Eddy’s HR Mavericks Encyclopedia
The world's largest free encyclopedia of HR, with 700+ HR articles and podcasts.
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Change Management
Change is coming! There is no need to stress if your change management plan is ready to implement and leadership can support those impacted by the change.
What Is Change Management?
Change management is a systematic approach to deal with change through the use of tools and other resources.
What Are the Benefits of Change Management?
HR can provide critical support to ensure the organization realizes all the benefits of change management.
- Employee understanding. HR can provide the ‘boots on the ground’ support for employees when a change is announced and sparks questions. This support will help employees understand why and how the organization is implementing a certain change.
- Communication with leadership. HR is positioned to be the best advocate for employees to company leadership. Throughout the change management process, HR can voice the concerns of employees to leadership to ensure any unforeseen risk is addressed,
- Building employee trust. As employees understand the ‘why’ behind organizational change and witness transparent communication from leadership, trust grows organically within the company.
- Increased skill. As employees are supported through changes, they will learn new skills to help them adapt to future changes large and small.
When Is Change Management Needed?
Not all change needs the support of change management. This section discusses four circumstances when change management is needed to support employees as they adapt to the change.
New Leadership
New leadership, either at the organizational level or a small team level, brings their own unique style to the employee experience. New leadership should be transparent as to why they are implementing any changes as employees learn about the new leader and accept the change implemented.
Change in Organizational Team Structure
Changes in the team or organizational structure can increase competitive advantage and enhance the customer experience. Organizational change often includes several smaller changes. HR may need to support employees during these adjustment periods via change management.
New Technology
Before new technology is implemented, HR and managers need to be trained on the technology to best tailor the teaching process to their team. This ensures the new technology can be adopted and accepted by employees. Each manager can nurture their relationship with their teams by supporting them throughout the change management process.
Adopting a New Business Model
A new business model requires transformational change for the organization. The change management must be equal to the change to support managers and employees throughout the process. Transparent communication throughout will support successful change management.
What Are the Requirements for Change Management Success?
For successful change management, the following requirements will help plan your path to success.
Define Clear Objectives
In preparation for any change management, set a clear objective or goal that defines what success looks like. What result are you looking for in the organization? What behavior do you want employees to exhibit? Understanding your goals will help you further develop a plan of action for change management.
Consider the Needs of Each Team
Consider the needs of each team and employee to adopt the planned change. If you fully understand how this will be perceived from their point of view, you can plan for and confirm what employees need to accept and implement the change.
Begin With Leadership
Every leader in the organization needs to be on board with significant change. If one leader is not aligned with the plan for change management, the employees will sense this and your efforts may crumble. Allow leaders to voice their concerns and address them Then work together to get on board with the plans for change management.
Celebrate Small Wins
Some wins will need to be repeated to implement the larger transformational change. Each small win should be communicated to the group at large and celebrated. Changes can strain everyone involved but celebrating small wins can keep the motivation alive.
Maintain Communication
A great way to maintain an open dialogue between managers and employees is through town hall meetings, also known as All-Hands Meetings. Leaders should focus on opening conversations with employees by asking questions such as, “What is going well?” and “What can leadership do to help you further succeed?”
How Do I Implement Change Management?
Follow these four steps to help you manage change at your organization.
Step 1: Define Your Objective
Clarify your objective with leadership and identify who will be impacted by the change. Determine smaller goals to help accomplish the main objective.
Step 2: Plan the Change
Visualize what the change will look like from the perspective of an impacted employee. This will help you identify and mitigate any risks that were not previously identified. Second, create a communication plan to distribute to all employees. This communication can be emailed or posted notices of small changes, all-hands meetings or training sessions to support employees through the process.
Step 3: Implement the Plan
At this stage, leaders who are on board and aligned with the changes can begin implementation. Distribute the communication prepared in step 2 and monitor for any resistance to that change. Listen to concerns and resistance empathetically to help employees become comfortable with the change.
Step 4: Monitor the Results
As change is implemented, measure the impact to confirm it matches what was defined in step 1. Reward behaviors that are aligned with the new change and celebrate all success. Make any necessary adjustments to accomplish the objective set in step 1.
Topics
Ryan Archibald
Ryan is an HR Director with four years of experience and three masters degrees. One accomplishment he is proud of is the design and launch of a learning and development program for 800+ employees.
Frequently asked questions
Other Related Terms
Eddy’s HR Mavericks Encyclopedia
Change Management
Change is coming! There is no need to stress if your change management plan is ready to implement and leadership can support those impacted by the change.
What Is Change Management?
Change management is a systematic approach to deal with change through the use of tools and other resources.
What Are the Benefits of Change Management?
HR can provide critical support to ensure the organization realizes all the benefits of change management.
- Employee understanding. HR can provide the ‘boots on the ground’ support for employees when a change is announced and sparks questions. This support will help employees understand why and how the organization is implementing a certain change.
- Communication with leadership. HR is positioned to be the best advocate for employees to company leadership. Throughout the change management process, HR can voice the concerns of employees to leadership to ensure any unforeseen risk is addressed,
- Building employee trust. As employees understand the ‘why’ behind organizational change and witness transparent communication from leadership, trust grows organically within the company.
- Increased skill. As employees are supported through changes, they will learn new skills to help them adapt to future changes large and small.
When Is Change Management Needed?
Not all change needs the support of change management. This section discusses four circumstances when change management is needed to support employees as they adapt to the change.
New Leadership
New leadership, either at the organizational level or a small team level, brings their own unique style to the employee experience. New leadership should be transparent as to why they are implementing any changes as employees learn about the new leader and accept the change implemented.
Change in Organizational Team Structure
Changes in the team or organizational structure can increase competitive advantage and enhance the customer experience. Organizational change often includes several smaller changes. HR may need to support employees during these adjustment periods via change management.
New Technology
Before new technology is implemented, HR and managers need to be trained on the technology to best tailor the teaching process to their team. This ensures the new technology can be adopted and accepted by employees. Each manager can nurture their relationship with their teams by supporting them throughout the change management process.
Adopting a New Business Model
A new business model requires transformational change for the organization. The change management must be equal to the change to support managers and employees throughout the process. Transparent communication throughout will support successful change management.
What Are the Requirements for Change Management Success?
For successful change management, the following requirements will help plan your path to success.
Define Clear Objectives
In preparation for any change management, set a clear objective or goal that defines what success looks like. What result are you looking for in the organization? What behavior do you want employees to exhibit? Understanding your goals will help you further develop a plan of action for change management.
Consider the Needs of Each Team
Consider the needs of each team and employee to adopt the planned change. If you fully understand how this will be perceived from their point of view, you can plan for and confirm what employees need to accept and implement the change.
Begin With Leadership
Every leader in the organization needs to be on board with significant change. If one leader is not aligned with the plan for change management, the employees will sense this and your efforts may crumble. Allow leaders to voice their concerns and address them Then work together to get on board with the plans for change management.
Celebrate Small Wins
Some wins will need to be repeated to implement the larger transformational change. Each small win should be communicated to the group at large and celebrated. Changes can strain everyone involved but celebrating small wins can keep the motivation alive.
Maintain Communication
A great way to maintain an open dialogue between managers and employees is through town hall meetings, also known as All-Hands Meetings. Leaders should focus on opening conversations with employees by asking questions such as, “What is going well?” and “What can leadership do to help you further succeed?”
How Do I Implement Change Management?
Follow these four steps to help you manage change at your organization.
Step 1: Define Your Objective
Clarify your objective with leadership and identify who will be impacted by the change. Determine smaller goals to help accomplish the main objective.
Step 2: Plan the Change
Visualize what the change will look like from the perspective of an impacted employee. This will help you identify and mitigate any risks that were not previously identified. Second, create a communication plan to distribute to all employees. This communication can be emailed or posted notices of small changes, all-hands meetings or training sessions to support employees through the process.
Step 3: Implement the Plan
At this stage, leaders who are on board and aligned with the changes can begin implementation. Distribute the communication prepared in step 2 and monitor for any resistance to that change. Listen to concerns and resistance empathetically to help employees become comfortable with the change.
Step 4: Monitor the Results
As change is implemented, measure the impact to confirm it matches what was defined in step 1. Reward behaviors that are aligned with the new change and celebrate all success. Make any necessary adjustments to accomplish the objective set in step 1.
Topics
Ryan Archibald
Ryan is an HR Director with four years of experience and three masters degrees. One accomplishment he is proud of is the design and launch of a learning and development program for 800+ employees.
Frequently asked questions
Other Related Terms
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