Building a Robust Digital Culture Through Upskilling

As digital transformation accelerates, SMEs face unique challenges in building a sustainable digital culture that supports growth and competitiveness

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on SME Today

Small and medium-sized enterprises represent an impressive 99.9% of the UK’s business landscape. Yet despite their substantial role in the economy, many SMEs are struggling to keep pace with the digital advancements of larger companies. This presents a major challenge, particularly for those whose time, skills and resources might be significantly limited due to cost and business demands.

Consistency and Culture

Building a digital culture in your business goes beyond simply adopting the latest technology or software. Cutting-edge tools are valuable, but if they aren’t being fully utilised, is the investment truly worthwhile? Prioritising digital training is essential for businesses of all sizes to flourish. By upskilling your team, you foster a robust digital environment that attracts top talent, reduces administrative tasks and significantly boosts productivity.

Effective training programs are essential for meeting the unique needs of SMEs, while also addressing the high demand from employees for better skills development. Studies reveal that 42% of employees would be more likely to stay with their current employer if more consistent, hands-on training in digital technology were offered.

Establishing a strong digital culture means embedding digital upskilling directly into the core of the business, ensuring that skill development is not a one-time initiative but an ongoing commitment.

Assessing Digital Attitudes

Investing in new technology should go hand in hand with offering tailored training programs that meet varying levels of digital proficiency. A one-size-fits-all approach is unlikely to yield the best results. It’s often assumed that younger employees hold a digital advantage over older colleagues, yet this isn’t always the case. In fact, the number of students taking IT subjects at GCSE level has declined by 40% since 2015, highlighting a skills gap that affects all generations.

Managers should begin by assessing the current digital culture in the workplace, identifying obstacles to digital growth and gauging team attitudes toward digital development. Building a strong digital culture isn’t just about introducing new technology—it’s about ensuring employees are comfortable with digital tools, open to change and integrating digital practices into daily operations. By pinpointing barriers like training gaps or resistance to new systems, managers can work to clear these roadblocks.

To stay competitive and meet industry demands, investing in the right technology is essential. But without a strong upskilling strategy for your team—and the patience to implement it—these tech investments may fall short of their full potential.