Kristine Dery

“One of the big roles of leaders during a digital transformation is to create a safe, supporting environment where people are able to learn. They can't learn if they're constantly feeling like their job is in jeopardy or their reputation is in some way vulnerable.”

This week's quote is by a Research Scientist at MIT Sloan School of Management - Kristine Dery

Kristine studies how large companies are designing and leading for the digital age. More specifically, she is studying new methods of working and how businesses are empowering their employees to work efficiently and adapt to the ever-changing digital techniques. 

She has extensive experience in research and teaching, including exclusive presentations in Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, and the US both in interactive classroom settings, and more formal keynotes.

The world is changing and so are the employee expectations and preferences. Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, people have started preferring remote, work from home jobs. So, that shift in choices has changed the whole narrative of how businesses should operate if they want to keep the best talent in their company. That means businesses have to work deliberately towards creating a positive and motivating employee experience. According to Kristine's research, the companies that invest continuously in employee experience are able to attract and build different types of relationships with the talent that they need as compared to those with the traditional mindset about it.

The pandemic forced employers to rethink how they engage with their people, creating new cultural challenges with the eviction of traditional workplaces. The companies that already had a culture that embraces and welcomes change and more importantly, had the technology in place were able to adapt seamlessly to this new era.

At DDSN, we sold our office at the beginning of the pandemic and started meeting up in a co-working space once in two weeks. The lockdown didn't affect how we operate because we embraced this change immediately and put procedures in place that allow us to work and communicate effectively every day. From daily work updates to morning meetings and project presentations we conduct everything online without any glitches. Our procedures have made us more efficient and allowed our employees to work in comfort, as well as voice their concerns clearly whenever they need to. 

In today's world, the only constant in technology is change. It's continuously evolving and it's impossible to tell which technology will be the next big thing. We know how important digital transformation is to drive innovation and quickly adapt to new challenges and trends. Your employees and company culture are the two most important things to be able to leverage this change and drive growth. It's not a one-time thing, it's a constant process of adapting, and facing roadblocks on the way. A positive culture can effectively adapt when needed, overcome those challenges and help achieve success.

Today's Quote

Who is Kristine Dery?

Kristine is a renowned Research Scientist at MIT Sloan School of Management.

She also works closely with sponsors at the Centre for Information Systems (CISR), MIT Sloan School of Management in Australia and Asia to research employee experiences & deliver customised seminars and executive education for their employees and other stakeholders.

Kristine previously held management roles in the tourism and airline industries in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. She is based in Sydney, Australia, and is responsible for fostering MIT CISR research relationships with companies in Australia and New Zealand.

DDSN Interactive is a leading web design and development company based in Melbourne, Australia. We specialise in agile digital technology and we have helped multiple businesses leverage tech to accelerate their digital transformation. We have experience working in sectors like manufacturing, education, associations, and government institutions.

Let's discuss your next digital project today!