Change Management: How Is Change Impacting Your Organization?

Periodic change—whether a new computer system, enhanced business process, or a fundamental structural shift—is often seen as essential to success. Although we would like to think change is easily accepted as a part of doing business, we know this is not the case. People are naturally resistant to change, and employees facing organizational change that will impact day-to-day operations can feel threatened, intimidated, or fearful of what change will bring.

Here we will discuss three main considerations relevant to the change management process:

• What is organizational change management?
• What is the difference between organizational change management and project management?
• Why is organizational change management so important?

What is organizational change management?

Organizational change management includes the process, tools, and techniques used to manage the people side of change to achieve the required business results. With any change initiative, those responsible for implementation as well as utilization need to understand why it is happening before, they will support it. It is critical that the reasons for the change, and its benefits, be clearly communicated in order to achieve buy-in for the project. Enabling employees to understand and embrace the change mission at the onset of the initiative can empower them to take ownership and help execute the change.

What is the difference between organizational change management and project management?

Organizations often confuse project management with change management. Consider that project management is the what, while change management is the how.

Project management focuses on effectively designing and delivering a solution to a recognized need or problem. It defines the requirements and deliverables to successfully implement the solution.

Change management focuses on the people side of the equation, ensuring the organization’s team embraces the solution. Change management uses communication, training, and resistance strategies to help increase adoption and utilization of the solution.

Why is organizational change management so important?

Change is necessary for organizations to succeed and grow.

Often organizations focus on meeting the requirements of a solution, but do not focus enough on the solution’s benefits.

Ineffective organizational change management can result in employees feeling surprised and besieged; this can lower employee morale and lead to extended project timelines, additional project costs, and even project failure.

Effective organizational change management makes employees feel prepared, equipped, and supported. This drives the successful implementation and adoption of change.

Prosci®, a leading change management organization, found that organizations with superior change management initiatives are six times as likely to achieve project objectives; are five times as likely to stay on or ahead of schedule; and are twice as likely to stay on or under budget.

Count on Marcum Technology

Successful organizational change management requires careful planning, abundant communication, consistent leadership, and—most important of all—the buy-in and support of those implementing the change. If you have questions about organizational change management best practices, Marcum can help. Contact us at [email protected].