While the effects of digital disruption on business and operating models are familiar territory, the impact on the workforce could be the Achilles’ heel of organizations seeking to be digital. There is a window of opportunity to take advantage of digital disruption. Our research shows executives and employees are well aligned on the benefits of being digital. Business leaders need to act on their strategies, adjust their workforce skill sets, and prioritize the workforce changes that will fast-forward their digital journey. Find out why it is time to capitalize on the positivity of the workforce.

1. Being digital
Embrace the future of
work and your people will
embrace it with you

2. A window of opportunity to take
advantage of digital disruption
Workforce of the future
Copyright © 2015 Accenture All rights reserved. 2
While the effects of digital disruption
on business and operating models are
familiar territory, the impact on the
workforce could be the Achilles’ heel
of organizations seeking to be digital.
Our research shows executives and
employees are well aligned on the
benefits of being digital.
of business leaders
expect their organizations
to be a digital business in
the next three years.*
78%
of business leaders say a
lack of digital skills and
capabilities is a key barrier
to transformation.*
44%
*Source: Accenture Strategy Executive Research 2015

3. Time to capitalize on the positivity of the employees
Preparing the digital workforce
Copyright © 2015 Accenture All rights reserved. 3
Business leaders need to act on their strategies, adjust
their workforce skill sets and prioritize the workforce
changes that will fast-forward their digital journey.
• Right mind-set, wrong focus?
• Right strategy, wrong skills?
• Right priorities, wrong journey?
*Source: Accenture Strategy Executive Research 2015

4. Recognizing the benefits of digital
is not the same as being digital
Right mind-set, wrong focus?
Copyright © 2015 Accenture All rights reserved. 4
How to: Experiment, integrate new digital
technologies into processes to simplify,
automate and augment brain and brawn.
While the effects of digital disruption
on business and operating models are
familiar territory, the impact on the
workforce could be the Achilles’ heel
of organizations seeking to be digital.
Our research shows executives and
employees are well aligned on the
benefits of being digital.
Business leaders expect to see improvements
across a wide range of factors from adopting
digital technologies, driven by:
• A variety of technologies and tools
(e.g. 3D interfaces and virtual reality)
• Cognitive assistants and artificial
intelligence (e.g. robots)
• The Internet of Things
*Source: Accenture Strategy Executive Research 2015
*
*
*

5. 5
Right strategy, wrong skills?
It is not a matter of when organizations
will be digital, but how
Copyright © 2015 Accenture All rights reserved.
Being digital changes roles and skills:
• Automation means workers take on higher value
roles (needs data analysis/problem-solving skills)
• Foundational skills will be in high demand
(needs communication/business acumen skills)
• Jobs are being created with specialized skill sets
(new roles needed such as digital copywriters,
scrum masters in IT or digital product managers)
How to: Embrace the broader ecosystem,
partner with educational institutions and
explore new talent pools.
of business leaders say they
already have a strategy for
the management and
development of skills and
talent in a digital world.*
49%
*Source: Accenture Strategy Executive Research 2015

6. 6
Right priorities, wrong journey?
Moving to a digital ecosystem affects
the workforce in a variety of ways
Copyright © 2015 Accenture All rights reserved.
Nearly all business leaders recognize the
importance of taking action now to transition their
workforce to succeed in the digital economy, yet:
• Lack of leadership and vision is cited as
one of the main challenges to being digital
• Less than one-third feel ready to make the
changes in leadership and management
practices to adapt to digital
Business leaders say they are well prepared to
transition to a digital business with respect to:*
How to: Business leaders need to breed
a culture of feedback and innovation, pushing
out decision-making to the edges of the
organization.
*Source: Accenture Strategy Executive Research 2015

7. Our research shows employees are far
from being a barrier to digital progress
Capitalizing on employee positivity
Copyright © 2015 Accenture All rights reserved. 7
European employees are not only aware that
digital will improve their work experiences and job
prospects, but are proactively seeking out the skills
they need to suit the demands of a digital business.
• Employees believe digital brings improvements
• Employees are actively seeking digital skills
• Employees are aware of the speed of change
of employees say their organization
has the workforce skills and
capabilities to adapt to digital.*
57%
of employees say they are proactively
learning new digital and technical skills.*
64%
of employees say digital will improve
their job prospects.*
50%
*Source: Accenture Strategy European Worker Research 2015

8. 8
Where next?
Practical ways to achieve the workforce of the future
Copyright © 2015 Accenture All rights reserved.
Keep the following factors in mind:
• Align your workforce and HR strategy with the business
• Start experimenting with more flexible and agile ways
of working using proven digital technologies and tools
• Define the digital skills gap within the workforce
• Develop required digital competencies within the workforce
• Foster leadership behaviors that fuel a digital culture

9. 9Copyright © 2015 Accenture All rights reserved.
About the research
Accenture Strategy interviewed 700 business leaders in the United States,
China, Japan and the European Union to understand how they can take
advantage of digital technologies to accelerate growth and competitiveness.
We also sought the views of more than 2,500 European employees in five
countries on the impact of digital technologies on the future of work.
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Read other reports in the “Being digital” series:
• Fast-forward to the right digital strategy
• Seven essential “no-regret” capabilities

10. 10Copyright © 2015 Accenture All rights reserved.
Learn more at www.accenture.com/digitaltransformation
About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services
and outsourcing company, with approximately 323,000 people
serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled
experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and
business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most
successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help
them become high-performance businesses and governments.
The company generated net revenues of US$30.0 billion for the fiscal
year ended August 31, 2014. Its home page is www.accenture.com.
About Accenture Strategy
Accenture Strategy operates at the intersection of business and
technology. We bring together our capabilities in business, technology,
operations and function strategy to help our clients envision and
execute industry-specific strategies that support enterprise wide
transformation. Our focus on issues related to
digital disruption, competitiveness, global operating models,
talent and leadership help drive both efficiencies and growth.
For more information, follow @AccentureStrat or visit
www.accenture.com/strategy