What is Change Management and Why Do You Need It?

Change is difficult, and most of us try to avoid it as best we can. It forces us out of our comfort zone and into new territory we’re not always familiar with. However, eschewing change entirely leads to stagnation and eventual decline. Change is necessary for growth, and change management is the only way to ensure that change doesn’t do more harm than good. But what is change management exactly? And why does your business need it to take your company to the next level?

What is Change Management?

When exploring a new concept, it’s generally always best to start with a solid definition: What is change management? Change management can most succinctly  be described as managing the people side of change. In terms of the workplace, it can apply to management shakeups, mergers and acquisitions, shifting responsibilities, and new technologies in the workplace.  By taking steps to ensure that the change is gradual and well-paced, you minimize the risk of the changes not sticking in the long term, especially when it comes to new software implementations.

When going through changes at work, it’s fundamentally important to understand one thing: your business isn’t the one changing. It’s your people going through the changes. Your processes are transforming. The core of change management comes from understanding that human element in your workplace and getting your team the support they need to guide them through your transformation.

What Does Change Management Mean for our Implementation?

When in the midst of a new technology implementation, your project managers and engineers are obviously vital, but making sure your colleagues and teammates are staying up to speed with the process is equally important, but often overlooked. A true digital transformation marries these two concepts: and has a change management leader working in tandem with your project manager to ensure the smoothest transition possible.

Without proper change management you can, and likely will, experience roadblocks after their implementation is complete. These roadblocks include low user adoption rates, reduced productivity, and disgruntled employees. When the right change management leader is in place, they are able to mitigate these risks and ensure a successful implementation of new technology with as little interruption to workflow as possible.

Why Do I Need Change Management?

Most people never see a full software rollout. Average professionals will generally take part in two, maybe three implementation projects over the course of their 40-year careers. It stands to reason, then, that most people are not familiar with what can (and will) go wrong during an implementation project. The challenges introduced by integrating an entirely new solution into an existing ecosystem are plenty. The average professional is poorly equipped to deal with them, especially when it comes to something like adoption rates. We’ve mapped out some of the biggest reasons why change management is such a necessity to a business in the midst of radical changes like implementations.

• Minimizing Resistance to Change Change can be difficult for employees, who may resist the new software due to fear of the unknown, lack of confidence in learning new skills, or doubts about the need for change. Change management helps address these concerns and get employees on board.
• Ensuring a Smooth Transition Implementing new software often involves altering processes, roles, and workflows. Change management provides a structured approach to managing this transition and making it as seamless as possible for the organization.
• Driving Proper Adoption and Usage Change management focuses on providing the necessary training, support, and communication to help employees effectively adopt and utilize the new software. This maximizes the return on investment.
• Mitigating Risks and Challenges Software implementations can present technical issues, budget changes, and other challenges. Change management helps anticipate and address these obstacles to increase the chances of a successful implementation.
• Achieving Organizational Alignment Change management aligns leadership, stakeholders, and employees around the goals and benefits of the new software, fostering buy-in and commitment across the organization.

Want to Know More About Change Management?

Read some of our additional change content for more answers to all the questions you never knew you had.  Done enough reading and ready to talk to someone and get the ball rolling? Give us a ring and chat with one of our change experts. They’re all excellent resources on change management and digital transformations in general. They can help you get started on your path toward a revitalized, more perfect version of your business!