Purpose: Digital transformation has become a fundamental requirement for contemporary organizations, necessitating the development of employees’ digital competencies aligned with the demands of digital work environments. However, empirical evidence suggests that the development of such competencies in government organizations is accompanied by numerous challenges that may hinder the effectiveness of digital transformation initiatives. Accordingly, this study aims to identify and analyze the antecedents and consequences of challenges in developing employees’ digital competencies in government organizations. Ultimately, the present study seeks to provide solutions to improve the development of digital competencies in government organizations by explaining these causes and consequences.
Design/Methodology/Approach: This research is applied in terms of purpose and employs a mixed exploratory approach, conducted using a combination of inductive and deductive methods. In the qualitative phase, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 20 academic experts and human resources specialists from government organizations in Lorestan province. Purposive sampling and the principle of theoretical adequacy were used. The qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. In the quantitative phase, based on qualitative findings, a questionnaire was designed, and data were analyzed using the Fuzzy Cognitive Map (FCM) method.
Findings: The results showed that the challenges of developing employees' digital competencies in government organizations are mainly influenced by a set of individual and organizational factors. In the causes section, factors such as institutional resistance to change, the persistence of traditional practices, intergenerational heterogeneity in digital competencies, digital anxiety, and fear of new technologies were identified as the most important drivers of these challenges. These factors make employees less willing to learn and use digital tools and technologies, and they also slow down the process of adapting to the requirements of digital transformation. The findings also show that the continuation of these factors has consequences at the organizational level. Consequences such as organizational inertia, weakening of digital transformation, reduction in the effectiveness of digital transformation initiatives, and the erosion and inefficiency of employees' digital competencies were identified as the most significant outcomes of these challenges. The research findings can provide a basis for reviewing digital human capital development policies and programs in government organizations.
Discussion and Conclusion: The research results show that the challenges of developing digital competencies of employees in government organizations are rooted in a set of individual, cultural and organizational factors. Factors such as institutional resistance to change, intergenerational heterogeneity in the acceptance and use of technology, digital anxiety, and fear of new technologies are among the most important obstacles that make the process of improving digital competencies difficult. These factors cause employees to adopt a conservative approach to the use of new digital tools and processes, and as a result, technological capabilities in organizations are not fully exploited. In such circumstances, the gap between the development of digital infrastructure and human capital readiness increases, and the achievement of digital transformation goals is limited. The continuation of this situation will lead to consequences such as the formation of organizational inertia, a decrease in the speed and effectiveness of digital transformation programs and the erosion and inefficiency of employees' digital competencies. Accordingly, it is recommended that government organizations provide the basis for improving employees' practical skills by designing and implementing targeted and continuous training programs in the field of digital competencies. Also, strengthening digital leadership at the managerial level and increasing managers' awareness of the importance of digital transformation can play an important role in reducing organizational resistance and facilitating technology adoption. Creating supportive learning environments, providing gradual and practical training, and encouraging employees to learn and experience new technologies can also help reduce digital anxiety and fear of new technologies. In addition, utilizing approaches such as collaborative learning and reverse mentoring can be effective in reducing the intergenerational gap and transferring digital knowledge and experience among employees. Finally, establishing a system for evaluating and monitoring employees' digital competencies and aligning human resource development policies with digital transformation goals can provide the basis for reducing organizational inertia and increasing the effectiveness of digital transformation programs in government organizations.