Change at Work: The 3 Things Every Change Management Plan Needs

By Ritika Puri

What do you do when your workers are wary of change?

When companies upgrade systems or processes – IT or otherwise – they’re usually following the well-known principle that new is always better. But like many black and white statements, it’s not quite true. New can be better, yes. It can also complicate the steady behaviors, patterns, and processes that teams have followed for decades. And when people are comfortable in their patterns, getting them to change can be a difficult proposition. Even the loss of something as simple as a personal printer can be a source of frustration and anger.

A sudden, drastic change can be the equivalent of throwing a wrench into a machine, spurring chaos, frustration, and uncertainty. That’s why it’s important for leadership teams to plan ahead of time for successful organizational change. An effective change management plan requires the following steps:

1. LOGISTICS, COMMUNICATION, AND WORKFLOW MANAGEMENT

At a large company, even a small change can generate significant ripple effect — regardless of whether you’re spearheading hardware or software-related changes. It’s important to start with a training program that helps employees understand why the transition is taking place.

Depending on the magnitude of your change management plan, it may be necessary to hold weekly meetings, open group discussions, and a regular review process.

Workflow management will require a commitment to learning, testing and iterating. Listen to your employees, form an internal task force, and make sure that your team members are bought into the transition process. Keep communication open, and let employees vent their frustrations — this feedback will be critical in the design of more efficient operations.

2. TRANSPARENCY AND TEAM EDUCATION

Employees are valuable stakeholders within your organization. In addition to understanding the “what” and “how,” they’ll be curious about the “why.” Chances are, you have this data somewhere and can demonstrably prove the cost-savings and ROI potential of your decision.

Be transparent about this data, and share this information with your team. Employees who are bought into the decisions of their corporate leadership teams are more likely to tolerate a few hiccups along the way.

Implementing a change management plan is ultimately about the big picture — but on a day-to-day level, team members will need to focus on the details in adapting to new systems and technology tools. This process takes patience, practice and dedication.

Make sure that your team members are fully committed to the greater company vision and mission.

3. OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVE

For any organization, a change management plan can be ambiguous and scary — and mistakes are the norm rather than the exception. When it comes to transitions in technology and processes, there will likely be unavoidable bumps along the way.

It may be worthwhile to work with a trusted partner who has seen these situations over and over again. Advisors and consultants can help identify common problem areas and explore potential solutions.

Businesses can rely on additional experiences and case studies as guides for forging their own path.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Change will inevitably rock the boat — but it’s a necessary part of your company’s growth. The best way to navigate these processes is to rely on your team members as the change management planand process is put in place. What frustrates them? What empowers them?

The answers to these questions will be crucial to your core goals.