As working-from-home becomes the new normal, chief technology officers are trying to figure out how to securely extend their business platforms and tools to employees distributed far beyond the traditional workplace.
Pointing out that the Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way we interact and do business, Niral Patel, Oracle MD said digital transformation is top of mind for every board. What was previously a plan or strategy for the future is now being put into practice at a rapid rate. Patel was speaking at a recent Business Day Focus 4.0 Live digital event in partnership with Oracle.
In the customer space, the importance of reliable data has been emphasised, allowing companies to make smarter and more effective decisions. Those customers who have ensured that digital is the backbone of their business are flourishing, he said, adding that there has been an increase in the uptake of autonomous technologies in recent months.
It's important, he said, to link business and IT strategies so that together they deliver in an agile and incremental way. At the same time it’s important to take your people on the digital transformation journey. “Employees are key stakeholders in this journey. Not only do they need to be kept informed but they also need to be upskilled along the way.”