Change may well be inevitable, but resistance is not.
The success of any change initiative hinges on one crucial factor: employee buy-in. Without it, even the most well-planned strategies can crumble. So, how do you cultivate enthusiasm and commitment during times of transition? Here we look at practical strategies and techniques to get your team on board.
1. Communicate the Specifics: Often, and Transparently
The "Why" Matters
It might be tempting to instigate communication early, making firm announcements of the "what" and "how" for your new initiative. While this helps people to understand what leadership has been planning, it doesn't go towards gaining their buy-in.
Explain the "why" behind the change. Share the vision, the benefits, and the potential impact on the organisation and its employees.
For example, when announcing plans to implement a new CRM system, explain how it will streamline workflows, reduce manual tasks, and ultimately improve customer satisfaction, benefiting both the company and individual employees.
Giving people a reason and a benefit for the change helps them to focus on the positive and allows constructive thinking about how to incorporate the new CRM system into their individual work planning.
Read more on communicating beyond the "what" and "how":
Two-Way Communication
Make discussions about change a dialogue, not a monologue. Create opportunities for employees to ask questions, voice concerns, contribute to design thinking and provide feedback.
Host town hall meetings, create dedicated communication channels via your corporate collaboration tools and internal forums, conduct regular Q&A sessions, and don't forget the most fundamental tool: a program email inbox.
For more on building two-way communication:
Transparency Builds Trust
While being firm in the change that is to come, be honest about the challenges and uncertainties. Acknowledge that change can be difficult, and address concerns openly.
For example, if a restructuring might lead to some role changes, be upfront about the process and the support that will be provided to affected employees.
Read more on the importance of transparency and trust in change communications:
2. Involve Impacted Groups in the Process
Create Change Champions
Identify influential employees who are enthusiastic about the change and empower them to champion the initiative. Form a change management team with representatives from different departments and levels of the organisation.
For more on Change Champions:
Seek Input and Feedback
Involve impacted employees in the planning and implementation stages. Their insights can be invaluable in identifying potential roadblocks and developing effective solutions.
This could take the form of including subject matter experts in the delivery team, conducting surveys, convening focus groups, or workshops to gather employee feedback on the proposed changes.
For more on incorporating design thinking in change management plans:
Pilot Programs
Another technique to consider is to implement changes in a small, controlled environment before rolling them out across the entire organisation. This allows for testing, feedback, and adjustments. Consider creating pilot teams that are comprised of employees that are both for and against the change, to get a well rounded view of potential issues.
Read more on the principle of testing ideas before launching:
3. Provide Training and Support
Address Skill Gaps
Equipping employees with the necessary skills and knowledge to adapt to the changes means first understanding their current capability, and the gap you need to fill.
For example, if implementing new software, providing comprehensive training sessions, user guides, and ongoing support may be overkill. Did you need training to use your new online banking interface? Many training opportunities are overblown through reluctance to first conduct a training needs analysis.
Read more on right-sizing training plans here:
Offer Coaching and Mentoring
Pair employees with experienced mentors or coaches who can provide guidance and support during the transition. This can be through:
creating a buddy system where experienced employees can support those who are struggling with the changes;
hiring change coaches to uplift general capability in change management skills;
hiring change mentors to work through change with individuals - helping them to create their own plan for finding opportunities in change; or
running skills-based change management coaching to supplement specific areas of concern.
For more on the proven returns of change management coaching:
Recognise and Reward Success
Acknowledge and celebrate employees' efforts and achievements during the change process. Reward and recognition is a powerful tool often forgotten. Don't miss out on the benefits that can be achieved through the very simple principle of saying 'thank you'.
Publicly recognise individuals or teams who have successfully adapted to the changes, and provide incentives for achieving key milestones.
Read more on the power of reward and recognition here:
4. Address Resistance and Concerns
Listen Actively
Further to implementing two-way communication, it's paramount to pay attention to employees' concerns and address them empathetically. This can be through one-on-one meetings to understand significant individual concerns and provide personalised support. For feedback received in writing such as email, ensure a response is given to each point raised - even if that means risking disappointment.
After conducting surveys, report back on the results and provide an update on how the insights gained will be used to shape the approach to change, or the features of the solution being implemented.
For more on the power of active listening in change management:
Identify Root Causes
Often talked about, yet less-often practiced, getting to the root cause of a problem is essential. There is very little point in addressing the symptoms of resistance because they will keep recurring until the cause is identified and dealt with. However, it may require considerable leadership nerve to delve into and address the underlying causes of resistance.
For example if employees are resisting a new process, their expression of resistance might be to speak negatively in open forums about the change project, or continually escalate risk without engaging in mitigation planning. However their true resistance might be due to a lack of understanding, fear of job security, or concerns about increased workload.
Read more about the true motivations for change behaviours here:
Provide Psychological Safety
Create a safe space for employees to express their concerns without fear of reprisal. This is not necessarily an easy ask as organisations are made up of individual people and individual behaviours. However, fostering a culture of open communication and feedback, and encouraging managers to be supportive and understanding is a great start.
To understand more on the topic of psychological safety, and employer obligations:
5. Reinforce and Sustain Change
Monitor Progress
Track the progress of the change initiative and make adjustments as needed. Use key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of the changes and identify areas for improvement. Identify available metrics that provide information about how far people are progressing in adopting change and learning the skills required to adapt.
For more detail and inspiration on tracking the progress of change:
Celebrate Milestones
Similarly to recognising and rewarding individual success, acknowledge and celebrate key milestones in the change journey helps maintain momentum and reinforce positive behaviours.
Remember to celebrate progress, not perfection, and recognise the people and effort that have gone into reaching the milestone.
To illustrate the importance of celebrating milestones in change:
Embed Change into Culture
Making the changes a part of the organisation's culture and values is the holy grail of change management. This is the ultimate aim of what we're striving to do in managing the change, understanding the associated impact and risk, and investing time, effort and budget in a holistic program that introduces the change well and provides support for employees to adopt it.
In order to truly embed and sustain change, consider how it needs to integrate into the organisation's existing processes and policies. For example, introducing the changes into onboarding processes, performance reviews, and other key organisational systems will ensure it soon becomes a part of the organisational fabric.
For more background reading on embedding and sustaining change:
Strategies for Increasing Employee Buy-In During Change Initiatives
By implementing these strategies for increasing employee buy-in, you can invite a culture of acceptance and enthusiasm for change, ensuring that your change initiatives are met more openly, and ultimately lead to positive outcomes for your organisation.
For more on how Agencia Change can help with change management implementation or capability uplift, book in a call.
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