10 Best Practices for Change Management

Technology grows and evolves at an overwhelming rate and businesses are left adapting to the challenges these changes can have on everyday operations. It can feel daunting to keep up with and stay on top of new IT trends. Having a solid IT change management plan in place can help alleviate many of these growing pains.

What is a change management plan?

A change management plan incorporates organizational tools to bolster productivity in the face of an ever-changing technological climate. Implementing a strong change management plan ensures that businesses minimize the risks associated with change-related occurrences. Things move quickly, and a business’ adaptability is a key factor in its success and longevity.

Change Management Process

There are 3 key steps in implementing a solid change management process.

A. Identification

The first and most important step is acknowledging the need to accommodate for changes, and identifying the areas in a businesses’ operations that need the most modification.

B. Arrangement and Preparation

The second step is mobilizing staff to be prepared, accepting, and ready to align with incoming and ongoing changes.

C. Implementation

The final step is putting in place a well-rounded and well-prepared change management strategy that is both flexible and predictable.

10 Best Practices for Change Management

There are many ways to ensure a solid change management strategy within a company. Here are the 10 most common best practices used to ensure efficient change management.

1. Create Need/Urgency

Change is most easily implemented if there is a solid and obvious need for it. Informing and educating employees on current trends and technological advancements will highlight the constant need for growth and adaptability.

2. Make Change Enticing

A company is most open to change when the whole team is on board. Making change desirable for all is sometimes as easy as presenting employees with the realistic and anticipated improvements that change will bring to their own work performance, and the continued success of the business as a whole.

3. Lay Out a Vision 

Building a well-rounded, realistic vision for what can be achieved by implementing change boosts confidence within the company about the benefits of change, and brings into focus a solid goal that all employees can get behind.

4. Find the Right Time

Timing is everything. This is a no-brainer. Introducing change to employees suddenly and without warning will most certainly be met with resistance and uncertainty. Look for a time in the work cycle that is not busy, and slowly roll out the changes in waves.

5. Build a Solid Team

Breaking down staff into smaller groups and appointing trusted and well-connected employees to head the change process within each group allows for maximum participation and communication. Recruit team leaders from within your existing staff to create a more comfortable work climate that is more amenable to change.

6. Iron Out the Kinks in Advance

Disorganization in modified operations and bugs in new software is a surefire way to kill employee confidence in the new changes. Adapting to new technology can be challenging— adapting to buggy new technology can be dispiriting. Before rolling out changes, make sure that all of your ducks are in a row.

Set out tangible and realistic wins that can be achieved with the implementation of the new changes.

7. Aim for Easy and Quick Wins

Set out tangible and realistic wins that can be achieved with the implementation of the new changes. Don't immediately reach for giant success metrics, but rather celebrate each small victory in business operations and task management that is a direct result from the changes implemented.

8. Fully Integrate Change

Engage all current employees and new hires by keeping all aspects of your company’s processes updated. This includes changing your company’s mission statement and updating performance review guidelines.

9. Boost Transparency and Communication

Once the changes are in place, it is crucial to keep in touch with staff with open communication and encourage feedback—both positive and negative. This is important not only to keep employee confidence and trust, but it is also a way to further evaluate how the changes are shaping operations. Some employees may feel more positive about the changes, but those that don't likely have a good reason. Listening to all feedback in the early stages of change can help eliminate major issues in the future.

10. Be Patient

Change takes time. Having unrealistic expectations and demanding immediate cooperation from staff will undoubtedly result in hostility, even failure. Remain patient and transparent and open with communication is ultimately the key to solid change management.

The one constant in your business will be change. It is not always easy but it is always necessary. Having a change management strategy will pay dividends. Get in touch with CITI to set up yours.