Change Management Best Practices to Help Your Business Thrive

Any leader who has tried to implement change at work knows that getting your workplace teams on board can be challenging, to say the least.

When it comes to implementing change, there are some “best practices” you can follow to help your business continue to thrive, including: 

Active and Visible Leadership

Having a positive leader who actively participates in the life cycle of change is the best way to ensure large-scale success. Leaders who are “active and visible” in leading change help inspire others to embrace and adopt new processes, tools, and strategies. 

Some ways leaders can actively promote change are:

• Being a “change champion” and leading and motivating others.
  
  
• Giving consistent, positive attention to the change and the need for change management.
  
  
• Ensuring that all departments and leaders are aligned with decisions related to the change and how it will be implemented.
  
  
• Maintaining ongoing buy-in and keeping leadership on the same page.

According to research from Prosci, there’s a clear correlation between leaders “sponsoring” change and meeting objectives, with 73% of objectives being met when leadership is actively involved.

Being Intentional and Structured

Successful change management happens when time and space is created to identify and address gaps and pivot when necessary.

Starting with a formal approach allows for repeatable processes to be created, which can allow for such processes to be applied throughout the company. Some aspects of successful change management include:

• Clear and defined processes 
• Customization to meet the needs of various teams
• Scalable and adaptive protocols
• Purposeful application at various phases of a project

According to research, companies that applied a structured approach were 33% more likely to experience good or excellent change management effectiveness than those that didn’t. 

Practicing Open and Consistent Communication

One of the key elements to successful change management is keeping everyone on the same page and up to date, why changes are being implemented, and any pivots that may be necessary.

When developing a communications strategy, consider these elements:

• Cadence: how will the changes be communicated?
  
  
• Consistency: how often will those affected and involved be updated?
  
  
• Transparency: how will you ensure transparency in your processes?
  
  
• Which channels to use: how will you leverage multiple communication channels to convey messaging?
  
  
• Preferred senders: who are the best people to lead communications across departments and key stakeholders?

Engaging With Front-Line Staff

All of the elements above help employees understand why a change is needed and how it will affect them. When considering how to increase engagement, consider:

• Highlighting “what’s in it for me?” from an employee perspective
• Identifying and building relationships between effected groups
• Providing adequate training for affected groups
• Involving employees when finding solutions 

By taking these steps you can help your front-line staff feel heard, valued, and involved with the changes being made.

What This Means for Your Business

By using the practices outlined above, you can:

• Start your change management journey with the tactics that will make the biggest impact
• Evaluate your current approach to change management and adapt as needed
• Incorporate the best change management practices into your efforts

By taking and implementing the best practices presented here, you and your organization can continue to grow and learn. Ready to accelerate your learning? Sign up for our self-paced “Managing Change” course today!