A new report from Deloitte says Canadian organizations face barriers to digital adoption and transformation. The resulting inequity and disparities, they say, threaten the country’s progress as a whole.
Although the report focuses on small and medium sized enterprises, Indigenous-owned and led organizations, public sector organizations and nonprofits, all of which face disproportionate barriers to digital equity, they say, the findings may also reflect the same sentiments in insurance: 56 per cent say choosing between competing software vendors or cloud service providers is somewhat or very challenging. The majority, 58 per cent, say uncertainty about which technologies would be most beneficial is somewhat or very challenging.
A majority also say hiring skilled talent is difficult. “67 per cent of organizations with over 10 employees say hiring digitally skilled workers is somewhat or very challenging, which rises to 70 per cent for medium (100-499 employees) and large organizations (500 employees or more),” they state.
The survey of 804 Canadian senior business leaders to examine the ongoing challenges organizations face, has resulted in a third report on digital equity from Deloitte, entitled Digital equity: Empowering all organizations to succeed in the digital era.
Among the findings, notably 20 per cent of those surveyed said their organization has not invested in any cybersecurity software or applications.
In addition to talent, the report looks at the capacity for change among Canadian organizations, the digital skills needed and the regulatory environment, among other topics. It recommends companies appoint a data protection and privacy champion and educate employees about data protection and vendor management practices. In cybersecurity they also discuss remote work arrangements, building a culture of security and privacy by design, the report recommends companies have cyber insurance and also find ways to securely share cyber threat information across sectors.
“Canada is at a pivotal moment in our technological evolution. The convergence of cutting-edge technologies underpins a future brimming with possibilities, promising enhanced efficiency, growth and innovation,” the report states. “This future is already here – it’s just not evenly distributed yet. As organizations begin to reap the benefits of the digital revolution, we must address the disparities that threaten progress.”
