How To Manage Change When Adopting Technology

When organisations plan to introduce change they need to be conscious of making the best choices and how to manage change. It might be new marketing software, a new method of handling invoices or managing customer services, but they have to select the ideal solution. Plenty of business chiefs believe that if they get this part correct, change will occur effortlessly however this is rarely true. Implementing the system application is the simplest component of change, the more challenging aspect is getting the staff on board and getting them to embrace the changes in their working day. The most typical reason for change failure is individuals resistance to change.

Change takes place as a process, never as a one off event. Business change doesn't happen immediately simply due to an announcement, team meeting or a launch date. People don't change just because they had an email or attended a training course. Whenever we experience change, we progress from whatever we knew and did, through a phase of transition to reach a preferred new method of operating and executing our role.

By viewing change as a process and splitting it down into separate phases, you can structure your approach more effectively to make sure your workforce adopt the change in the way they work.

How to manage change | Transformation Plan Overview Template

Understanding how to manage change as a Process

The most basic technique to realise change as a process, as per the Kurt Lewin, Change Management Model, is to split it down into different, logical components. The three phases of change present a compelling framework:

Unfreezing - the planning for the change
Change - implementing the change
Refreeze - embracing change as standard practice

Unfreeze Phase

Provide a very clear explanation of the advantages of the change and the risks of in action. This must be a consistent message communicated by all senior management in the business
Be transparent about the reason why the change has got to take place now. Change tends to shuffle along without a sense of urgency
Conduct a readiness for change review in order to understand where to concentrate your endeavours and resources to achieve the greatest results
Designate a leader of the change and establish a change team of key personnel to develop and carry out the change plan
Build a communication strategy into the transformation plan of key communications and schedules.

Change Phase

Implement the plan and make sure everybody is clear about their roles and time lines
Coach the change leader and change team in order that they can lead by example
Communicate objectives of the change process and expectations
Tackle any resistance as it arises with clear communication and training

Refreeze Phase

Don't forget to celebrate success during this process and acknowledge those who are doing well
Evaluate progress throughout the organisation and make alterations as needed
Identify benefits and communicate to all employees

Developing A Transformation Plan

A smart way to begin this process is for the senior management in the business to get together and answer five important questions:

The reasons why change is necessary now?
What exactly is the change and how will it benefit the business?
Who will the change impact and how?
How may they respond to the change?
What's likely to be the outcome of in action?

The responses to these questions will produce the Transformation Plan Overview. Further dialogue should identify two or three key objectives for the change.