Research suggests they can both influence digital progress and the employee environment

Companies May Want CIOs and CHROs to Support Cultural Change - Talent IntelligenceIn the next few years, 80 percent of mid-sized to large enterprises will try to accelerate their digital transformation initiatives by changing workplace culture — a process CIOs are expected to play a larger role in, according to a new report from Gartner.

The research provider’s findings suggest that 50 percent of digital transformational initiatives fail due to workplace culture issues; and although oversight of a company’s organizational values and mission typically falls under HR’s duties, having human resources and IT work together on cultural adjustments can help companies make faster technology and process design decisions that support the intended organizational culture.

By 2021, chief information officers are predicted to be as responsible for changing workplace culture as chief human resources officers.

The report identified diversity and inclusion programs as one component CIOs and chief human resources officers can effectively work together on, championing empowerment behaviors and establishing how to measure diversity and inclusion programs’ effect.

In addition, Gartner says that although enterprises often overlook extending diversity and inclusion program aspects such as unconscious bias training to frontline employees, 75 percent of organizations that have frontline decision-making teams that are comprised of multidisciplinary, diverse members are expected to exceed their financial targets through 2022.

For more on CIOs’ potential involvement in changing workplace culture and the human resources and IT departments working together, view this summary of the report findings.