Putting People First to Accelerate Adoption

People Centricity’s Step-by-Step Guide to Change Management

People Centricity: 2023

In today's fast-paced business world, change is constant. Organisations are often required to adapt to new technologies, market trends, and customer demands to remain competitive. However, the adoption of these changes is not always smooth sailing. Employees may resist the changes or fail to fully understand their significance, leading to a lack of buy-in and poor results. To accelerate adoption, organisations must focus on their people and follow the 6 approaches to change: Articulate the Why, Identify Impacted Stakeholders, Engage with Stakeholders, Assess Change Impact, Build Change Capability, and Sustain Change.

Articulate the Why

The first step in accelerating adoption is to articulate the "why" behind the change. Employees are more likely to accept and embrace a change when they understand the reason behind it. Therefore, companies must be clear and transparent about the benefits of the change and how it aligns with the organisation's overall vision and goals. By articulating the "why," organisations can create a sense of urgency and purpose, which can help to drive adoption.

Identify Impacted Stakeholders

The second step in accelerating adoption is to identify the stakeholders who will be impacted by the change. This includes employees, customers, clients, and suppliers. It's crucial to understand the different perspectives and concerns of each stakeholder group to address their needs and expectations effectively. This can be done by creating a stakeholder map that identifies each group's level of influence and interest in the change.

Engage with Stakeholders

The third step in accelerating adoption is to engage with stakeholders. Effective engagement involves building relationships, communicating clearly and regularly, and involving stakeholders in the change process. By involving stakeholders in the change process, organisations can gain their buy-in and support, which can help to drive adoption. Stakeholder engagement can be done through various channels, including town hall meetings, leadership workshops, focus groups, surveys, and training sessions.

Assess Change Impact

The fourth step in accelerating adoption is to assess the change's impact. This involves identifying the potential risks and benefits of the change, as well as the resources required to implement it successfully. Organisations must also assess the change's impact on stakeholders, including how it will affect their roles, responsibilities, and workflows. By conducting a thorough Change impact assessment, organisations can anticipate and address potential issues, which can help to drive adoption.

Build Change Capability

The fifth step in accelerating adoption is to build change capability. This involves developing the skills, knowledge, and tools required to implement the change successfully. Organisations must ensure that employees have the necessary training and support to adopt the change effectively. This can be done through various methods, including on-the-job training, just in time learning, e-learning, coaching, and mentoring. By building change capability, organisations can ensure that employees are empowered to embrace the change, which can help to drive adoption.

Sustain Change

The final step in accelerating adoption is to sustain change. This involves embedding the change into the organisation's culture and processes to ensure its long-term success. Organisations must continuously monitor and evaluate the change's impact and adjust their Change strategies accordingly. This can be done by creating a feedback loop and involving stakeholders in the ongoing change process. By sustaining change, organisations can ensure that the change becomes part of the organisation's DNA, which can help to drive adoption.

Let’s bring these steps to life

Meet Sarah, who works as a Change Manager at a software company. Sarah has been tasked with leading a change initiative that involves adopting a new marketing automation software to improve the company's lead generation and sales conversion.

Articulate the Why

Sarah needs to articulate the "why" behind the change to the people to ensure they understand the significance of the initiative. After gathering the data and discussing with the leadership team, she creates a presentation that highlights the benefits of the new software, such as saving time and increasing efficiency, which would allow the marketing team to focus more on strategy and creativity. She also explains how this initiative aligns with the company's overall vision and goals, such as driving revenue growth and enhancing customer satisfaction.

Identify Impacted Stakeholders

Sarah identifies the stakeholders who will be impacted by the change, including her team, the sales team, and the IT department. She creates a stakeholder map that outlines each group's level of influence and interest in the change, which helps her prioritise her engagement efforts.

Engage with Stakeholders

Sarah engages with the stakeholders by creating a communication plan that includes regular updates on the initiative's progress and open feedback channels. She facilitates a town hall meeting to introduce the new software, highlighting the benefits and addressing concerns. She also organizes a focus group with her team to identify any potential issues with the new software and how they can be addressed.

Assess Change Impact

Sarah conducts a change impact assessment to identify potential risks and benefits of the change. She works with the IT department to determine the resources required to implement the new software, such as training and support. She also assesses the change's impact on the stakeholders, such as how it will affect their roles, responsibilities, and processes.

Build Change Capability

Sarah builds change capability by facilitating impacted people with the necessary training and support to adopt the new software effectively. She organizes a series of training sessions, Just in time learning, Demo, and e-learning modules that cover the software's features and how to use them. She also coordinates for ongoing coaching and mentoring to the people to address any issues and ensure a smooth transition.

Sustain Change

Sarah sustains change by embedding the new software into the organisation's culture and processes. She monitors and evaluates the software's impact on the marketing team's performance and makes adjustments accordingly. She creates a feedback loop by asking for regular feedback from project team and other stakeholders to identify any areas for improvement. She also ensures that the new software becomes part of the organisation's standard operating procedures and that new employees receive proper training when they join the team.

In conclusion, by following these six steps, Sarah successfully leads the change initiative and accelerates adoption of the new marketing automation software. She does this by putting people first and engaging with stakeholders throughout the process. She ensures that the organisation is well-equipped to adopt the new software and sustain the change by embedding it into the organisation's culture and processes.

Accelerating adoption requires a People Centric approach that focuses on the six approaches to change: Articulate the Why, Identify Impacted Stakeholders, Engage with Stakeholders, Assess Change Impact, Build Change Capability, and Sustain Change. By following these steps, organisations can create a culture that embraces change and drives innovation, which is critical to remaining competitive in today's business world.

If you want to learn more about change management best practices and connect with like-minded professionals, we invite you to join the Global Change Practitioners Forum. Our community of change practitioners provides a platform to exchange ideas, share experiences, and learn from each other. Additionally, if you would like to share your insights and experiences through thought leadership, case studies, or videos, please contact us. We welcome contributions from all members of our community. Let's accelerate adoption through people-centric change.