WALLDORF, Germany, Oct. 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --SAP NEWSBYTE
— SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) and Oxford Economics today released
new research findings at the Tech Inclusion 2016 Conference,
revealing executives of U.S. companies that have transformed their
business to succeed in the digital economy are more likely to see
the cultural value and positive financial impact that a diverse
workforce has on their business.
Analysis of U.S. companies in the Leaders 2020 study affirms the
business benefits of diversity, showing a correlation between those
who are leading in digital transformation and those who have a
heightened understanding of the importance of diversity.
The study finds that nearly half of executives at U.S. companies
who are digital leaders have a positive view of diversity's
impact:
- 49 percent of executives believe diversity has a positive
impact on the company's culture
- 44 percent recognize diversity's positive impact on financial
performance
- Among U.S. companies that lack the technology, processes or
workforce required to be a fully digital business, there is greater
skepticism about the benefits of diversity:
- 42 percent of executives and 43 percent of employees believe
their companies have effective diversity programs in place
- 24 percent of executives expect an increase in the number of
diverse senior leaders in the coming years
- 39 percent say it has had a positive influence on culture
- 34 percent say it has had a positive impact on financial
performance
"Diversity is no longer a 'nice-to-have' for companies," said
Jewell Parkinson, head of human
resources, SAP North America. "This study is evidence of the
correlation between organizations that embrace diversity and have
better performance because they attract better talent, generate
greater employee satisfaction and build stronger unity in problem
solving and innovation. And in today's hyper-competitive digital
era, where customer expectations are heightened, organizations need
to take steps to embrace diversity in all of its forms or be
quickly left behind."
About Leaders 2020
Leaders 2020 is a survey of 4,100
executives and employees across 21 countries, conducted by Oxford
Economics and SAP. The U.S. results paint of picture of digital
transformation in its early stages. Only 12 percent of
American companies report being a leader in digital transformation,
compared to 16 percent globally.
Blueprint for Digital Success
In order for companies
to improve their preparation for digital transformation, the SAP
and Oxford Economics research recommends taking steps to adopt the
following five best practices:
- Emphasize diversity. Companies that cultivate a
diverse workforce and take a broad range of employee perspectives
into account are better poised to succeed in a global economy — and
to keep employees happy and engaged.
- Listen to young executives. The growing cohort of
millennial executives has a strong vision for leadership in the
digital economy. Taking their advice may be a shortcut to digital
transformation.
- Communicate a company-wide digital vision. The best
leaders not only have a strategy for going digital — they are
sharing it with employees across the organization.
- Continuously update executive and employee skill sets.
Everyone, from the ground floor to the executive suite, needs
digital skills and the ability to learn new ones quickly.
- Flatten the organization. Leadership needs to empower
managers and workers across the enterprise to make decisions
quickly, without bureaucratic bottlenecks.
Please visit the Leaders 2020 website for more U.S. and global
research results and guidance on digital transformation.
For more information, visit the SAP News Center. Follow SAP on
Twitter at @sapnews.
Media Contact:
Steve
Collins, +1 (617) 335-5456, st.collins@sap.com, ET
Any statements contained in this document that are not
historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the
U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such
as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "forecast,"
"intend," "may," "plan," "project," "predict," "should" and "will"
and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to
identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no
obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking
statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially from expectations. The factors that could affect SAP's
future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP's filings
with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including
SAP's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these
forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates.
Logo -
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110126/AQ34470LOGO
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/newsbyte-businesses-leading-in-digital-transformation-derive-greater-value-from-diversity-according-to-research-from-sap-and-oxford-economics-300352344.html
SOURCE SAP SE