INTRODUCTION
In today’s business world, change is the only constant. If a company does not have the necessary resources and capabilities to implement effective internal changes, it will quickly fall behind its competitors. This is why strategic change management is so important.
The process of change management is a system that enables an organization to transform its operations and goals. It involves identifying and implementing strategies and procedures that will help improve the efficiency of the team. Some of the key factors that can be considered when it comes to implementing a change management strategy include improving team processes, developing new technology, and shifting business objectives.
Over the years, various academic and corporate change management specialists have developed their own strategies for managing change. Some of these include the ADKAR and CM methodologies of Prosci, as well as the Mckinsey 7S framework. We have summarized key steps organizations should take to facilitate change below.
Mckinsey 7S framework:
PROCESS
Needs Assessment
Before implementing a change management initiative, focus first on identifying why a change is needed. This is typically identified when a team member or group recognizes that something is not working as planned or needs to be updated to keep up with changing business models. This recognition can be triggered by various factors, such as a lack of productivity or a bottleneck in the workflow, ground-level team members noticing a decrease in their efficiency, and managers seeing an opportunity to improve the business. Before moving forward with changes, it is essential that teams have a clear reason for their actions and have conducted a cost-benefit analysis.
After a problem has been identified, pinpointing the source of the issue is crucial. Doing so will allow the most effective solution to be implemented. This method will also help prevent making changes that do not address the root cause of the problem. The main cause analysis is the most crucial component of the change management process. It will allow your team to focus on making significant changes that will have a lasting impact on your business.
Create a Strategy and Goals
Before implementing a new initiative, it is critical to have a clear understanding of what needs to be changed allowing the creation of a specific strategy and set goals that will work for the project. Depending on the type of change that needs to happen, the goals might be focused on the business’ finances or other operational KPIs. Learning to develop SMART Goals and outlining a transparent approach will lead to a successful change. Below are ways to develop a change management strategy as well as a description of SMART Goals.
Change Management Objectives:
- Understand the current position and reflect on how the company got there
- Be clear about the corporate identity (vision, values, and mission statement)
- Analyze the company’s strengths and weaknesses
- Assess and identify solutions
- Set SMART Goals:
- S: Specific
- M: Measurable
- A: Achievable
- R: Relevant
- T: Time-Bound
- Communicate the strategy
- Implement the strategy
- Review progress
Onboard Stakeholders
Several team members will most likely be on board with the new organizational change from the start, however, it is human nature to resist change. When change is implemented at a managerial level, team leaders should focus on generating buy-in from their higher-ups as well as the individuals working for them impacted by the project.
Focusing on the goals and objectives of the company will allow you to align the proposed changes with the company’s mission and vision. In addition to this, discussing the financial aspects of the proposal will allow you to show how the proposed changes will benefit the company. It is also important to identify the individuals who will be most affected by the change and provide them with detailed information.
Note: Getting everyone on board with the plan from the beginning is the best way to fight against any resistance.
Collaborate
After getting everyone on the same page, you can start working on a plan for change. This involves engaging with your various stakeholder groups to set goals and develop a framework for achieving them. While you will be responsible for defining the goals, it is essential to listen and get input from your employees to be sure they can reach them.
Next, you and your team should identify the necessary resources to make the change happen. Create a timeline for the project by considering the various tasks and activities that need to be completed. Making sure everyone is involved in the planning process will allow you to continuously improve the quality of the plan. You can also make sure the problems that are identified are fixed immediately. By having an “all hands on deck” approach, you can make sure the project goes according to plan and the problems that are identified along the way are fixed immediately.
Execute the Plan
When your team is ready to start implementing the changes planned, there are a few best practices to follow in order to make the most of your transformations.
One of the most important factors to consider when it comes to implementing the changes is having open lines of communication. Miscommunications can lead to misunderstandings and make the whole process more difficult than it needs to be.
In addition to having open lines of communication, all the stakeholder groups will also need access to the necessary resources, including company information, software, and project planning tools, to effectively implement the changes. Sharing resources can help ensure all parties are able to collectively accomplish the goals that were set out.
Given the schedule developed, stakeholders/leaders should be provided with the necessary time to implement the changes as they will be working on their core tasks, as well as helping complete the new changes. As the implementation process starts, time management will be a crucial aspect of your efforts.
Project Management
There are a variety of tasks that need to be completed when the implementation of a new change begins. One task includes reinforcing the concept of being on track, which can make the most of the new opportunities that come with the change.
As your team starts to make progress, acknowledging their efforts and achievements is important as it allows them to keep moving forward and improve their performance. Bringing quick wins to the surface can help keep the team motivated.
Before you start implementing a new change, make sure you have the necessary contingency plans in place. It is important to keep a close eye on any potential issues that might arise during the project.
Before you can solidify the changes that have been made, you need to make sure that they become the new way of doing business for your company. This can be done by making permanent changes to the company’s existing operating procedures and onboarding documents.
After completing a project, another task to complete is a post-project review, which includes all the stakeholder groups having the opportunity to share their thoughts on the project. This review will help identify areas where improvements can be made in the future.
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CONCLUSION
Even though there are always new challenges to face in business, it is important to have a change management plan. Implementing the plan, and executing the plan in a systemic way will help prevent potential problems from arising, in addition to improving the efficiency of your organization.
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