Google executive urges ProMat attendees to go all-in digital

A top Google Inc. executive said Monday that developing an all-encompassing digital strategy, though culturally challenging and not cheap, will pay enormous dividends in revenue, profitability, shareholder value, and worker loyalty.

Keynoting the first day of ProMat 2015 in Chicago, Renee Niemi, director of the Android and Chrome global business, Google for Work, cited a survey by consultancy McKinsey & Co. that found that businesses that have created and implemented an all-in digital strategy have not only seen solid single-digit revenue gains, but also explosive double-digit profit increases that dwarf the top-line gains. Niemi added that companies that migrate to an all-digital strategy would have greater success attracting qualified younger workers and keeping them happy.

Niemi advised businesses to provide mobile devices to their entire work force, saying compelling productivity increases and improved worker retention would offset the up-front costs.

Google is moving forward to deploy wearable devices such as "Google Glass" eyewear to industries that involve a lot of hands-on worker effort, such as in the warehouse and DC. It has suspended work on a project to outfit Google Glass for the consumer market.