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UK ready to speed up the digital transformation revolution

British business is set for a digital revolution according to a survey which indicates that 56 per cent of companies are speeding up plans because of the pandemic.

With so many employees working from home, and a battle to get back on track after a year of turbulence, businesses are realising their processes and systems are potentially outdated and in need of an overhaul.

The survey, commissioned by Crown Records Management, revealed:

  • 32 per cent are planning digital transformation in the next 12 months to cope with the new normal.
  • A further 24 per cent plan to act within five years.
  • 66 per cent say the pandemic has made the C-Suite in their business recognise the importance of digital transformation.
  • 30 per cent say allowing employees to work at home efficiently is now a key driver for digital transformation.
  • 27 per cent do not view their business as having already ‘gone digital’.
  • Only 26 per sent say they have already fully digitised all their back-office functions.

David Fathers, Regional General Manager at Crown Records Management, said: “There was already a big desire from UK businesses to develop a digital strategy even before the pandemic, driven by a demand for improved data security and a need to be more competitive in the market.

“But these survey results show that companies now want to increase the pace of change because of the events of the last year.

“Having so many employees working from home has shone a light on the inadequacies of systems currently in place in many companies, of all sizes. Employees have found that information has been difficult to track down and slow to access.

“There’s a myth that Western countries such as the UK are so far ahead in the digital field that most businesses have already undergone digital transformation.

“The survey showed that only a quarter of businesses have fully digitised all their back-office functions, which means there is a long way to go.”

The survey, undertaken by Censuswide, polled 401 decision makers at companies across the country with between 250 and 5000 employees.

David Fathers added: “We also asked whether people considered their business as having already ‘gone digital’ and surprisingly 27% said ‘no’.

“That figure was even higher in London at 30% and highest of all in companies of between 250-500 employees – at 46%.

“It is vital that businesses begin the digital journey soon. The benefits are compelling.

“Digital solutions can help a business become more efficient, save time and money, and make it simpler for employees to do their job – and that’s even before we begin to think about compliance and data security, which are huge business issues in the modern world.

“Perhaps it has taken the pandemic for some boardrooms to wake up to the importance of digital transformation, but if the intentions set out in this survey become reality, it can only be a good thing for UK business.”

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