Mastering the Art of Organizational Change

In the end, fortunately, the system was put in place, with minimal disruption, and violations were eliminated. But it took a systematic effort, on both the part of Compete and its vendor, to overcome pushback and create buy in.

Why We Resist

As many know, scenarios like this are typical. Companies today face increasingly rapid change, from new technologies to political shifts, which they can't afford to ignore. But employees often resist anyway, especially if they don't see the point.

That's because we're creatures of habit, preferring the status quo to the unknown and unfamiliar, says Madeline Laurano, human capital analyst, change management pro, and co-founder of Aptitude Research Partners. "Change can bring tremendous opportunity but it can also elicit fear. Employees often fear that their jobs will be disrupted, their value to the workplace will be jeopardized, and their ability to meet new expectations will be challenging. They fear they will fail."

Trust can also be an issue, notes a recent poll of U.S. workers by the American Psychological Association. Nearly a third of respondents said they were cynical when it comes to employer change, due to perceived hidden agendas and lack of transparency.

But for most organizations today, avoiding change isn't an option, no matter how much agita it creates.

As the rate of disruption accelerates and threatens virtually every industry, companies that rest, rust. And those that don't evolve risk obsolescence. In fact, mastering the art of rapid change has become a critical competitive advantage, and organizations that are able to succeed at this are far more likely to come out ahead.

Making Change Happen

So what does it take to make change happen? Not much if you're in a highly agile and entrepreneurial environment (e.g., a garage-based startup), but a solid plan and tenacity if you're not. 

Depending on the scope of the change and number of employees impacted, it may also take someone versed in the art of change management, which has evolved as a formalized discipline in recent years, to shepherd an initiative to its conclusion.

Know Your Audience

Regardless of what approach is used—a specific change management model or hybrid—the first step is knowing one's audience, says Kelly Keating, a Prosci certified consultant with Black Box Consulting. "Determining who will be impacted by an initiative must be the initial step. This allows you to size the change and assess the organization in order to create an appropriate team structure and sponsor model and to develop your change management strategy."

To make this determination, change management experts typically start with a change characteristics assessment. This considers: 

• Scope (workgroup, department, division, etc.)

• Number of individuals impacted

• Type of change, which may differ by individual group (i.e., policy, process, system, job role, downsizing)

• Amount of change (incremental or dramatic)

A readiness assessment can also be conducted to determine whether employees have the capacity for change and whether they're more likely to adapt or resist. Leadership styles (e.g., centralized or decentralized) should be considered, as well as the positions taken by individual managers. Do they advocate the change, oppose it, or are they somewhere in between?

Once these factors have been established, it's then possible to develop a plan that's aligned with the unique attributes of the change(s) and those who will be changing. This should include details on the team structure, sponsor models, communications plans, and resistance management, taking into account the factors that would motivate individuals to accept the change (for example, personal or companywide benefits). 

Implementing the Plan

Getting everyone on board and implementing the plan comes next, using strategies like these to increase the likelihood of success:

Involve all stakeholders, ASAP: In addition to senior leadership, stakeholders can include technical teams, junior level employees, support staff, etc. Senior leaders ideally provide vision and direction, while others provide the information and expertise needed for their areas of operation. By taking this approach, concerns about requirements can be mitigated early on. This may then make participants more willing to accommodate the needs of the larger group. 

Communicate: This should be an ongoing and transparent process that also begins as soon as possible. First on the agenda is determining the communications plan itself. Who will communicate what, and when? The goal, ultimately, is to ensure that all parties involved always have a clear understanding of the initiative, overall plan, timelines, and individual or team tasks and responsibilities. 

Individual communications, which can consist of ongoing updates that are shared with all team members and stakeholders, should also convey a sense of urgency. Why is the change needed? What's wrong with the status quo? What does the change involve? Why now? What's the expected outcome? How will this benefit the company and employees? 

Eliminate barriers: These can include those that are common to many organizations, like managers who don't support change, inadequate information systems, and/or formal structures and silos that limit the ability of employees to act. 

Test at all levels: For optimal results, any testing that's required should include users with varying levels of competence. Although subject matter experts who quickly adapt to new processes and systems are needed, so are new team members and those who sometimes struggle with change, as their participation can help identify areas needing further tweaking and review.

Identify issues as they arise: During implementation, issues will present themselves, such as the ability of employees to actually adopt changes. For instance, as new systems or platforms are introduced, participants may discover that new equipment is needed, or that they need additional training. 

Ask for feedback: Even if it's negative (and especially if it is), feedback is good. This will enable early identification and remediation of any issues or flaws, which will, in many instances, prevent small problems from mushrooming. It will also show employees that their input is valued and needed.

Be Honest: This goes without saying. Not only should management answer questions and address concerns, it should also practice proactive transparency. That is, keep everyone in the loop.

Spotlight Positive Results: Watch for signs of progress and reward successes, no matter how small.

Keep It Going: Although this technically occurs after the fact, it's important to maintain momentum and continuously reinforce the change, lest it wither on the vine. This can be done via training, incentives, policies and/or promotions, until it, too, becomes the status quo.

Tim Kernan is Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Design, at MSI Global Talent Solutions, a Hampton, NH-based firm focused on helping companies grow, compete and globalize.