Are you struggling to implement change successfully? And tired of spending large sums on external parties for support? Then this blog is for you. Yes, we’re saying it out loud: while we love helping clients navigate a successful change, in the end we are happy to empower clients to drive sustainable change on their own.
In today’s world, change fatigue is becoming increasingly common in organizations [1]. The ripple effects of constant change can quickly pile up and leave people feeling drained. Think about it: another company-wide system rollout, new leaders stepping in with fresh priorities, or roles being reshuffled yet again. It’s a lot to take in. Therefore, having a robust approach to managing change is more crucial than ever.
The Value of Change Adoption
Successful change requires focus and support for both the "soft" (e.g., behavior, culture and leadership) and "hard" (e.g., structure, processes) sides of organizations. Change Adoption helps organizations consistently and effectively address the "soft" side of change. Our experience with clients, coupled with extensive research, shows that a well-executed Change Adoption approach reduces resistance to change and increases the likelihood of success.
Over time, good Change Adoption practices build trust and motivation among employees, leading to improved engagement, satisfaction and productivity [2,3,4]. In turn, the benefits significantly contribute to achieving organizational goals and results, along with meeting change goals six times quicker [5].
A Sustainable Cushion
With so much at stake, it’s worth taking Change Adoption seriously and building this capability internally. In today’s hyper-dynamic work environment, where the cliché "change is the only constant" holds true, having in-house expertise is a significant advantage. Your own Change Adoption capability! This reduces reliance on costly external support and enables your organization to manage change structurally and continuously. You are able to consistently offer the attention and support people need during change, to ultimately ensure its success. Think of it as a sustainable cushion against the growing change fatigue within your organization.
Getting Started
Sounds good, right? But where do you begin? First, it is important to assess your organization's current change readiness. A Quick Scan can help identify where you stand: what’s already working, and what roles, tools or expertise you may need to develop further.
Next, you want to set the ambition for the Change Adoption capability. Factors such as organization size, the volume of change, business environment and culture will influence this. Your ambition could range from a single individual providing guidance for temporary project teams and line managers to a fully-fledged Change Adoption team with strategic, tactical and operational capacity.
Once you know your starting point and ambition, it's time for action. We'll take you through some initial steps you can take to bring Change Adoption to the next level within your organization:
1. Increase internal awareness
First of all, employees need to understand why Change Adoption is important. Highlight the value of Change Adoption and the results it can deliver for different departments. For example, organize a road show to demonstrate how specific actions are designed using the Change Adoption Capability. An example could be the Finance team’s shift to a paperless invoicing system. By providing hands-on training and addressing concerns early, they minimized resistance and reduced processing times by 50%.
2. Map the change landscape
Create an overview of current and upcoming changes within your organization and assess their impact on departments, teams and individuals. An interactive timeline can serve as a great tool for this. This overview is an important starting point to align your Change Adoption approach and activities with.
3. Establish a collaboration framework
Which specific roles do you need and who will take on those responsibilities? Additionally, Change Adoption requires collaboration with other departments (such as Communication), leadership and teams undergoing change. Create a collaboration structure with agreements on how to work, roles and responsibilities. For example, set up regular meetings, such as weekly stand-ups, to discuss challenges and successes.
4. Develop a standardized change adoption approach
Have the person or team responsible for Change Adoption create a standardized approach, complete with tools and templates, to support adoption for all future changes.
5. Monitor and secure change adoption from a central point
Use data-driven methods by setting measurable goals and KPIs, such as tool adoption rates or process improvement speeds. This will help you plan effective Change Adoption activities and adjust as needed. Share success stories, such as how a department achieved their goals faster thanks to the new approach.
6. Continuously evolve your approach
Ensure that the Change Adoption strategy is continuously improved and enriched with best practices, business input, and the latest trends and expertise. For instance, organize an annual innovation day where teams share their experiences and ideas. This ensures a culture of continuous improvement and adaptation.
Authors:
Martine Dellemann
Eline Reurik
Daan ‘t Gilde
Not tired but excited about change? We’d love to help your organization create a sustainable change cushion! Get in touch today with
Peter Hardy
Director Transformation
+31650929204
Sources
2. Bordia, P., Restubog, S. L. D., Jimmieson, N. L., & Irmer, B. E. (2011). Haunted by the past: Effects of poor change management history on employee attitudes and turnover. Group & Organization Management, 36(2), 191-222.
3. Jalagat, Revenio. "The impact of change and change management in achieving corporate goals and objectives: Organizational perspective." International Journal of Science and Research 5.11 (2016): 1233-1239.
4. Kotter, J. P., & Cohen, D. S. (2012). The heart of change: Real-life stories of how people change their organizations. Harvard Business Press.