Will we dive into the digital world soon?

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Until recently, digitalization was considered an option, but not a necessity. It was a luxury of sorts, the choice of large companies - leaders in their industries, while the rest could live a quiet life on the fringes of the digital world. Having a website and buying a financial and accounting program for many companies was proof enough of being modern.

Changes of recent years

However, recent years have knocked us out of this zone of well-being. The world has accelerated, and the various sectors of the economy, like cogwheels on a clock, have begun to spin faster and faster. Undoubtedly, the catalyst for the change was the Covid-19 pandemic. Saving themselves from bankruptcy forced many companies to quickly open online stores. The lockdown made it necessary for employers to invest in online communication platforms and data clouds, and then in tools that enabled managers to work on these collections. Where humans were needed in production, it became apparent that their work could be partially taken over by automation.

This change was followed by others - many employees returned to their hometowns or decided to permanently move out of the metropolis. The global acquiescence to the realization of remote work meant that the labor market quickly became digitalized, and what followed became international, multicultural teams, and this is where HR departments entered the digital world. Moments later, companies had to invest in cyber security specialists. People working from their homes have also forced rapid changes to their personal environment - they want to order meals or movies remotely, organize a ski trip without leaving home, and some - also go on.... virtual skis. Even typical technological marauders, such as the elderly and offices, have been able to adapt to the digital transformation quite quickly.

Such domino chains could be set up in every direction of our professional and private lives. The market, seeing emerging necessities and new needs, was quick to create appropriate solutions. Today is the time for their verification and fine-tuning, so that from what was supposed to be temporary in nature, we can create permanent, profitable market products. And these products, we should add, are often global in nature. And with so many companies beginning to treat their digital products as core business - there can be no doubt that here comes the second, much more powerful wave of digitization. Today there is even talk of "diving into digital trasformation."

Europe needs to wake up fast

The important question is - will European Union countries deal the cards in this global game? Will they even come to the table? Digital transformation is the domain of the young, and Europe is aging at an alarming rate. We also don't have the digital habits and confidence in technology like the Asians, who are leading the way in new developments. European Union reports indicate that 4 in 10 adults and one in three working people in Europe lack basic digital skills. European Union governments see the problem, as digitalization has become one of the most important directions for change, and will allocate more than €4.5 billion for digital transformation projects in the Horizon Europe work program between 2023 and 2024 alone. The program aims to strengthen researchers and innovators in Europe in the search for breakthrough solutions to digital challenges, as well as environmental, energy and geopolitical challenges.

What you need to do today

Polish companies must quickly realize that digitization will not bypass them. Megatrends have a way of being unstoppable, and their effects will be felt by all members of society. Even those companies that are somehow managing in the so-called "analog world" today, in five years' time may be faced with technological challenges that are difficult to imagine today.

What we always advise our clients is also to look at digital transformation from the perspective of an opportunity, not a threat. Entering the digitized world is not only an opportunity to grow your market and find sources of savings in your daily many processes. It's also a chance to refresh one's business model, to let go of the drag of the past and to inject good energy.

Whether we agree with it or not, the digital world will catch up with us anyway. So it is better to tame it as soon as possible and reap its benefits.

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