According to GetApp, the pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digital tools in small and medium-sized businesses in Quebec.
Software as a service specialist GetApp published a study of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and their use of software, such as digital platforms, cloud storage services, and team communication tools. . Nearly 200 professionals at the executive or executive level and more than 800 employees in Quebec responded to the GetApp survey.
Briefly, the digital shift refers to the use of digital technologies to modify or improve the way a business operates. It should be noted that we are mainly talking about digital transformation rather than digitization, a term that designates the conversion of analog information to a digital medium.
Do you know the PCAN?
To accelerate the digital shift, the Canadian government established in July 2021 the PCAN, Canada’s Digital Adoption Program, with a budget of $ 4 billion.
Despite its importance, this program is little known. More than half of respondents (52%) have never heard of it. Only 13% of business leaders across the country attended. Best observation in our province where the program is better known, only 35% are unaware of its existence.
Find competent employees
With or without the PCAN, finding employees is no small task.
According to the survey, “Nationally, 49% of employees surveyed said they were aware of the concept of the digital shift and nearly a quarter (22%) had never heard of it. Only 30% of employees say they understand the ins and outs of the digital shift, indicating that companies need to invest in training so that the workforce understands the importance of digital adoption. ”
In Quebec, the differences are more significant: “29% of those questioned have never heard of a digital shift while 35% of employees based in Quebec know the subject very well”.
Differences between sectors
The study also reveals that employees who have recently joined a company are less aware of the digital shift than more experienced colleagues.
The differences are also notable between the sectors of economic activity.
Participants who have never heard of the digital shift fall into the following sectors:
- 31% in the non-profit sector
- 30% in transport and logistics
- 29% in trade and sales
Sectors where respondents say they are familiar with the concept of the digital shift:
- 75% in marketing and PR
- 68% in IT and technology
- 57% in communication
Among other words, the sectors that suffered the most during the pandemic are the top three, and those that have come through best are the next three.
The turn to adapt
“Almost 65% of those questioned with a decision-making role in Quebec indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic had influenced their company’s desire to digitize more processes. Of those 65%, half said they had done so to make their jobs easier during the pandemic. The other half say the new digital processes were critical to the survival of their business during this time. ”
More than half of executives surveyed say they will not abandon any of the new technologies adopted during the pandemic.
Preferred technological tools
Most commonly used technology? Online storage, also called cloud storage.
And among the technologies that come in second position, the study mentions:
- Team communication tools
- Portal solutions for human resources and employees
- Accounting software
The GetApp study also highlights the expectations of employees on the digital shift according to their age where the youngest want a truly digital workspace and highly digitized environments.
To read: digital transformation has boosted business activity