation empowered them to drive successful digital initiatives, consistently delivering value and propelling our organization’s growth.
What are your future thoughts and aspirations for digital capability building at Somany Impresa Group?
Looking ahead, our vision for digital capability building is to continue nurturing a culture of continuous learning and adaptability. We aim to expand our program to cover more advanced topics and specialized skills, including data analytics, cybersecurity, and Open AI.
The success of our digital capability building initiatives has already led to the smooth execution and adoption of many transformation initiatives, The increasing interest from various departments and overseas offices for horizontal deployment showcases the growing trust and acceptance of our digital initiatives.
As we move forward, we will remain committed to investing in our employees’ digital proficiency, empowering them to drive innovation and contribute significantly to our digital transformation journey.
