With digital transformation, leaders offer a clear vision and a sense of purpose while also empowering their teams to think differently and collaborate across boundaries.

FREMONT, CA: COVID-19 has hastened the imperative that mining businesses have been examining for several years: how digital transformation would affect the future of employment. COVID-19 has hastened this. Many organisations use this window to rethink work patterns, consider remote employment, and even outsource critical functions. However, organisations need to focus on leadership and culture to effectively embrace the future of work and build trust with their employees.

While the debate about digital transformation and the future of work has been raging for some time, COVID-19 has caused a sea change in many firms, notably in the public sector. This has allowed miners to quickly adopt digital technology and keep up with the rise of remote working. There is a window of opportunity to speed up digital transformation and make significant progress toward the future of employment. Never before have technologies and new ways of working been adopted so quickly. Mining executives have an opportunity to avoid reverting to more traditional ways of doing business as we move through the current crisis. Instead, by re-architecting work, changing the mining workplace culture, and providing elevated workforce experiences, they can forge a new path and integrate recent improvements in a sustainable manner.

A culture of trust must be established to replace command-and-control administration with empowered collaboration. Long-term remote working has its own culture and engagement challenges.

Mining companies have increasingly utilised digital solutions to increase productivity. Many companies have automated operations, established unified networks to transfer data, and moved from the physical to the digital domain. Despite this triumph, these steps are only the start of a much longer road. A structured road map that extends changes from an individual asset level to the entire organisation is essential to realising the full potential of digital transformation with long-term remote working.

There is a window of opportunity to accelerate digital transformation and make significant progress toward the future of employment.

Mining companies have increasingly utilised digital solutions to increase productivity. Many companies have automated operations, established unified networks to transfer data, and moved from the physical to the digital domain. Despite this triumph, these steps are only the start of a much longer road. A systematic road map that extends changes from individual assets to the entire organisation to establish a platform for creativity and collaboration is key to achieving the full potential of digital transformation.

Companies can improve their ability to analyse real-time data by combining data from on-field equipment and enabling off-field remote and virtual access. They can also build digital platforms that incorporate data, analytics, and workflows.

Enhanced digitisation and remote work assistance allow for a more holistic view of assets, business units, and the corporation. For many companies, this is the first time they have the visibility to focus on system-level thinking and performance. A supportive culture is often required, as is a shift in leadership style and the use of new technology.