Change is part and parcel with success in today’s competitive business landscape. Organizations that struggle to implement necessary changes will ultimately stagnate. No company is immune; some of the world’s most powerful corporations have fallen prey to innovation, or more specifically, their inability to keep up. In this rollercoaster environment, change must not be avoided, but rather, built into every element of the workforce.
Enter organizational change management — a discipline designed to ensure that disruptive new processes or ideas are implemented in a way that most benefits both individual stakeholders and the company as a whole. This concept may be familiar in the C-suite, but it’s also notoriously difficult to execute. This unfortunate reality is best exemplified by a Strategy&/Katzenbach Center survey, which highlights a success rate of just 54 percent for major change initiatives. If you’re determined to beat the odds, you’ll want to implement the best practices outlined below:
Highlight the Why Behind the Change
A little advance preparation can make a huge difference in how effectively you’re able to implement organizational change. Before you proceed, it’s critical that you delve into the change itself. Change may be necessary in the modern workforce, but not all initiatives are worth pursuing.
Questions worth exploring: Why are you making large-scale changes? How will they benefit your business both now and in years to come? If you’re unable to offer a clear answer supported by verifiable data, you’re not ready to enact lasting change. Examine your goals in-depth to determine whether they are in keeping with your organization’s philosophy and values — and to determine whether your organization is capable of implementing them in the near future.
Keep Culture at the Center
Your company’s core culture will determine how changes are executed and how they impact employees at all levels. Many business leaders regard culture as far more integral to the process of change than the methods or technologies used to implement those changes. This doesn’t mean that company culture must always remain exactly the same; it may, in fact, be the source of change. Either way, current culture must be taken into account; it will influence how changes are enacted and whether they will be well-received.
Identify Change Agents
Who will be responsible for enacting changes? While organizational change typically begins at the top, leadership is necessary throughout the entire structure of your company. Identify change agents in all departments. You’ll need to get existing leaders on board, of course, but it’s also worth determining who is most enthusiastic about upcoming changes and willing to help you implement them. Ideal change ambassadors exemplify your organization’s values and can play a key role in improving company-wide engagement.
Prioritize Transparency
All stakeholders need to know why changes are being implemented and how they will be impacted. This information must be shared well before changes go into effect. Communication should come not only from the C-suite, but also from change agents who can better connect with stakeholders on their level.
Employees should feel that they have a stake in the process. Encourage them to ask questions and offer feedback — and make every effort to respond. Honest communication will make impacted individuals feel more secure and could ultimately streamline the change process.
Keep Stakeholders Informed of Progress
Monitor changes as they occur to ensure that they are carried out appropriately. In particular, determine how enacted changes impact stakeholders. Be prepared to change the process of change if necessary. The sooner you address emerging issues, the less likely they are to spell problems later on. Communicate any shifts in the change process to keep stakeholders in the loop.
Successful organizational change may be notoriously difficult to implement, but it’s far from impossible. Your ability to enact potentially disruptive initiatives could demonstrate your organization’s viability in the change-oriented business environment of tomorrow. By emphasizing honesty and open communication, you can successfully enact the changes necessary to carry your business forward.
Are you struggling to implement organizational changes from the C-suite? ON ITS AXIS can assist in maintaining change management best practices via messaging and sequencing of activities. We personalize our services to ensure your organization’s unique needs are met. Schedule a discovery call today to learn more about our approach to change management.