- Change in mindset key to successful digital transformation — UnionBank exec
- To ensure that everyone in the bank is on the same page, management spearheaded numerous programs designed to help employees understand what digital transformation is and how each member of the organization can help it achieve full digitization
In any digital transformation effort, learning about and investing in the right technology is important in order to achieve full digitization.
But even more important than the technology are the people – because they are the ones who will fuel the transformation.
Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) Senior Vice President, Chief User Experience Officer and Head of Consumer Finance Ana Delgado emphasized this message during a forum of financial executives in Makati recently.
According to Delgado, this is the reason why companies must always think first about their people when digitizing.
The user experience head of the leading digital bank in the Philippines added that in any digital transformation process, the key—and biggest challenge—is changing mindsets and making sure everybody is onboard.
“Change is about people, and specifically, about mindsets. In the course of UnionBank’s digital transformation, it is easy to put the technology in the front seat and overlook our human resources, and yet, we understood from the beginning that it is key to put focus on our people,” Delgado said, citing the bank’s people-centric approach to digitization.
Delgado said the change in mindset must start from the top of the organization, and that the leaders must also show to the employees that they are confident in the success of the journey they’re about to undertake. This, she said, is what allowed the bank’s transformation process to take off.
“From our chairman and the rest of the board, down to our CEO and top leaders, everyone was on board, because if the CEO or chairman had any doubts, that will trickle down,” she said.
To ensure that everyone in the bank is on the same page, management spearheaded numerous programs designed to help employees understand what digital transformation is and how each member of the organization can help it achieve full digitization. These include learning sessions with technology and banking experts, hackathons as well as trainings.
Delgado reiterated that in any digital pivot, organizations must think about how the journey can ultimately benefit people.
“As technology promises to revamp our world in the coming years, we need to focus on ensuring we are equipping people with the right mindsets to leverage the opportunities without forgetting that uplifting lives should be at the heart of everything we do,” she said.
