We all agree that change has become a constant in organizations: globalization, customer-focused organizations, the Internet and new technologies, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), changes in human resource management, management supply chain management, etc., but the problems come when, after having defined what needs to be changed, this change has to be managed.
It is common for the managers of an organization to see clearly how the organization has to change, but they are not able to do it correctly since much time and knowledge are invested in the development of the plan and very little time in how to get the organization to implement, get involved and develop that change.
The result of this is that it fails miserably when that vision that the manager has, has to implement it and manage to change the processes and culture of the organization. Our advice, although each specific project "is a world", is to invest 65% in how to manage change and 35% in the development of the plan.
The problems in change management are always due to the "fears" of the people in the organization, at all levels (management, middle managers,…)
These «fears» are due to the uncertainty and loss of control of the new situation, lack of confidence, breakdown of the routine, loss of acquired rights… in general, fear of the unknown.
And it is for several concepts:
- Lack of strategic planning and definition of objectives in the change process Lack of methodology in the process. Inadequate structure Lack of resources. Poor internal communication Not having correctly thought about what each employee will gain from the change
On many occasions, processes are changed and investments are made without having planned or communicated what the process's objectives are, which greatly reduces the chances of success.
For this reason, the methodology developed will place great emphasis on these elements in order to manage change and achieve the stated objectives.
It is important to note that the techniques used in each of the stages (reengineering, information technology, cost management, quality systems, etc.) will not be discussed, as this is not the objective of this document.
Description of the phases
- Phase 1.- Definition of the project objectives as well as a vision of what the final situation will be after the development of the project. Creation of the global work team Phase 2.- Diagnosis of the current situation Phase 3.- Development of the action plan (including the internal communication plan), as well as the specific objectives it will achieve. Creation of work teams Phase 4.- Implementation of the change in the defined phases. Execution of the training plan. Phase 5.- Monitoring of the solution and control
Phase 1.- Definition of the project objectives as well as a vision of what the final situation will be after the development of the project. Creation of the global work team
For the correct development and execution of the project, the first step will be to define the objectives it pursues and the vision of what its results will be. A bad definition of these concepts can lead to indefiniteness and subsequent problems.
The objectives in this phase will be qualitative since their quantification will be carried out in subsequent phases. In addition, a work team will be created for the entire project, which will basically be made up of managers from the organization.
Phase 2.- Diagnosis of the current situation
After the vision and objectives of the change have been defined, at this stage different analysis techniques will be used depending on the characteristics of the project.
Depending on the type of project to be developed, the tools may vary, for example, a positioning study, self-diagnosis using the EFQM model, the development of a SWOT analysis (Weaknesses, Threats, Strengths, Opportunities), calculation and cost analysis, analysis of jobs, etc.
Regardless of the project to be developed, it is essential to analyze the culture of the organization since understanding it is the first step to manage it correctly.
Starting on the one hand from the information collected with one technique or another and on the other hand the analysis of the organization's culture, you are ready to plan the change.
Phase 3.- Development of the action plan (including the internal communication plan), as well as the specific objectives it will achieve. Creation of work teams.
After the diagnosis of phase 2, at this time the final objectives of the change will be defined, what will be the tasks to be carried out as well as the deadlines and resources, both internal and external of the organization necessary.
This is a complex phase and in some cases it will take several approaches to achieve the final action plan and objectives.
This phase in turn has four sub-phases:
- 3.1. Final objectives of the change 3.2. Development of action plan 3.3. Communication plan 3.4. Creation of work teams
Let's go on to develop each of the sub-phases:
3.1. Final goals of change
It is very important to note that at this stage, a balance must be struck between what is the vision and the objectives of the change and how close or how far it is from achieving them, being able to define intermediate objectives.
This team will first define the vision of change and from there define the objectives of the change. These goals should be fairly clear, achievable, objective, and measurable.
- They should be objectives of the style: Achieve leadership in a given market Reduce costs by x% Increase productivity by x% Decrease staff turnover by x% Etc.
Another important point is the definition of time and resources to be allocated in order to evaluate a priori the return on investment of the project.
3.2. Action plan development
In this subphase, the action plan will be perfectly developed, which will depend entirely on the type of project to be developed.
Depending on whether the project is a workforce dimensioning, a strategic plan, a quality assurance system according to ISO 9000, etc., this will be the sub-phase in which the technical aspects will be developed.
Obviously, it is beyond the objectives of this document to delve into these different aspects that will be different depending on the type of project and objectives.
It is very important to note that thinking about the implementation phase, a matrix should be made with the different projects and their impact on the organization, giving priority to those that have the greatest impact in their development, as it will have a positive effect on the implantation.
3.3. Communication plan
After having developed the diagnosis and action plans, it is critical to capture all the final vision of the project and communicate it to achieve:
- The integration of all the members of the organization.Have a starting point and another end to know at all times where you were, where you want to go and where we are at all times Know if the objectives are being achieved as well as the resources used and their comparison with what is planned It is very problematic when the members of the organization do not know what is happening, how it will affect them, who are the new people they do not know (in case there are external consultants), why they are here, etc…..
And even more so when the first changes start to appear. It is essential that everyone knows what is happening, why and why, as well as whether it will affect their personal and professional conditions.
For this reason, the communication plan must define all its components: objectives, who is it for, with what messages, in what media, how often, etc.
3.4. Creation of work teams
For the correct management of change, the creation of work teams that "soak up" the change and transmit it to the entire organization is essential. Depending on the characteristics of the project and the size of the organization, it will be necessary to create more or less teams with a number or another of members.
In this team, it is necessary to define exactly what their functions and responsibilities will be, who will be the members, what will be the dedication of each of them to the project, who will lead it and what will be the frequency of the meetings.
Phase 4.- Implementation of the change in the defined phases. Execution of the training plan
This phase is totally related to the creation of work teams since it is they, possibly assisted by external personnel, who will implement the change. In this phase it is very important to locate within the organization who can be the facilitators of the change.
If these people are perfectly identified, they can be catalysts for change to help motivate their peers.
Depending on the size of the organization and the complexity of the change process, pilot testing can be studied. It is important to note that these pilot tests can serve as a lever for change, achieving tangible results within the organization and thus being able to motivate other less motivated elements initially, and thus help as a driver of the global project.
Phase 5.- Monitoring of the solution and control
After the implementation of the project, it is critical that there is a follow-up of the indicators that had been defined as well as acting as a consequence of the deviations produced.
In this task, a tool such as a dashboard can be very interesting for its correct monitoring.
In the development of projects, it is very common to leave this phase aside, so that over time the projects "degenerate", reaching a situation in which a project that had been done to improve and has improved the organization until a certain moment reaches being counterproductive due to not having properly followed and controlled it.
