Change Management: A Guide to Transform Organizations
The implementation of new strategies and systems can be extremely uncomfortable and disruptive to an organization. You rely on organizational or organizational change management (OCM) to ensure that this transitional phase goes smoothly.
When it comes to exploring what is organizational change, it is important to note that change management means different things to different people. To project managers, the change management definition is the procedure used to gain approval for diverse alterations in budgets, timelines, and scope of projects. Infrastructure specialists look at change management as a process for testing, approving and setting up brand new equipment.
While each and every group of professionals has their own language, frameworks, and approaches, the following post focuses exclusively on the notion of change management from the standpoint of an organization.
How is Change Management Advantageous for Enterprises?
Change management assists in reducing the chances that implementation of a new system, strategy or change of any other form will be disapproved by the organization. The phenomenon of change management does not increase sales or reduce costs by itself. Instead, this managerial strategy boosts teamwork and helps in creating synergy that enterprises need to genuinely accept any change and consequently operate in a more efficient manner.
When Do Organizations Need Change Management?
A change management process is required whenever an organization attempts to implement a new program or transformation that disrupts day-to-day activities. Otherwise, such an implementation will affect:
Workflow
There are many jobs that involve groups or individuals performing certain tasks repeatedly. For instance, an accounting manager has to carry out annual, monthly, weekly and daily activities. Employees become comfortable with the rhythm as well as the tools that are utilized to do their jobs. Even a slight change can disrupt their workflow.
Change in Employees Roles
Many personnel considers themselves to be of great value to their organization as a decent HR manager, security specialist, programmer, technical architect, etc. When they are given a different role to play, it can make them uncomfortable. Those people who possess incredible technical skills usually struggle when given any managerial post. This is where organizational change management helps out.
The Organization
Generally, executive teams that plan and implement organizational change are relatively more comfortable with such activities. The biggest reason behind it is that they were originally part of the decision-making team, and may take months before announcing their final decision. It gives them a decent amount of time to make up their minds and adapt to the situation.
On the other hand, individuals that are not allowed to contribute to those change-bringing decisions get significantly less amount of time to be prepared. That is why the change management process is more focused on responding to the concerns of lower-level staff.
What Factors Allow Change Management to Be Effective and Successful?
Change management processes in organizations have certain prerogatives to be effective and successful:
Capable Executive Sponsors
The role of sponsorship is very crucial in OCM. It is the responsibility of the sponsors of organizational change to make a solid case for alterations that are about to be introduced. For this reason, sponsors require upper management's full support and knowledge regarding what is change management. In addition to it, the sponsor should comprehend how change is going to impact the workflow and roles of different employees.
Good sponsors have the confidence and nerve to deal with skeptics. They conduct detailed meetings with them in a bid to explain why the new approach or system is being selected, and the positive results they will generate for both the individuals and the overall organization.
Cultural Readiness to Accept Change and Adapt
Nearly every organization shows some extent of resistance to change. Skilled and experienced change management experts try to embrace the emotional energy of the organization. They make the most out of the employees' behavior, language and stories to accentuate those parts of the existing culture that are in line with the planned change.
These specialists celebrate behaviors that they want to promote by publicly appreciating those individuals or groups that exhibit them. Furthermore, organizational change management professionals use every opportunity they get to verbally reinforce and practically demonstrate how change assists the company.