I believe the investment required in the digital transformation of a company in Japan should not be approached in a short term for optics type move by senior leadership. I have seen too many wasted investments with new hires being left isolated, followed by quick resignations, the team folding and a lot of wasted money.
From working with several companies who have been successful they have ensured that their transformation teams had a good mixture of high-class imported talent and established high performing experienced existing employee’s. This mix facilitated the necessary shift in perspective, the adoption of new ideas and the real-world internal company understanding to deliver the changes. The teams were given the time and support to gel, learn about the business, identify the right opportunities, find the problems, and then start to work on workable solutions with the full support of senior management and the business as whole.
We sometimes forget that companies only have one chance to make an impression both internally and externally in the talent market. If a company starts a transformation project and doesn’t get the hiring, team composition and internal buy-in right. Then they don’t support in the right way and give enough time then the moment is lost. The subsequent impact is a loss of confidence internally and externally in the talent market making it much harder to start again and have a chance of success a second time.
As a recruiter I see the engagement impact on the talent market when a company fails at a new initiative. The rumours spread fast, and this impacts the ability of the company to attract the best talent for this and future initiatives.
Active candidates are highly networked, and no market intelligence escapes them.
So, the decisions we make today effect all our tomorrows.
