Quote: Resilience Tied to Digital Adaptation
On a recent episode of *HBR IdeaCast*, digital strategist Maria Ingrosso observed, “Resilience in 2026 will be measured by how quickly organizations adapt to new digital realities—not just tools, but mindsets.” The discussion emphasized auditing legacy workflows and prioritizing employee upskilling.
Legacy systems are a primary bottleneck to agility, with their rigid architectures limiting integration with modern platforms and slowing innovation. Companies that modernize legacy applications can reduce IT spending by 20-40% over three years by moving to more efficient, cloud-ready environments. This shift allows for better data access and analytics, turning siloed information into actionable insights. The push for digital adaptation is creating a significant skills gap. The World Economic Forum predicted that 50% of all employees would require reskilling by 2025 due to accelerating technology adoption. However, there's a disconnect in execution; only 22.4% of HR professionals surveyed in 2025 said their organization would prioritize skill development over the next two years. This gap is critical as roles like data scientists and AI specialists are expected to grow by 30%. Despite the clear need, upskilling efforts remain uneven. A 2026 PwC survey revealed that only 51% of non-managers have access to the learning resources they need, compared to 72% of senior executives. Investing in employee development yields clear returns. A LinkedIn survey found that 94% of employees would stay longer at companies that invest in their careers. Companies like Siemens have seen a 40% increase in employee engagement after implementing a global learning ecosystem for emerging technologies. By 2026, digital resilience is becoming a key market differentiator. The inability to adapt is a significant risk, as outdated IT equipment is the initial access point in 24% of data breach incidents. The adoption of AI further complicates the landscape. While many companies are eager to implement AI, they often face a "productivity paradox" where legacy processes clash with new digital tools, causing an initial drop in productivity. This highlights the necessity of redesigning workflows rather than simply adding new technology. Ultimately, organizations that embed resilience into their culture and operations, treating it as a strategic enabler rather than a compliance task, are best positioned to thrive. This involves not just adopting new tools but also fostering adaptability, creative problem-solving, and cross-functional collaboration.
