There is a long way to recover after Covid - and for many, it will be an uphill journey. It’s not an ideal environment for growth, as we face challenges such as global inflation, supply chain disruption. However, these challenges present a range of opportunities for companies that are ready to spin. Where old business models falter, new models are ready to take control. Organizational transformation and the adoption of new business models will bring agility and competition.

According to IBM report  Technology, talent, and trust are top priorities for the coming year. Winning the battle for talent is in the top 10 of technology opportunities in 2022 and overcoming supply chain logistics challenges is now critical to business continuity. CEOs are reviewing how they operate along the value chain. Reorganizing the organization around purpose, security, and trust increases stakeholder commitment. Based on IBM report, there are five steps that managers can take to prepare for a future that is - still - characterized by disruption and change. Understanding how women can play in these steps is essential not only to enhance businesses in the form of transformation, but also to grow in organizations and encourage other women to participate in these steps.

The IBM five steps are:

1- Digital transformation has become a way of life 
Where their research showed that 60% of organizations accelerated their investment in digital technologies due to COVID-19, and more than half (55%) permanently refined their organizational strategies. Not surprisingly, the pandemic has been a catalyst for digitalization, according to IDC report, the direct investment in digital transformation will reach to $ 6.8 trillion between 2020 and 2023 - a combined annual growth rate of 15.5%. However, while the opportunities in digital transformation are obvious, the number of women involved in leading transformation projects is small. 
The global gender gap in various industries, including technology, is not expected to close by 2120, and proves that more needs to be done to encourage women to enter digital and leadership positions. Doing so enhances business transformation and allows organizations to benefit from different perspectives and skills. However, in order to create a diverse working group, businesses must first address the significant gender gap, especially at the senior leadership level. Cranfield University research has shown that the FTSE 100 does not have enough female seats, CEO and CFO. 

2- Human capital is precious and scarce
Human capital, measured by the time, skill (talent) and energy of the workforce, is the most important resource of an organization whose true value is never valued. An employee's time is calculated by the employee's hours or working days, which is limited. Even the skill or talent is scarce. Top executives are constantly debating how to raise financial capital and make the most of it. However, financial capital is not the company's rarest source. As we invest in financial capital, we must think of similar lines for human capital. To do this, we must think about the cost of an hour lost. The lost hours are also lost productive hours. Prioritize empowering women to build human capital, the World Bank Blog  reported. Some countries are involved in the human capital project: helping countries to invest more effectively in their people, building human capital that enables people, families and countries to thrive. If countries act now, change in the next few years will have a cumulative effect in the next few decades. The world is developing the home of the largest group of young people and young women the world has ever seen. 

3- Sustainability and transparency are urgent priorities
Traumatic events in the last 2 years are forcing people to reconsider their priorities and redefine responsibility. Specifically on sustainability, our research shows that the epidemic has affected 93% of global consumer perspectives, IBM reported. According to Getsmarter report, Women choose a more sustainable lifestyle and are 10% more likely than men to learn about sustainability.Women have proven to be more powerful consumers and have more responsibility in internal decisions, equipping them for more sustainable choices. Based on the United Nations report, strong communities based on women, indigenous women, women legislators and girls are the agents of positive change and models for sustainability, the Earth protection and forging monumental achievements on the common global path to sustainable development. 

4- Tech adoption should reshape business operations
Is digital transformation - in which technology fundamentally changes the way businesses and industries operate - the key to leveling a professional playground? The path of some of the most powerful women in technology shows that this can be the case. According to PWC , there are four key changes that must take place to increase the number of women in technology:

1- Provide more greater education on the role of technology in shaping the world and how to make good use of it.
2- Show that jobs are available in technology
3- Increase the visibility of women now in the industry and promote them as role models
4- Make sure women in the industry reach their full potential

Strangely, it’s not always the technical skills that progress your career and make you a leader in technology – it’s skills such as building authentic relationships with people and being able to walk in the shoes of others that can often make the difference. "Sheridan Ash, leader of the Women in Tech initiative at PwC"

5- Trust and security underpin sustained innovation
According to IBM report, evolving security practices for the cloud era position organizations to deliver better business results. Organizations with the highest cloud security practices - those that deliberately integrate their cloud and security strategies - outperformed their counterparts in terms of revenue growth and profitability.

Conclusion
Historically, automation as a whole has had a positive impact on women's quality of life and economic empowerment. However, the current wave of technical automation and artificial intelligence (AI) can be a threat because there is a high concentration of women in low- and medium-skilled occupations, which are the first occupations to become automated. These technologies can also create new opportunities, as digital platforms offer a wider range of ways to upgrade skills or work remotely. This can generate new or higher incomes and help balance work and home responsibilities.






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Samira Gholizadeh
Mechanical Engineer
Machine Learning Engineer




Resources:
https://www.ibm.com/thought-leadership/institute-business-value/report/business-technology-trends-2022
https://www.ey.com/en_gl/technology-sector/top-10-opportunities-for-technology-companies-in-2022
https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prMETA47037520
https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/research-centres/gender-leadership-and-inclusion-centre/female-ftse-board-report
https://www.dnaindia.com/business/report-employees-the-most-precious-resource-2550438
https://blogs.worldbank.org/africacan/to-build-human-capital-prioritize-womens-empowerment
https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/human-capital
https://www.getsmarter.com/blog/career-advice/living-a-sustainable-lifestyle-how-women-are-leading-the-movement/
https://www.un.org/press/en/2022/wom2216.doc.htm
https://www.getsmarter.com/blog/career-advice/women-disrupting-the-future-of-work/
https://www.pwc.co.za/en/press-room/changing-gender-perceptions-and-behaviours-in-the-workplace.html