Many organizations are in the process of making their way to the cloud or investing further in cloud computing. In fact, it’s reported that global public cloud computing spending will “reach an estimated 495 billion U.S. dollars in 2022.” 

When you’re creating a cloud migration plan for your organization, you may focus on the benefits you will get, the business goals you’re aiming to achieve and other long-term advantages. However, none of that is possible if your employees aren’t on board with your plan. That’s why it’s crucial to have a people strategy in place that aligns with your goals. 

Below, we’ll discuss what a people strategy is and how your organization can utilize one to amplify your business goals through effective cloud migration. 

What Is a People Strategy?

People strategies, in general, are plans that focus on including employees in the changes from business decisions and otherwise supporting the people within the organization. 

No matter what goal your business is working toward, a people strategy is critical to reaching it. In this blog, we’ll focus on a people strategy as a segment of your cloud migration process. 

Why Is a People Strategy Important? 

While cloud adoption might seem technical, many issues can occur if your employees aren’t considered during the transition. Deloitte calls this “the ‘cloud adoption plateau’—a stall in cloud adoption and true organizational transformation—that limits what organizations are able to achieve with cloud.”

Essentially, people strategies help mitigate these roadblocks in order to streamline the cloud adoption process. 

For example, during a cloud infrastructure implementation, your organization may accidentally focus only on the processes that need to be carried out, without considering the changes and impact to the people achieving them. 

However, a people strategy seeks to keep people engaged in the changes, including why the changes are needed, what is hoped to be achieved through the changes, how their responsibilities will change, and how they can continue to bring value.

How To Create an Effective People Strategy

1. Ensure Your Entire Team Is on Board

From executives to the most recent employee, your entire team must be informed, educated and involved with the cloud migration process through effective communication. 

As Accenture reports, Modern Cloud Champions research found that when organizations simultaneously support their employees while they plan their cloud migration, they have “3 times more gains across employee productivity and cross-functional collaboration and communication, 1.9 times faster cloud migration and 2 times enhanced organizational agility and innovation and improved customer experience.” 

In addition to making your employees feel supported, you’re also improving their productivity, educating them on necessary information and empowering them to improve the organization overall. 

2. Create a People-Centric Adoption Plan

Of course, some people will be hesitant to participate in the cloud migration plan. But, you can mitigate this concern by providing certainty that the implementation is centered around them. 

There are a number of ways you can do this, including by: 

• Creating a cloud adoption task force. With a set group of people who are influencers, you form a team of champions to focus on educating and assisting others throughout the change, helping your employees feel confident and comfortable with the changes taking place. 
• Ensuring you have clear points of contact. When people within your organization have questions or need additional support, be certain they know exactly who to contact. 
• Allow your employees to provide feedback. This transition comes with several moving parts, so let your employees know when and how they can provide feedback about the process. 

3. Provide Ongoing Governance and Optimization

Finally, you’ll want to provide continuous governance and optimization once your organization’s cloud infrastructure is in place. 

This may include educating and onboarding a new employee, providing ongoing training sessions for technological advancements or implementing cloud computing best practices. 

No matter how this governance and optimization looks for your specific organization, ensure that your strategies are always aligned with business goals and the needs of your employees. 

Ensure Your Organization Has a Smooth Cloud Implementation Experience

In order to ensure your organization has a smooth cloud migration plan, you’ll want to work with an experienced partner that understands all of your needs — including involving your employees in the cloud strategy. 

With the right support, digital transformation can be seamless, cost-effective, and painless. Contact us today to see how Onix brings best practice frameworks and expertise to accelerate your digital transformation.