Change Management

Change is not an easy concept for people to accept – even a change for the better.  It takes time to adjust to revisions in process, learn new skills, and revise expectations for a different outcome.  But as change is one of the only true constants in life, change management has evolved into a discipline that supports the human side of progress.

In managing change, you must communicate the impending new circumstances to your team but also must include the impact it will have on your clients and any outsourced services you may be utilizing.  Each component of the entire chain of events must be addressed to ensure that there is continual growth and understanding of the changes, and stages of success must be closely monitored.

Step 1 – Prepare your team for change

It is essential to clearly communicate the need for change to your team, as well as proving to them that the changes will be beneficial to them.  Describe your vision with the goal of obtaining their buy-in and cooperation to ensure the project will go smoothly

Step 2 – Accept team member’s input

The team members that are currently working in roles affected by the change may have valuable input to offer based on their “feet on the ground” experience, such as a customer service agent offering feedback from end user clients. Validate their input and encourage their ideas.  Without this, you will inevitably receive resistance.

Step 3 – Train relevant parties involved

To do their jobs properly, and to obtain your desired outcome, your team needs to know what is expected of them and be trained on new tasks.  This may bring to light deficiencies in skills of some existing team members, so be sure to focus on training them.  If they feel unsuccessful, they will complain to their co-workers and you may have low morale, high staff turnover and reduced output.

Step 4 – Monitor progress

Change happens slowly.  Set reasonable expectations.  By engaging a third-party specialist to oversee the changing circumstances, you can offer your team an opportunity to voice their concerns to an objective individual and reduce stress on the organization’s management.