The change management process is designed to support organizations when managing change initiatives, and includes four key steps – plan, design, implement, and sustain.
Change is hard, and not a lot of people like to change. While organizations have made strides in committing resources and planning for change, they continue to struggle with managing the process of change. APQC’s change management process and guidance is designed to provide organizations with a place to start with managing change initiatives, preventing them from reinventing the wheel.
Plan the Change
The first step in any change process is to plan for the change. This step will lay the foundation for a successful change if done properly. It involves several actions, including identifying the planned change and end goals, conducting a current state assessment, and detailing the desired future state to align with the organization’s strategic plan.
Included in this phase of the change management process, organizations should establish the change, which includes:
- Outlining the purpose and end-state of the change
- Establishing the impact of roles
- Establishing the change team
Design the Change
Designing the change involves a more detailed planning process and can include running an impact analysis and creating a final plan for implementation of the change. Organizations should consider how employee roles will be affected, what the budget will look like, and what metrics will be used to measure the change.
APQC suggests organizations do these two critical steps when designing the change:
- Run an impact analysis to assess how the change will affect processes, stakeholders, and costs.
- Develop the implementation plan which should outline the methods, procedures, and timelines for implementing the change.
Implement the Change
Employee engagement is critical during the execution of the implementation plan. At this stage the change project team needs to focus on the tactics necessary to build trust, set behaviors, and link employees’ day-to-day work to organizational goals and performance. Tactics for implementing the change tend to fall into four categories:
- Communications - ensures that everyone in the organization understands the change and why it is necessary.
- Training - prepares employees for the change and sets expectations.
- Rewards and recognition - incentivizes employees to make the change.
- Monitoring and evaluation - ensures that the change is effectively adopted and executed.
Sustain the Change
The change and adoption aspects of a project continue long after the project team has finished its last milestone and conducted the project close out. Often the benefits of a change and the transition to new behaviors for employees can take months post-implementation to realize. APQC suggests organizations think through the following questions:
- What methods and measures will be employed?
- Who will be responsible for monitoring the ongoing success of the completed change project?
- What activities will be performed post-implementation to provide or reinforce new behaviors, practices, and processes (e.g., ongoing or refresher training or onboarding new employees)?
To learn more about the six key drivers of effective change management, and to view our recent content on change management, view our content collection: Making Change Management Mindful.