“Change management is the process of continually renewing an organisation’s direction, structure and capabilities to serve the ever-changing needs of external and internal customers”– Moran and Brightman, 2001
What is Change Management?
There are a number of potential organisational “drivers” that ultimately warrant the need for change management.
Aligned to achieving an overarching business strategy, organisational change can be the result of a merger, an acquisition, restructuring, changes to products or services or the introduction of new technology. Significant transformations or workplace transitions such as these can have a profound impact on people’s jobs, their morale, productivity, customer satisfaction and overall organizational performance.
No matter what the driver, change can be tough to initiate, over-complicated, can take too long and people resist it. Change management that is customized to your business needs will reflect the forces in your organization that drive or obstruct change, drive participation and buy-in, make change appear less threatening and less complex, and more likely to be adopted and sustained. Ultimately, change management is about shaping and influencing behavior to enhance performance outcomes and business objectives.
Influencing behavior means taking into consideration a variety of change management methodologies and interventions, aligning the top team and sponsors, influencing and communicating with different stakeholders at different times, turning resistance into an advantage, continuously measuring progress, seeking feedback, piloting, recognizing and rewarding success, promoting quick wins and lessons learned, training and preparing people for new ways of working and embedding the change to make it “stick”. Across all change programs, it is critical to stay vigilant, anticipate and address the people risks promptly.
Through effective change management, businesses and organisations can achieve their required business outcomes without leaving things to ‘chance’.
Contact us today or call on 0467 727 522 to discuss your organisation’s change management challenge or to schedule an opportunity to meet in person.
