The only constant is change.
When Heraclitus uttered these now immortalized words, he surely didn’t foresee them being used to underscore the importance of effective change management in the dynamically changing world of HR transformation, however they do summarize the situation aptly. With almost all organizations racing to upgrade their digital workforce management tools and associated HR infrastructure, one would think that at the core of these transformational shifts there would be a meticulous, well-designed change management plan that provides a clear line of sight between business objectives and tactical procedural changes – but the truth is that more often than not, change management is relegated to dry newsletters and uninspiring training. Despite its importance to the success of a transformation program, change management is something that is still not given enough attention.
Most modern HR systems are already quite intuitive, and the end-users do not necessarily require intense step-by-step training for simple use cases. If you think about Facebook and Grab, not a lot of selling or training is required for the end user to utilize those platforms. However, when it comes to enterprise applications, adoption is still very much an apparent problem. Why is that the case? There are multiple reasons this happens, but the two main culprits are bad design and lack of impactful change management.
For starters, change management is sometimes misunderstood as a “good to have” soft skill by program sponsors and managers who don’t see the value in investing significantly in effective change management. In such scenarios, the scope of change management is reduced to basic communications and maybe creating training guides. The change management team is not involved, for example, during the design stage and change impacts are not considered deeply enough from an adoption perspective. Adding the fact that people are generally resistant to changing the way they work, coupled with BAU overload and it’s no wonder why adoption remains an issue in HR transformation programs despite having a change team in place.
Even if the program sponsors and managers truly care for change management, the change management team at times is not skilled enough to truly appreciate the implications.
This often happens because HR transformation programs can get quite technical, and the change team does not always have a member that can truly understand the technical details and rationale behind the choices being made. Most organizations that do not have in-house experts on change management need to outsource this expertise, which can help but having an in-house champion is critical in its success.
That said, the HR tech market has seen a fantastic growth pattern in recent years, forecasted to grow a CAGR of 9.1% during the 2023 – 2028 period. Organizations have recognized the importance of streamlining their HR processes and equipping their employees with people management tools to encourage productivity. Furthermore, the recent events that disrupted the areas of geopolitics, economics, and human health have only underscored the need for being a more resilient business, which requires a foundational digital HR infrastructure to begin with. Thus, change management as a discipline is well-positioned to be the ace up the sleeve of organizations looking to step up their HR Transformation game.
Implementing new technology inherently and inevitably disrupts established routines, processes, and behavior of employees. Change impacts are often underestimated, leading to resistance and decreased productivity. Change management helps organizations navigate these impacts by conducting comprehensive impact assessments, identifying potential risks and challenges, and developing strategies to mitigate them. By involving employees in the early stages, change management enables the fostering of a sense of ownership and engagement, minimizing pushback and enhancing acceptance of the technological change. Aptly managing change impacts ensure a smoother transition, minimal disruptions, and helps employees adapt more effectively. Leadership alignment, change agents, communications and training have always been, and will continue to be, the central tenants of managing change.
Leaders must understand and support the change initiative, communicate its importance, and actively participate throughout the process. Change management facilitates leadership alignment by involving key stakeholders, fostering a shared vision, and aligning individual and organizational goals. When leaders demonstrate commitment and enthusiasm for the change, it creates a positive ripple effect throughout the organization, encouraging employee buy-in and reducing uncertainty.
Change agents act as catalysts for change, supporting and guiding employees through the transition. Building a change agent network is an integral part of change management in technology implementations. These agents are carefully selected and equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to drive the change. They serve as ambassadors, providing support, answering questions, and addressing concerns. Change agents play a vital role in fostering a culture of collaboration, knowledge sharing, and continuous learning, thereby increasing the chances of successful technology adoption.
The importance of effective communication strategies to create a shared understanding of the change initiative simply cannot be overemphasized. This involves developing a communication plan that includes tailored messages, channels, and frequency of communication. Communication should be a two-way street – encouraging feedback, addressing concerns, and celebrating milestones. By keeping employees informed and involved, organizations foster transparency, trust, and a sense of ownership, ultimately enabling successful technology adoption.
Training end users is a crucial component of change management in technology implementations. However, traditional training methods often fall short in engaging employees and enabling them to effectively use the new technology. Innovative training approaches address this challenge by incorporating interactive and hands-on learning experiences. This could include gamification, virtual reality simulations, online training modules, and peer-to-peer learning platforms. By making training sessions engaging, accessible, and personalized, organizations can empower end users to embrace the new technology confidently and maximize its benefits. Inspiration can be taken from examples such as CXR Agency creating mixed-reality designs to immerse their clients, IKEA introducing their The Place app for customers to plan out their living spaces before heading to their physical outlets and Lucid Reality Labs creating bespoke VR/AR spaces for business’ use cases. Interactive and easy-to-use plugins – WalkMe, Usetiful, Lou, Whatfix to name a few- are all good examples of tools that can be used to create engaging training modules for end users.
Another category of disruptive technology whose time in the sun has come to full fruition are digital collaboration platforms such as Teams and Slack to establish a centralized hub for communication, knowledge sharing, and collaboration during change initiatives. These platforms provide a space for employees to connect with their peers, exchange ideas and feedback, and access relevant resources. Features such as discussion forums, document sharing, task management, and real-time updates enhance transparency, facilitate teamwork, and streamline change management processes. Digital collaboration platforms also allow for seamless integration with other digital tools, promoting efficiency and ensuring that information is readily accessible to all stakeholders.
The principles of agile project management can also be applied to change management, enabling organizations to respond swiftly to evolving circumstances. Agile change management emphasizes iterative and incremental approaches, allowing for frequent feedback and course corrections. By breaking down change initiatives into smaller, manageable tasks/sprints, organizations can promote engagement, adaptability, and faster implementation. Agile change management empowers employees to take ownership of the process and promotes better collaboration.
To organizations that are serious about change management, Lighthouse Consulting would suggest the change strategies explained in this blog be considered. Additionally, identify qualified change management team members and park sufficient budget for change management. While budgets can vary depending on the nature and complexity of the selected program, as well as your organization’s specific needs and priorities, industry experts and best practices suggest that allocating around the range of 10-20% of the program budget to change management is a good starting point. If you are still not sure, we would like to provide 3 final reasons why you should consider change management seriously:
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- Save Your Sanity. Prevent Hair Loss
Change management is like a magic potion that preserves your sanity and prevents premature hair loss caused by stressful changes. Without it, you might end up pulling your hair out, resembling a mad (frustrated, too) scientist more than a professional. Fully embrace change management, and you’ll keep your luscious locks intact while maintaining your sanity. No need for a wig-wearing, crazy scientist alter ego when you can be unapologetically your own self! - Never Get Lost in the Wild Again
Imagine embarking on an expedition in the wilderness without a guide or map. Getting lost in the wilderness filled with ferocious animals and navigating through the thick vegetation maze does not sound like a fun time. Change management serves as your trusty GPS; equipped with a megaphone for clear communication and a machete to clear the path of confusion, you’ll never end up in the Land of Confusion again. - Turn Sceptics into Ninjas
Change management has the power to transform sceptical individuals into enthusiastic change management ninjas. They’ll be able to adapt to new challenges, dodge resistance with their ninja-like reflexes, and strike down doubts with their powerful persuasion skills.
- Save Your Sanity. Prevent Hair Loss
These are exciting times for organizations to break free of tried-and-true methods, and dive headfirst into a whole new world of possibilities in change management. Else, inevitably suffer the consequences of inaction.
If you’d like to learn more about the latest and greatest in the world of change management and how we may help your organization, you can reach out to us via our Contact Us page and our team of experts would be delighted to walk you through your first steps towards change.
