The State of HR Summit 2024, held on June 19, brought together top business leaders to discuss the year’s key HR trends. 

One of the standout sessions featured Joey Briones from Angkas, Len Gonzalez from Belo Medical Group, and Solet Ira Miclat from Connext International, who shared their companies’ digital transformation journeys. The session was moderated by Francis Peña, Head of Category and Product Marketing at Sprout Solutions. Here are the key takeaways from their discussion.

Why Go Digital?

Angkas: Embracing Change to Serve Customers Better

Joey Briones of Angkas, the motorcycle taxi company revolutionizing the Philippine transport sector, emphasized that digital transformation isn’t just about adopting new technologies—it's about managing change.

For Angkas, the primary goal was to enhance their platform to better serve both riders and bikers. This customer-centric approach ensured that all digital innovations truly added value to the user experience.

Belo Medical Group: Staying Relevant and Secure

Len Gonzalez from Belo Medical Group, a leader in aesthetic medicine, explained that their digital transformation was driven by a need to remain competitive, optimize processes, and provide excellent service. With a tech-savvy workforce largely composed of Gen Z employees, the transition was relatively smooth.

However, the key challenge Belo faced was data security, especially given the high-profile nature of their clientele. To address this, Belo appointed a dedicated Data Privacy Officer and adhered strictly to privacy policies, fostering trust and ensuring data safety throughout their digital journey.

Connext International: Scaling up Smartly

Solet Ira Miclat of Connext International, a remote staffing company, shared that their push for digital transformation was sparked by rapid growth. The company expanded from 300 to 1,400 employees in just two years, making digital solutions essential to maintain efficiency.

Connext focused on aligning their digital strategies with company goals, ensuring they were prepared for global expansion.

What They Gained from Digital Transformation

Belo Medical Group: Gamification and Streamlined HR

Gonzalez shared that Belo uses an analytics software for real-time patient feedback. Patients receive surveys post-procedure, allowing the company to monitor their Net Promoter Score (NPS) and work on increasing customer satisfaction. 

Belo also gamified employee feedback by recognizing staff who receive positive mentions from patients, fostering a culture of quick response and continuous improvement.

In addition to improving customer service, Belo revamped its internal HR systems. After six years of dealing with inefficient manual interventions and workarounds, they decided to switch to Sprout's ecosystem. They now use Sprout HR, Performance+, and Insight. This switch significantly reduced manual work, enhanced efficiency, and streamlined HR operations.

Connext International: Smarter Hiring Reduces Attrition

Miclat talked about how Connext tackled high attrition rates—an issue prevalent in the BPO industry, where turnover can reach 50%. 

They implemented "Start Smart," a system that uses data to identify potential attrition risks among job applicants. This helps hiring managers ask more targeted questions during interviews, leading to better hiring decisions. As a result, Connext reduced its attrition rate to 16%, well below the industry average.

Angkas: Winning Over People with Effective Change Management

Briones highlighted the importance of change management in digital transformation. He described a "commitment curve" with four stages: awareness, understanding, adoption, and institutionalization. Each stage is crucial in gaining support for change. 

Instead of targeting everyone at once, Angkas focused on engaging innovators and early adopters to build momentum. They prioritized the majority who were open to change, rather than spending time on those resistant to it, ensuring smoother digital adoption across the organization.

Key Lessons from Digital Transformation Leaders

The experiences of Angkas, Belo Medical Group, and Connext International underscore that successful transformation goes beyond adopting new technologies—it's about aligning digital initiatives with business objectives, ensuring data security, and managing change effectively within the organization. 

Whether it’s improving customer service through real-time feedback, making smarter hiring decisions with data, or streamlining operations with new HR systems, success lies in understanding the unique needs of the business and its people. By focusing on these elements, organizations can embrace digital change and scale up effectively.

Stay Updated with the Latest in HR!

To read more about the State of HR Summit 2024, check out our full coverage here. Don't miss out on next year’s edition! In the meantime, check out Sprout’s extensive collection of blog articles and comprehensive reports and whitepapers. You can also register for our upcoming events and explore our on-demand videos.