By: Allanah Paragas


Digital transformation from small to large scale has prevailed as organizations traverse through the pandemic. From finishing an 8-hour shift at the office to accomplishing tasks remotely, we have surpassed climax in adjusting to the new era of work.

POWERinU—a leading consulting, training, and coaching—organized a webinar last October 7 to help both clients and professionals on how to reimagine and rebound the business. The session was led by Asia Select President and CEO Hans Bayaborda. As a thought leader in digital transformation, he shared his expertise by citing the latest trends and insights on what organizations and professionals can expect and how to make a comeback after the pandemic.

“We have seen the [digital] transformation from the past months. The COVID-19 has indeed accelerated plans and even processes in a way we haven’t seen before,” Hans said. From changing user expectations to changing business models, the pandemic and the digital transformation of businesses drove the changes in the normalcy of work. These changes entail a series of effects in which organizations will experience in the next years—even months. What does post-pandemic look like? In the online webinar, Hans shared the following insights based on the current landscape of different industries:

• New management skills will be essential enablers of change
• Culture will grow importance
• Adoption of key technologies will increase
• Remote work will become more prevalent
• Continuous learning will become increasingly vital
• Companies will try to keep some of the efficiencies from the crisis

Change is inevitable. Given the insights, organizations must be fully-equipped with the right strategies and people in order to keep up with changes and disruptions. Although organizational leaders are the catalysts of change, they need to acquire and manage effectively to retain quality people within their teams. Here are some key takeaways leaders can use to effectively lead and manage teams:

1. Lead with steadiness and resolve with genuine concern

Given the psychological effects of the pandemic, leading with empathy is an immediate and yet the best response to colleagues experiencing depression and anxiety. Leaders who are able to stay in contact and maintain a fostering environment within teams can anticipate the betterment in the people’s well-being.

2. Connect people to a broader purpose

As said by Hans, “purpose can stabilize and inspire employees.” Recognizing small wins and letting people know they are part of the organization’s greater purpose give them importance and a sense of security. In order to drive success, “The best leaders focus on new ways to model and communicate the values and purpose of organization,” Hans added.

3. Drive re-imagination through communication

Leaders inspire, motivate, and mobilize people in the organization to participate in the re-imagination of the business. Communication plays a vital role efficiently drive re-imagination. “Finding more ways to reach out and engage with their people—while ensuring there is fun—will inspire them to look and focus on certain areas significant to the business,” Hans shared.

4. Reinvent ways to work

With digital transformation, there is always a unique opportunity to rethink everything to improve systems and processes. Rather than structuring processes to conform to digital tools, companies and their leaders should reconceive team interaction based on what they learn from the disruption, and maximize the available technologies to enable new ways of working.

5. Foster a culture of connectedness

“Connected employees are empowered employees,” Hans reiterated. Enabling and developing a culture of inclusion and diversity does not only create equal opportunities, but also motivate people to deliver with quality—thus contributing to the success of the business.

Post-COVID, digital transformation will continue to flourish within organizations. While it exhibits positive change, challenges will also be prevalent. It is important for business leaders to be reminded with the significance of fostering a collaborative and resilient culture to continuously thrive and drive the organization to a better future.

Get more insights regarding this topic when you watch the full webinar: