In the modern business landscape, the only constant is change. Organizations must effectively manage these changes through a robust change management process. In the blink of an eye, market dynamics transform, economic externalities occur, governmental policies shift, and employment expectations adjust. Effective leadership and strategic planning help teams navigate these changes. Thanks to the incredible rate of technological advancement over the past few decades, major disruptions can happen in a matter of weeks rather than years, requiring adaptable processes and supportive employees.

Today’s companies need to be more agile than ever and ready to evolve with market conditions. This agility involves robust change management processes, strategic planning, and effective communication within teams. This can include adapting to new technologies, adjusting to evolving customer demands, and staying compliant with new regulations. A well-prepared and fluid change management process is key to thriving in this environment, ensuring that both leadership and employees are aligned with the organization’s goals.

What is a change management process?

A change management process is a series of steps to be taken to introduce and deliver a change. This process involves careful planning, stakeholder engagement, and effective communication to support both organizational and individual changes. For the purposes of this article, the focus is on making an organizational change, ensuring that all employees are equipped and supported throughout the transition.

Change management processes fit within more encompassing change management models. Many different versions of these models are known to be effective tools for managing change. A few examples include the ADKAR model, the McKinsey 7-S model, and Lewin’s Change Management model:

The change management process encompasses understanding the necessity for change, planning and implementing it, and subsequently managing and embedding these changes into the organization permanently. This systematic approach ensures that all employees are on board, processes are adapted, and the organization can sustain the changes long-term.

The Prosci ADKAR model

The name for it may not roll off the tongue, but the model is popular. ADKAR stands for Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement—each a critical component in the change management process.

Awareness. This refers to the acknowledgement of the need for change.

Desire. Simply being aware of the need is not enough. The desire to act is also necessary.

Knowledge. The information required to implement the change must be known.

Ability. Individuals and organizations must have the skills to implement the change.

Reinforcement. The new methods must be reinforced regularly throughout an organization’s hierarchy for the change to take hold.  

The McKinsey model

Global consultancy firm McKinsey & Company has created a holistic approach to organizational change. This change management model relies on four principles that ensure effective implementation:

• ‍The promotion of understanding. Ensure employees understand what is changing and why it’s logical.‍
• Skills development. Give workers the skills necessary to make the change.‍
• Role modeling. Make sure leaders are embodying the change.‍
• Reinforcement with formal instruments. Restructure corporate systems to support organizational change.  

Lewin’s model

Kurt Lewin was one of the first psychologists to study organizational development and group dynamics. He broke down change into three stages, providing a foundational model for modern change management processes:

Unfreeze. An organization’s current structure and processes seem frozen. To enact meaningful change, this view must be thawed.

Change. People’s minds are now open for change, so implement it. Deal with difficulties and roadblocks as they come and rely on support mechanisms to educate and enforce new innovations.

Freeze. Employees become used to the changes and crave a period of stability after the inherent tumultuousness of the process. Get settled in the new norm.

This is just a taste of the many different change management models businesses employ. Each model has its strengths and weaknesses, but all utilize structured change process steps to guide organizations through successful transitions.

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What is the purpose of a change management process?

A change management process provides a sequence of steps that transition a change from its conception to full implementation. It supplies a framework that makes organizational change more achievable. The truth is that people are often resistant to change, and many problems arise throughout the journey. For instance, employees may backslide into old practices if changes aren't properly embedded into the company's culture post-implementation. Effective communication and training are essential to overcome resistance and ensure long-term success.

According to McKinsey & Company, 70% of change programs fail. If you want to be in the happier, less frustrated 30% camp, an effective change management process is vital. Implementing structured processes, supporting employees, and maintaining clear communication are key factors that contribute to the success of change initiatives.

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10 steps of an effective change management process

Here are our 10 change management process steps that help organizational changes get enacted successfully. Following these steps will guide your team through the transition, ensuring that all aspects of the change are managed effectively.

1. Develop a well-defined objective

To succeed, first you need to have a deep understanding of what success means. Define goals as specifically as possible so you know you’ve reached them. Remember to align your objective with the company’s business goals and mission statement, ensuring that the change management process supports the overall strategy of the organization.

2. Assess your organization’s readiness

Next, analyze the company’s readiness for the change. Assess the history and culture of the business. Is the change incremental or a radical departure from standard procedures? Are there other major organizational changes happening? See what employee groups will be most affected and get reports on those workers to ensure that all teams are prepared and supported.

It's essential to identify what discrete steps and actions will fall within the project scope. This structured approach helps control the change management process, ensuring clarity in activities associated with the change and providing a robust framework for implementation.

This information can be used to predict where pockets of reluctance may form and allow you to deal with potential objections before they have a chance to fester. Addressing resistance proactively helps maintain high morale during the transition and supports a smoother change management process.

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3. Sell management and key stakeholders

Key decision makers and management need to be unified for a change to succeed. It is difficult enough when lower level employees resist, but if powerful leaders within the organization don’t buy in, it spells a death sentence for the process. That’s why the first two steps are so important in establishing a strong foundation for the change management plan.

Management will be an easier sell if you have a defined objective that aligns with company culture, and you’ve performed a detailed readiness evaluation. Gather feedback and modify the proposal as necessary. The leaders will surely have insights you haven’t considered, helping to refine the change management strategy.

4. Create a communication plan

Once the decision-makers approve a change, enable a solid communications platform. Effective communication is crucial throughout the corporate hierarchy. Upper management needs frequent updates, while lower level employees need to feel as if management hears their concerns and feedback, ensuring that all teams are informed and engaged.

Communication has a profound effect on the desire of all team members to drive change. If management communicates pertinent information at the correct times throughout the process, it makes the entire situation more transparent and digestible. This sets you up for success. Have open channels for feedback and ensure information flows both ways, supporting a collaborative change management process.

This step is where your business could use the LumApps Social Intranet to great effect. This platform serves as a powerful communication tool, making it easy for teams to share information. It features fun, social media-inspired tools that foster connection and engagement, supporting the overall change management strategy.

5. Set practical milestones

Organizational change is a long journey. You must have practical goals set up along the way. This provides everyone — management and lower-level employees — with a sense of progress along the path. Celebrate these accomplishments as they’re reached. It improves morale and drives everyone to push forward toward the overarching goal of a successful transition.

Set milestones that are achieved early on in the process. The initial period of a major change is very important for employee attitude. People need to experience the sense of accomplishment early on in a project to maintain a healthy outlook. It prevents them from feeling as if they’re stuck spinning their wheels, ensuring continued support for the change management process.

6. Identify key performance indicators

Go into more detail with your performance metrics. General milestones are great, but you need to capture more comprehensive data sets. You don’t need to share this information with everyone in the company, but members of the change management team need to have an accurate, up-to-date snapshot of the situation. This helps track progress and any changes to the speed of that progress. You may need to develop additional tools to gather this data if you find that you can’t capture it adequately.

7. Find and mitigate obstacles

Expect obstacles and resistance throughout the process. Your readiness assessment will have already listed potential problem areas, and you should be prepared for those. However, be aware that obstacles will surprise you. You will run into unforeseen issues you need to deal with promptly to maintain control over the change management process.

Don’t put roadblocks on the back burner or assume they will take care of themselves. Be proactive when they crop up, listen to feedback and make the most informed decisions for your company. Come up with novel solutions. Is more training needed? Do new systems need to be created to support the changes? Do employee job descriptions need to be updated to capture the new workloads more accurately? Do whatever it takes to remove the barriers to change, ensuring the success of the change management process.

8. Analyze the company’s implementation regularly

Now that you’ve defined your key performance indicators, track them meticulously. You may have to hire new data scientists or introduce new software that collates and interprets vast amounts of data. We live in an era of groundbreaking AI (artificial intelligence) and machine-learning algorithms that can provide the insights you need to steer the company toward the end goal of a successful change implementation.

Data is power and the company’s change management team should analyze the data daily. Don’t just track when milestones are hit, but look for interesting trends in the information received between milestones. This helps keep everyone pushing in the right direction and ensures that the change management process remains on track.

9. Adjust as necessary

Treat nothing as if it was written in stone. The point of making organizational changes is to adapt to market conditions, and you should have the same philosophy for the change management process itself. If you find there are aspects that are failing to meet expectations continually, you will have to adjust the change management process to better fit reality.

Remember, there is no perfect plan and you’re not admitting defeat by altering it. Would you rather implement a slightly different change and achieve important goals? Or, keep the plan the same, but fail to execute it entirely? Flexible change management strategies ensure that projects stay aligned with organizational goals.

10. Review after implementation

So, you made it to the happy 30 percent group. Fantastic! Celebrate the accomplishment. Afterwards, you should do a full review of the change management process. Identify areas of great success and areas that gave you the most problems. Attempt to figure out ways to accentuate the successes and minimize the problems so that your next change project goes even more smoothly. Tailor future policies regarding your change management process to address your company’s specific needs.

The key takeaway is to foster a corporate culture that embraces change. The days of blue chip companies resting on their laurels for decades are over. Businesses need to adapt or fall behind the competition. Following our guidelines for a change management process will help you, but a deeper commitment to drive change must permeate through all levels of the company. Only then can you be confident the business will evolve and keep its place in the marketplace.

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