Digitalisation: Empowering People, Transforming Companies, But Only If We Manage Change Right

1. For People: Digitalisation Is Deeply Personal

Digitalisation is no longer a buzzword. It's part of how we live, connect, and experience the world. A Europe-wide study of citizens reveals that people see digital tools as essential, many admit they can’t imagine life without them. Whether it's messaging friends, accessing culture, or navigating work, digital media offers unmatched convenience and access.

But it’s not all smooth scrolling.

People, especially the young and tech-savvy, feel a growing ambivalence. Digital tools empower, but also overwhelm. Interviewees describe digital life as both enriching and addictive. Many are consciously choosing digital disconnection to regain control.

The pandemic showed just how much we rely on digital technology, and how fast we can adapt. From virtual concerts to online schooling, digitalisation became the default. Yet this rapid transformation revealed lingering inequalities in digital access and skills, especially among the elderly or less educated. The personal impact of digitalisation is massive, but not equally distributed.

2. For Companies: Digitalisation Is a Strategic Enabler

While people adapt emotionally and socially to digital life, companies, particularly SMEs, face a different challenge: how to harness digitalisation to stay competitive.

A survey of over 400 European SMEs found that digital tools spark innovation, but not in a straight line. Simply buying new software or installing a cloud solution doesn’t deliver results. What matters is the firm’s dynamic capabilities, its ability to sense market shifts, seize new opportunities, and reconfigure internal resources. In other words, success in the digital age depends less on tools, and more on agility and learning.

Digitalisation is not just about automating processes. It's about reimagining your business model, finding new ways to deliver value, and adapting at speed. The companies that manage to align digital tools with their strategic vision, and who build the internal culture to support that change, are the ones that thrive.

3. Digitalisation Is Here. The Real Challenge Is Managing the Change

Whether you're a person juggling digital burnout or a CEO trying to future-proof your business, one truth is clear: digitalisation is not optional. It's embedded in our lives, our economies, and our infrastructures.

But adoption alone isn't enough.

The difference between thriving and surviving lies in how change is managed. This is where change management becomes critical. It’s the human layer of digital transformation, helping teams, users, and citizens not just use digital tools, but understand, accept, and adapt to them.

Without proper change management:

• People disconnect.

• Teams resist.

• Technology fails to deliver impact.

With it, you create an environment where digitalisation becomes a driver of well-being, efficiency, and innovation, not just more screen time.

Digitalisation is powerful, but only if we lead it with people in mind. Let’s invest not just in tools, but in cultures of change, in both society and business.