Recent surveys suggest that around 70% of company change initiatives fail. With such a low success rate, it can be a daunting task as a leader to push for change management in a business. However, even finding small but effective ways to make changes in a company can go a long way towards fostering a culture of sustained growth and satisfied employees. These small initiatives can generate forward momentum for large scale change as well, something that is vital for all businesses to periodically do. Those who lead the charge for organizational change must hurdle significant psychological and structural roadblocks, considering the fact that humans naturally resist change. But once accomplished, being the leader of successful change management can reap plenty of rewards for both the individual and the company.
Open A Line Of Communication About Change
One of the major reasons that leaders struggle to implement change in the workplace is that they fail to communicate the goals that they hope change will bring. This often leads to confusion and backlash among colleagues who aren’t aware of the reasons for the change. In order to avoid this, make sure that everyone involved understands these reasons and has an opportunity to voice their opinion. When change management occurs, people naturally want to be involved in the process of bringing about a new way of management. As a leader, it’s important to listen to the opinions of the others, but always remember who has the final say on the matter.
Little Changes Make A Big Difference
A smart way to implement change is by incorporating all aspects of the business, even with the building itself. Planning a maintenance schedule for the building will likely be viewed favorably by employees, and help warm them up to the idea of more large-scale changes. Make sure to stick to the goals you set in your maintenance planning, and follow through on everything you communicate to the rest of the staff. Altering the working environment can have a number of positive effects on the psychology of the office, and it can often be used as the first step to changing a company goal or philosophy. Remember that the building in which you work is a key aspect to how people feel about going to work. In order to make a change to the business strategy, it’s usually smart to make some physical alterations as well, and stick to the maintenance of those changes to demonstrate your commitment.
On an individual level, it’s difficult for people to accept large-scale change, even with proper explanation. Planning a maintenance schedule for the building may initially seem insignificant, but can have resounding effects later on when it comes to company culture. In fact, small changes in work places have been proven to make people more productive. Understanding that it takes a keen attention to the little details can help your chances of making change management a success.
Growing a business often requires leaders to take risks and make difficult decisions. Some of the hardest choices to make are knowing when, and how to implement change management. This part of business is some parts logistics, some parts communication, and some parts luck. However, making sure to go over the details and communicate effectively can bolster your chances of success, and help lead your company down a path of long-term sustainability.