There is one constant in the modern business environment- and that is change.
The business terrain is continually evolving. An organisation that fails to adapt to change, risk becoming obsolete. The uncertainty of new territory is frightening for many people, and not knowing the outcome of change prevents many organisations from reaching their full potential. Dated and inefficient processes can linger for too long at the expense of growth.
Nearly all businesses around the world have undergone organisational change in one way or another during the last year. The global pandemic impacted businesses worldwide, forcing them to adapt quickly to a very new business environment. For many businesses, it is unclear what this post-pandemic working world might look like. What we know is, continuous change is guaranteed, learning to manage it effectively and not resisting it is going to be critical to the success of an organisation.
“What we know is, continuous change is guaranteed, learning to manage it effectively and not resisting it is going to be critical to the success of an organisation.”
One of the key changes embraced by SMEs over the last year was the implementation of new technology. Digital technologies have allowed people to work remotely, improve process efficiencies and ensure continuity of operations. While these changes were in the pipeline, adoption rates were rapidly accelerated by the need to survive during Covid. These changes were made under the guise of risk management, as a reaction to the pandemic. But these new ways of working are embedded, here to stay, with change only encouraging further change to increase process efficiencies and business performance. Therefore, there must be a progression from risk management to change management, and the correlation of effective change management to business success will continue to strengthen.
Digital transformation is one of the key methods that SMEs are using to change their business model. However, the key to digital transformation is not technology. It’s people. That is, people must be at the center of any successful digital transformation. This is where change management effectively supports this transition and adoption of digital technologies. We need to focus on digital adoption, empowering staff to effectively and confidently utilise the new technologies in the SME environment to realise the benefits of the change.
“Digital transformation is one of the key methods that SMEs are using to change their business model. However, the key to digital transformation is not technology. It’s people.”
Change management is about supporting people through change. Your staff will carry out the new procedures. Your employees’ acceptance or rejection of the project will influence its outcomes. A shift from the norm sometimes evokes unfavorable reactions from people. It’s human nature to often ‘stick to what you know. You may find that most employees would rather do things the way they have always done them than try out a new approach, due to fear of the unknown. The most efficient employees are motivated by effective procedures.
It is your responsibility to help them overcome that fear by managing the transition effectively. Make everyone a part of the change management process. Change management works in a sequential process to ensure the adoption and realisation of benefits. One of the most effective change management frameworks that we use during our change project engagements is termed ADKAR and offers a way of visually planning the change.
Source: Lucidchart Adopt and embed the tools!
Digital transformation requires digital adoption. True digital adoption means that employees, leadership, suppliers, partners, customers, and other stakeholders, actually realise the full potential of their digital tools. These tools are there to serve them, but if they are not adopted, they have no purpose.
If you’re unsure how to identify which aspects of your business would benefit from digitisation or need a hand getting your change management processes underway, we’re here to help you. Join us for a free discovery workshop and we’ll start your transformation – we’ll share our expertise and you’ll be well on your way to your goals in under an hour!
To kickstart change in your business, book your interactive 1:1 workshop online now.
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