Changing operations and strategies in an organisation is very tasking and requires a detailed step-by-step process so that the changes are not counter-productive. With efficient change management, you can incorporate new processes without making the team or organization uncomfortable.
The truth is that in every organisation, some people tend to be ‘stuck in their ways’ even if the new way is objectively better. Hence, a change management plan is useful for your team to see the value of the new change and make the transition as simple as possible, eliciting their buy-in and cooperation to making it happen seamlessly.
Therefore, efficient change management processes can be useful in the following:
Developing the dynamics of an organisation
Reducing resistance to change
Increasing the likelihood of successful change implementation
Reducing any potential for the negative impact that may result from the change
The process of change in an organization is always complex because it would mean leaving the status quo and, sometimes, generating conflict. To be able to carry out the change management successfully, there are several effective methods that need to be implemented, and this varies according to the company’s work area, the type of services they offer, and what they want to achieve afterward.
Therefore, it is necessary to have some effective ways of implementing change in your organization. We list below 5 ways that your organization can effectively implement change management.
Prepare the organisation for change
For an organization to successfully pursue and implement change, it must be prepared both logistically and culturally. Cultural preparation must first take place. In the preparation phase, the change manager is focused on helping employees recognize and understand the need for change. They raise awareness of the various challenges the organization faces, which acts as motivation for change and creates dissatisfaction with the status quo. Gaining this initial buy-in from employees who will help implement the change can remove friction and resistance later on.
Craft a vision and plan for change
While most businesses have a vision statement, the change vision moves further to establish a practical and attainable goal for the specific change endeavor. It is important to know that the vision must be clear on the how, when, what and whom, giving great relevance to the collaborators as a key token for the execution of the change.
The plan should attend to issues such as:
Strategy: What strategic goals will this change help the organization to achieve?
Timeline: When will this change project take effect?
Metrics: How long will it go on; will it be a total overhaul or a specified one?
Project stakeholders: Who will be the stakeholders and team responsible for overseeing and actioning the varied tasks of implementing the change?
Method: What will be used to determine success? What metrics must be shifted? What is the current state of affairs in the business? What steps and actions will the project include?
Resource availability: Make a survey of all necessary resources available and how it can support this change.
Implement and follow up on the change
The next step for change implementation is to implement the change. It is advisable as you implement to make a concrete schedule that makes the proposed ideas and plans real. Change managers must focus on empowering their employees to take the steps necessary to achieve the initiative’s goals during the implementation process.
It is important that workers are always aware of the equity between the effort they put in and the results they are receiving from the process of change, to maintain motivation and always have the communication channel open.
Another important point is to constantly monitor and provide feedback, to ensure that everything is going in the predicted direction or, if necessary, correct the direction with pertinent changes in execution.
Incorporate the new organisational culture and practices
Change managers must prevent a reversion to the previous state after the change initiative has been completed. This is especially true for process, workflow, culture, and strategy changes within an organization. Employees may revert to the “old way” of doing things if they don’t have a plan in place, especially during the transition.
Relapsing is more difficult to achieve when reforms are embedded in the company’s culture and processes. Change management tools such as new organizational structures, controls, and reward systems should all be addressed.
Read also: Responsible management of work: Values needed post-COVID
Monitor progress and evaluate the result
It is important to review the feedback and results of the change implemented to understand whether the change was a success, failure, or mixed result. Sometimes it is observed that the results, in reality, we’re not as successful as expected. In a scenario like this, ask questions like: Were our change project goals met? If yes, it’s a win for the organization and a call to replicate the successful initiative, perhaps in other areas. If not, what went wrong? Understanding what went wrong can offer valuable insights and lessons that can be leveraged in future change efforts.
Implementing change management within an organization allows it to boost productivity while also lowering process risks. Some of the procedures that will ensure the success of the change management implementation are developing an adequate communication strategy, conducting training, and monitoring impacts and results.
