Introduction - Professional Growth Through Digital Transformation at GBS
The report is based on the investigation of the evolution and influence of “digital technologies” on Global Banking School’s (GBS) work circumstances. Digital technology provides efficient and quick interaction and collaboration between the company and customers along with managing content, and access to social networking and analytics data. The board of directors has requested to build this report for the utilization and uptake of digital technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic to fulfill the requirements of frontline employees and additional stakeholders. This report provides a better understanding of the development and influence of digital technologies, improvements, trend analysis, the influence of changing work atmosphere, essential advantages of proceeding professional evolution for various stakeholders, the significance of persistent professional evolution for employment conquest regarding the GBS, and advantages of professional evolution for both GBS and an individual.
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Digital technology possesses all the digital approaches, services, and resources that assist in developing, keeping, and managing data. There are various types of digital technologies available in the market out of which the internet, social media, mobile technology, digital currency, and diversification are significant. The internet is the most common and widely accepted digital technology that is accessed by many people. With the help of the internet, numerous other digital technologies can be accessed. Social media is one of the most popular digital technologies that is accepted by the world. It helps in sharing various types of content, information, and multimedia via communities and virtual networks. It increases social interactions and can be accessed only with the help of the internet (Mind.org.uk, 2023). Another important digital technology is mobile technology which is a portable device that can provide bi-directional communication (Ibm.com). This technology is confined to watches, smartphones, computers, and tablets. Digital currency is another type of digital technology that refers to electric money/payment. It has 3 significant varieties and works through the online system (Forbes.com, 2023). Diversification refers to the organization’s expansion in technological competence (Ceipek et al. 2019). It helps in the understanding of the technological holds of an organization.
Figure 1: Development of digital technologies
The increase in the internet, AI, and mobile technology has been seen in the last few decades. The evolution of digital technology is significantly enhanced, which is around 50% of the budding world’s population (Un.org, 2020). This is due to vigorous research and experiments on this topic. Initially, the internet was introduced to the world which later enhanced the evolution of multiple digital technologies. Currently, AI is the frontier technology that enhances the efficiencies of various sectors such as business, education, health, etc. In medical emergencies, these digital technologies help in detecting and diagnosing the disease. In the education sector, these technologies enhance the easy availability and accessibility of knowledge. Public services also improve with the help of these advanced digital technologies.
The impact of digital technologies on ------- work environments
The growth and adoption rate of various digital technologies are increasing after the upgrade. The use of the internet increases in a moderate manner, but the use of broadband, social media, smartphones, or tablets is increasing in a rapid manner.
Figure 3: Evolution, adoption, and usage of technology
There are various impacts of digital technologies on all work environments, especially on business, education, healthcare, and some other services (Halil, 2021). Digital technologies facilitate businesses in the global markets by providing advanced technologies. Furthermore, it facilitates social connections between people. The management of the supply chain business or the production of the companies achieves high efficiency due to the application of different technologies. In the financial sector, digital technology provides strong security to reduce losses and it introduces digital currency which helps in efficiently managing money online. In the transport sector, this technology provides maps for identifying locations easily, and other digital technological facilities provide convenience to people.
Digital technology increases efficiency and productivity in various workplaces and organizations. Implementation of digital technology reduces time consumption which facilitates efficient workflow. In workplaces, the introduction of digital technologies improves the organizing of conferences and other important activities in an efficient manner. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a large number of the population have adopted digital technologies to perform their respective jobs from any location. The work-from-home facility provides uninterrupted working operations only because of digital technologies. Before the pandemic era, technological adoption was very low which significantly increased during the pandemic and post-pandemic era. Cloud services become one of the important technologies that are adopted by numerous global organizations.
Figure 4: The adoption rate of emerging technologies around the globe
Figure 5: Employed persons opting for work-from-home
During the COVID-19 pandemic, digital technologies assist in clinical management and infection screening with the help of advanced equipment. Furthermore, it helps in tracking people to check their conditions of people which enhances the planning for future activities (Whitelaw et al. 2020). Furthermore, this technology assists in efficient medical supplies and provides necessary support to the education system. Lastly, during the pandemic situation, this digital technology helps in the improvement and maintenance of social connections with the outside world through various technologies.
Figure 6: Use of digital technology during the COVID-19 pandemic
The utilization of digital technologies provides huge facilities to the education sector. In the UK, the utilization of advanced digital technologies such as IoT, AI, AR, VR, and software applications improves the supply of education services resulting in better outcomes (Timotheou et al. 2022). The impact of IoT in the education industry is remarkable. This technology enhances remote connectivity which facilitates machine-to-machine and human-to-machine interactions. It provides smart teaching strategies that help in better understanding. The AI helps in developing separate learning plans for each student which can facilitate the teaching method. Further, using AR provides a visual experience to the students for better learning and engagement. Furthermore, VR helps in creating interest in uninteresting subjects. The use of various software can easily engage the students strengthen student-teacher interactions and further allow the sharing of information, and various activities.
Digital sector improvements and trends analysis, and how they have been affected by changing work environments
The digital sector is regularly enhancing due to advancements in digital technologies. The change/improvement of the digital sector is known as the digital transformation that influences the working operations more efficiently (Guinchard, 2021). Currently, digital transformation occurs at a great speed and the advancement of digital technologies reaches around 50% of the world’s budding population within two decades. Currently, the invention of smartphones and smartwatches increases the use of digital technologies significantly (King et al. 2021). Various types of activities such as browsing the internet, watching videos, gathering information, tracking health measures, etc. can easily be performed with the help of these devices. These technologies improve life quality.
Improvement of the digital sector is facilitated by digital transformation. In the UK, digital transformation is increasing in a healthy manner. It is expected that from 2022 to 2030, the CAGR of the market will be increased by 21.5% (Grandviewresearch.com, 2022). This growth is enhanced by the adoption of IoT, machine learning, smartphones, mobile devices, smartwatches, and some other digital technologies and devices.
Figure 7: Digital transformation market of the UK
The technological trends viz. AI, Cloud, VR, GPS, etc. is very much influential in the education sector (Alvarenga et al. 2020). Using these technologies provides a reformed curriculum model for the education sector. These technologies strengthen the interaction between different elements of the classroom along with the creation of a virtual teaching scene (Rong et al. 2022). These technologies improve the teaching methods, and learning path, and enhance the students’ behavioral modifications.
The key benefits of ongoing professional development for different stakeholders in GBS
Professional evolution is the accumulation of new skills via continuous career training and education after joining the workforce (Professional.dce.harvard.edu, 2022). Professional development is highly significant for the advancement of careers. This enhances existing skills along with helps in learning new skills. This further distinguishes an individual from others due to the knowledge of advanced skills (Ofek, and Portnov, 2020). Furthermore, it promotes independent learning that provides access to new skills and their development.
Figure 8: Essential advantages of continued professional development for various stakeholders
There are multiple benefits for the GBS. For employers, professional development provides further opportunities to learn new things from training (Sancar et al. 2021). Further, it increases the retention rates of employees in the education sector due to their profound skill sets. This further boosts the confidence of the employees regarding their work (Karlberg, and Bezzina, 2022). In addition, investment in professional development leads to the success and advancement of the GBS. A person with professional development attracts the employers of the GBS for hiring. This development helps in learning new skills and improves communication style (Morris et al. 2021). The training for professional development in GBS provides the teachers with innovative teaching strategies, insight and knowledge of the education industry, and advancement in management and organizing through skills.
Figure 9: Benefits of professional development
In recent times, teachers and principals of the education industry are looking for some particular areas of professional development. They are more inclined towards distance learning techniques with the help of digital technologies. Distant learning can provide access to the education system to anyone irrespective of their location. Currently, teachers are learning the techniques to influence the students to adopt the environment of distance learning and engage them within it (Bagdadli, and Gianecchini, 2019). Furthermore, professional development helps teachers to improve their learning skills for social-emotional requirements, technology integration, enhancing families’ support for better children's learning, encouraging critical thinking of students, and assisting students in crisis. The requirement for professional development is heavily increased among teachers. The evidence from the OECD library has revealed that in the UK, more than 95% of lower secondary teachers are participating in various professional development campaigns to improve their learning ability for better performance.
Figure 10: Percentage of participation of lower secondary teachers in professional development campaigns
The data further revealed that the teachers and principals are more involved in attending seminars and courses, educational conferences, reading professional literature, participating in a professional network, and some other types of activities to improve their skills in the education sector (Schachter et al. 2019). These improve and enhance the job satisfaction level among the teachers.
Figure 11: Types of activities for professional development
Figure 12: Job satisfaction after professional development
The importance of ongoing professional development for career success of GBS
The ongoing professional evolution helps professionals to improve their learning about careers, develop their skills, and be informed about industrial movements. For lengthy career success, professional development is very much necessary for employees. In GBS, continuing professional development will provide huge career success to employees (Blokker et al. 2019). This enhances the learning process through unique and innovative teaching strategies from the teachers. Using digital technologies such as IoT, VR, AI, AR, etc. greatly enhances this teaching-learning process [Referred to Appendix 2].
Furthermore, professional development helps in the beneficial transformation of educators of GBS. Various training on professional development enhances teaching strategies with the help of digital technologies. Additionally, this helps in effective teaching and reducing teaching time that means with specific approaches, teachers can easily educate children while consuming minimum time. In addition, professional development turns a teacher into a subject matter expert for a specific topic which can further be facilitated by multiple developmental programs (Cirocki, and Farrell, 2019). This increases the personal satisfaction of the educators in the GBS. Furthermore, continuous professional development helps to improve social and intellectual self-confidence, leadership ability, and eagerness to achieve goals among teachers and students.
Figure 13: Significance of continuous professional development
The benefits of professional development for both an individual and GBS
For the GBS, professional evolution can provide numerous benefits. This can help in employing more skillful employees in the education system who can guide the students in an efficient manner. This increases the job satisfaction of the employees which facilitates employee retention. Furthermore, various courses of professional development make employees increase their collective knowledge and expertise which can help in the growth and development of the GBS (Borup, and Evmenova, 2019). This also influences the employment of future talents at GBS and increases the engagement of employees in the workplace.
For an individual, professional development increases confidence level which helps in performing the job uninterruptedly. A skilled employee has full credibility and GBS can provide them with better facilities to perform the work. Furthermore, professional development improves an individual's skills which increases efficiency (Mercader, and Gairín, 2020). The leadership quality to guide students and the capability of achieving better teaching quality can be obtained through professional development [Referred to Appendix 3].
Figure 14: Benefits of professional development programs in GBS
For the GBS, professional development can be more beneficial for its teachers along with the organization. These developmental campaigns not only enhance the efficiency of the employees/teachers of the GBS but also increase the efficiency of the organization for better future growth. Teachers with appropriate instructional objectives help them to guide the students properly. These developmental programs provide high-quantity instruction for the teachers to support the students from every aspect which eventually inspires and motivates students to adopt digital technologies for educational purposes. For this reason, these types of campaigns provide enough demonstration of the latest digital technologies to the teachers that can enhance the efficiency of the education methodologies (Cooc, 2019). Furthermore, professional development campaigns improve student verbalization through multiple activities and enhance their interaction skills with the teachers. In addition, students thinking abilities and behavior can be improved effectively through this campaign. Further, professional development supports teachers to implement cumulative review on the regular teaching course to lessen errors and improve students’ understanding. The teachers’ ability to evaluate students’ efforts, errors, behaviors, mistakes, and some other factors can be enhanced through professional development. The corrective feedback based on these evaluations helps to bring positive changes among students [Referred to Appendix 1].
Conclusion and Recommendations
Digital technologies have increased career prospects which improve life transformation. Using AI, IoT, VR, AR, Big data, etc. improves the work environment and enhances digital transformation. It also helps in improving decision-making skills. For professionals, working in the education sector, it is necessary to focus more on their careers and find various ways to improve them. Professional development facilitates the development of skills through various training. This improves and educates the professionals in learning new technologies and their implementation in the education system.
Recommendation
Employees should focus on learning the implementation of advanced technologies such as IoT, AI, AR, VR, etc. in the education system.
A proper professional development plan is necessary to improve the technical skills of the employees.
GBS should construct new plans that can enhance the skills of the existing employees on a regular interval.
References
Journals
Alvarenga, A., Matos, F., Godina, R. and CO Matias, J., 2020. Digital transformation and knowledge management in the public sector.Sustainability,12(14), p.5824.
Bagdadli, S. and Gianecchini, M., 2019. Organizational career management practices and objective career success: A systematic review and framework.Human Resource Management Review,29(3), pp.353-370.
Blokker, R., Akkermans, J., Tims, M., Jansen, P. and Khapova, S., 2019. Building a sustainable start: The role of career competencies, career success, and career shocks in young professionals’ employability.Journal of Vocational Behavior,112, pp.172-184.
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King, E., Smith, M.P., Wilson, P.F. and Williams, M.A., 2021. Digital Responses of UK Museum Exhibitions to the COVID?19 Crisis, March–June 2020.Curator: The Museum Journal,64(3), pp.487-504.
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Schachter, R.E., Gerde, H.K. and Hatton-Bowers, H., 2019. Guidelines for selecting professional development for early childhood teachers.Early Childhood Education Journal,47, pp.395-408.
Timotheou, S., Miliou, O., Dimitriadis, Y., Sobrino, S.V., Giannoutsou, N., Cachia, R., Monés, A.M. and Ioannou, A., 2022. Impacts of digital technologies on education and factors influencing schools’ digital capacity and transformation: A literature review.Education and Information Technologies, pp.1-32.
Whitelaw, S., Mamas, M.A., Topol, E. and Van Spall, H.G., 2020. Applications of digital technology in COVID-19 pandemic planning and response.The Lancet Digital Health,2(8), pp.e435-e440.
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