How well does your company manage change?

The world is changing fast. Yet many companies are reluctant to embrace change. Are there steps your company could take to better adapt to today’s business environment? Here are some ways to help facilitate a significant shift in your organization:

Involve employees in decision-making. Many organizations let employees know about a significant change right before it’s set to begin. Or they allow information to leak out over time. But you’ll likely find your message will be better received if you engage employees in the process of trying to figure out how best to manage changing conditions, or at the very least let them know what you’re evaluating. Employee engagement survey tools and meetings can help streamline and improve the change process. Ensure employees understand the ‘big picture’ — that their jobs depend on your company’s ability to adapt and succeed in a fast-changing world.

Divide and simplify. If possible, start by introducing a change to only one part of a company or one team at a time (What we like to call a phased approach). This isn’t always possible or prudent, but it can give you some real-world input before a new way of doing things is introduced company-wide. Some companies have benefited by creating a ‘change management team’ of employees who can help manage the inevitable problems and challenges that arise during changing times. Select the best-fit personalities for the team. Some people are more adaptable than others, so keep in mind that otherwise stellar employees may struggle significantly with change while some may embrace it.

Train your employees. During times of change in a company, quality training to upskill your existing talent can help increase the odds of success and the likelihood that the change will ‘stick.’

Be open to fine-tuning. It’s not enough to communicate the change, then assume that employees are ready to go. Instead, look for feedback regularly —through surveys, team meetings, and company-wide emails. Then use that feedback to adjust your change strategies if it’s helpful.

Does your company depend on outdated tools and processes that are vulnerable, prone to errors, and time-consuming? The good news is that you don’t need to tear apart your organization to implement digital transformation. Any business can achieve it, and we can help.

Learn more about how we can help you implement a successful Digital Transformation Plan.