Good change management is the basis for the development of any business, especially in an age such as ours where "innovation" and "change" are key words that accompany everyday life. Precisely for this reason, today change management is one of the parameters for measuring a company's success.
"Change management" refers to the path of transition from the status quo to a new ideal situation in order to adapt to customer demands and market needs and evolutions. Closely related to the theme of digital transformation, change management is in fact about adapting business systems to innovation, and is seen today as a great opportunity for growth by 96 percent of companies, as supported by the results of the fifth report on change management by Assochange, the association that brings together change managers, consultants, companies, universities and business schools involved in change issues.
Change management is not limited to technology and the digital world, but concerns the way of thinking and experiencing business processes as a whole, opening up to new work models: it aims to create empathy, improve workflows, and create collaboration. In this sense, new methodologies are developed and digital transformation is embraced, through leadership and new work models that look at innovation and empowerment of the workforce. Outsourcing, smartworking, sustainability & inclusion, and digital presence are just some of the many aspects that companies today have had to adapt to, or are trying to adapt to, in order to compete in the marketplace.
How to manage change in the company?
Mergers, role changes, or new platforms: whether they are operational or Team-related changes, every change in business dynamics must be managed step by step. The change management process includes a series of activities, involving the company in every aspect according to the 4Ps Model (People, Process, Platform, Place), from workspaces, to technologies, to processes, through people. In fact, just like innovation, change starts right from the human aspect: people must be placed at the center of the process, aiming for a change in their mindset first and foremost.
People's basic disposition involves resistance to change, and this is what makes change management such a delicate and fundamental process at the same time. Overcoming natural resistance to change is the key to successful organizational change, and it requires total transparency along the way, involving workers at every stage and at all levels in order to establish a culture open to change.
A concrete example is that of a change in management: a change in leadership can create organizational discontent and difficulties if not managed well. In order to succeed in introducing new habits, it becomes necessary to go about dismantling pre-existing and long-established ones, through timely communication and clear reasons as to why one has chosen to head for the change in question. In this way, the Team will feel involved and motivated, as an active part of the process, and therefore more supportive of the change itself.To foster a positive reaction from the Team, key support can be provided by the company's leading personalities: Team leaders, seniors, and Sector Managers can stimulate an inclination toward change by showing their favor in the first place and supporting the choice.
In addition to change from the human perspective, two other levels of change must be pursued hand in hand: organizational and corporate. In fact, managing the reaction of people prepares the company for the changes that will take place internally, from the point of view of internal procedures, organizational methods, and business decisions and strategies. The idea, is for the corporate structure as a whole to be reviewed in a modern, effective and digital way, rethinking traditional patterns to support productivity.
Change management: the 5 stages of change
The delicate and complex change management process consists of the following 5 stages:
#1 Goal setting
It starts with a thorough analysis of the current situation: where do we start from? What needs to be changed? What is the sentiment in the company like? Where do you want to get to? What goals do you set to get there?
#2 Strategy creation
Having decreed the starting point and the desired end point, how do we get there? What tools are needed? What modalities are used? What steps need to be followed?
#3 Preparation of the organization
Personnel and space management: what approach to take to succeed in benefiting from change? How to engage the Team? How to communicate the importance of the change? What will people get when the process is complete?
#4 Implementation of changes
Is the company ready: how to implement the planned strategies? How to make sure each Team member contributes?
#5 Process analysis and review
Is the change process working for the best? What needs to be improved?
Change is constantly evolving: the progressive review of business processes allows them to be optimized and their benefits maximized, continuing with the positive development of the enterprise, without ever halting its growth.
Change management today is a great opportunity to be competitive in the market, find new windows of opportunity, expand business and increase sales.
The change manager is in charge of managing this process by mitigating friction and establishing the optimal condition for implementing change, taking into account the timing and steps needed to positively integrate the transformation.
Turning to professionals like the NFS Group Team can help you reap the full benefits of change, developing the process at every stage and avoiding the risk of damaging your company's internal operations and processes. Our Team of experts with 35 years of experience behind them will know how to help you better manage your resources, proposing goals, timeframes, budgets to break down resistance and objections, assisting and listening to people, and bringing out all the positive aspects of change, both for the company and the employee.
