Due to significant advancements in computer software over the past 20 years and COVID-19 health measures that forced businesses to adapt their practices to become more virtual, we’re seeing more and more services in the world become digital. But it isn’t just businesses that are adapting their services to go online, there’s also a government digital transformation taking place that brings with it various digital government trends and specific benefits of automation. Before we dive in, let’s take a closer look at what the government digital transformation entails.
A Digital Transformation in Government
Governments have always undergone changes as the needs and desires of citizens change, but there has never been a change quite like the recent government digital transformation. This transformation is an ongoing application of modern-day technologies that improve a government’s performance and are critical to meeting the expectations of today’s citizens.
This transformation is also referred to as e-government. While citizens are the primary focus of this digital transformation – as they should be in – there is also a focus on government-to-business and government-to-government relationships.
The digital services governments are now able to offer are far more efficient and transparent for all parties involved. The digital transformation has allowed for many services to no longer rely on a desk or phone, which frees up time for staff to focus on more important projects. Digital services can also mean no more standing in long lines at the DMV or spending hours on hold. Citizens are able to quickly and easily access the services they need and get on with their day.
Digital Services for the Government
Digital services for governments can range from applications for hunting or fishing licenses, driver’s license renewals, tax filing, and so much more. However, this government digital transformation requires more thought than just quickly putting services online without concern for quality or usage.
Governments should identify the specific needs of their citizens, so the digital services they offer are the ones citizens need and use the most. A government digital strategy is necessary to maximize the positive effects of digital services.
Trends in Government Digital Transformation
One of the main trends in this government digital transformation is the speed at which the transformation is taking place. The need to modernize services is nothing new but challenges providing services to citizens throughout the pandemic heightened awareness and accelerated the progress. Thus, many government agencies became focused on developing their own government digital strategy to digitize services.
This means that citizens will be seeing more and more of this digital transformation in the next several years. Another one of the main digital government trends is an increase in cybersecurity. As more services move online, governments need to ensure their information, as well as citizens’ information, is safe and secure.
Benefits of Government Digital Transformation
Digital government services built with quality software can automate a variety of different tasks, offloading that work from government employees. Increases in efficiency are most evident in areas such as human resource (HR) tasks that involve a heavy amount of paperwork. This also includes employee records management, recruitment, onboarding, benefits, and tax forms.
In addition to more time to focus on important tasks, the benefits of automation can include improved productivity, quicker processing, streamlined data sharing, reduced employee turnover, reduced data entry errors, and reduced storage and printing expenses. This automation also gives governments the information they need to make data-driven decisions that benefit citizens and the community.
