Organizations of all sizes change and adapt for many reasons. Sometimes change is due to growth and opportunity, sometimes it’s not. Either way, change brings stress to employees and how that is managed can make all the difference.
A change management plan is helpful to guide the organization as a whole through whatever change is happening. Below are three things to think about for an effective change management plan.
- Establish Buy-in. Employees need to be onboard with the change and believe that they are for the greater good. Supervisors should clearly explain the factors leading up to the change and possibly even let the employees contribute to solutions. When employees can take ownership of the solutions, they are much more likely to be committed to seeing them through.
- Pay Attention to the Most Affected. Inevitably some employees will be more affected by the change than others. For instance, if your office moves, commute times with likely go up for some and down for others. It is worth the time to focus on the most affected employees and help make sure they have what they need.
- Commit to the Plan. It is important that leadership stay focused on the plan and commit to it. There will likely be some ups and downs but a learning curve is necessary, plan for it. Commend the new behavior and have patience with those that take longer to adjust.
Leadership must:
- Lead by example,
- Track key metrics and report on them regularly,
- Be willing to help.
Change will always be resisted in some way but a clear and effective plan will help ensure success. Considering these 3 steps to ensure organizational change goes smoothly can really make all the difference for your employees and yourself.