Change management is the process of equipping an organization with the tools and techniques, enabling the successful adaption to change in order to drive efficiency and reach desired outcomes.
From a strategic perspective, change management is a series of steps to be followed by an individual, a team or an organization as a whole. The steps include the preparation, management and reinforcement of change.
Today’s business environment is evolving at an unprecedented pace. In order to adapt to these changes, organizations must implement initiatives at a structural level. Here are 6 main reasons why change management is important:
1. Thrive in a fast-paced business environment
Change management allows organizations to adapt to market conditions by improving their capacity to mitigate the uncertainty of change and thrive in the evolving business environment. By anticipating changes, organizations are able to remain competitive and successful.
2. Meet expected outcomes
Organizational change initiatives often fail to deliver the expected results. In a lot of cases there is disparity between the inputs and the outcomes of the initiatives because the individuals involved are unable to implement the proposed changes. Change management removes this disparity by helping individuals to integrate the suggested initiatives into the daily operations of the organization.
3. Increase project success
The likelihood of a project’s success is increased by the implementation of change management in an organization. Unexpected changes are completely natural during the execution of a project, however the way in which these changes are dealt with determines whether they become problematic. Change management ensures that projects are flexible and adaptable to the client’s evolving needs - delivering the expected outcomes.
4. Remove the uncertainty associated with change
Strategic change can be difficult to manage well; however, it is also crucial to any organization. Change management removes the uncertainty from the prospect of change by providing employees with the preparation, support and skills they need to adapt.
5. Employee satisfaction
Structural changes have the potential to directly or indirectly impact how employees perform at work, by affecting their job roles, workflows, reporting structures, behaviours as well as their identity within the organization. Employees are a key factor to the success of new initiatives; by proactively engaging and supporting them in times of change, the initiatives will not only be more successful, but employee satisfaction will also be higher.
6. Improve employee performance
Organizational success is intrinsically linked to employee performance and is especially highlighted by the correlation between high individual performance and high project ROI (returns on investment). Change management training allows employees to adapt to change and improve their performance, ultimately driving the success of the organization.
Find out more about Change Management here:
Definition of Change Management
What is Change Management? A guide to organizational transformation
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