Insights

Organizations are constantly evolving and adapting to a changing environment. Whether it is to respond to external threats, seize new opportunities, or improve internal efficiency, organizations need to undergo changes in order to survive and thrive. While change may be welcomed by some employees, often it is not always easy or welcomed by the people who are affected by the changes. Organizational Change Management (OCM) provides a systematic and effective approach to manage change and ensure its success.

OCM is defined as the actions in which a company or business alters a major component of its organization, such as its culture, the underlying technologies or infrastructure it uses to operate, or its internal processes. OCM aims to minimize the negative effects of change, such as resistance, confusion, or disruption to the business, and maximize the positive outcomes, such as commitment to the changes, and the business successfully completing the change(s).

In general, OCM typically includes three major phases:

Preparation

In the preparation phase, the organization identifies the need for change, the desired goals and objectives, and the potential risks and benefits of the change. The organization also communicates the vision and rationale for the change to the stakeholders and prepares them for the upcoming transition. Typical OCM activities may include focus groups, the details of the changes to be implemented, and identifying all groups/individuals who will be impacted by the change(s).

Implementation

In the implementation phase, the organization executes the change plan and monitors its progress and impact. NOTE: often the implementation of the OCM plan occurs before the start, or go-live, date of the change(s). In this phase, the organization provides support and guidance to the those impacted by the change(s) and addresses any issues or challenges that arise during the change process. Typical OCM activities for this phase would include training, team meetings, and overcoming resistance.

Follow-through

In the follow-through phase, the organization evaluates the results and outcomes of the change and ensures that the change is sustained and integrated into the day-to-day work of those impacted. The organization also celebrates the achievements and recognizes the contributions of the people involved in the change. Typical OCM activities would be a post go-live survey of end users, and for technology implementations, reviewing help desk tickets to look for common issues.

OCM is a critical skill for organizational leaders who want their organizations to navigate the changes successfully. OCM can help leaders to plan for change strategically, communicate with stakeholders effectively, overcome resistance constructively, and achieve desired results efficiently. OCM can also help leaders foster a culture that can enable employees to adapt to future changes more easily.