Change management isn’t just an exercise for large enterprises undergoing significant transformation. Small and midsize businesses also need to focus on successfully guiding their employees through change events.
Regardless of company size, it is common for organizations to hit some potholes with their change management efforts. In this post, we examine five common change management pitfalls and highlight best practices for addressing each one. We also include several bonus tips for managing change around transformative technology projects like enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementations, which are a focus for many organizations right now.
We’ll lead off this discussion with an expanded definition of change management, and how the process presents specific challenges for many small and midsize businesses.
Change management is the process of preparing, supporting and guiding individuals, teams or entire organizations through significant periods of transition or transformation to achieve desired business outcomes.
Whether it involves restructuring or reorganizing, implementing new technology, or adopting updated policies, change management focuses on minimizing employee resistance and maximizing engagement.
Effective change management combines clear communication, strategic planning and empathetic leadership. At its core, change management is intended to help ensure all parties affected by the change understand and align with the goals of the transition.
Large organizations often have ample resources and dedicated teams to commit to change management at the scale and for the duration required. Meanwhile, smaller businesses pursuing change often grapple with the following issues:
Limited time and resources to devote to the effort, from planning through execution and beyond
Close-knit workplace dynamics that can contribute to employees being resistant to change
A general lack of experience in managing major change initiatives
Difficulty sustaining momentum following the implementation of a change (e.g., new process, new tool)
These challenges highlight why leaders of small and midsize organizations should strive to take a personalized and hands-on approach to change management. With that in mind, here is a closer look at some common missteps with change management initiatives and recommendations for how to avoid or mitigate them.
Sometimes, managers will sit on news about change, believing they are either protecting their employees from feeling stress or anxiety, or somehow staving off disruption in the workplace.
However, the longer you keep your team in the dark about a planned change, the more likely rumors will spread. Once that happens, it will be difficult for your employees to clearly hear the messages you want to communicate about your change project.
Best practice: As soon as goals are set, bring your employees into the loop. Share as much information with them as you think is appropriate, and encourage your staff to ask questions and share their opinions.
While communication is vital to successful change management (and a hallmark of good leadership), you must still be strategic about how much detail you share with your employees and when. And for business reasons, consider what information you should keep under wraps until the time is right, especially if the change is designed to create a competitive advantage.
Also, avoid opening the floodgates when you are ready to share details about a proposed change. If you get too granular or offer too many updates, there’s a good chance many employees will stop paying attention to the messages, which could undermine project success.
Best practice: Share information that is likely to be most relevant to your staff. For a start, they will want to know the bottom-line basics: when is the change taking place, why is it happening, and how will it impact the organization — and their jobs. If possible, communicate these details personally to your team, as a group, so everyone hears the same information at once and can air any concerns.
Even the most beneficial changes can be disruptive or disorienting for your employees. So, if you don’t accentuate the benefits of transformation or transition, you will likely struggle to get buy-in from your team. You may also experience significant hurdles during the post-implementation stage because employees will be resistant to accepting and adapting to the change.
Best practice: Whether your firm is implementing new technology, adopting new processes or reorganizing teams, be clear about the potential positive outcomes for your staff. Doing so will help you build consensus for the change — and perhaps even generate excitement about letting go of the status quo.
While you want your staff to fully support and look forward to the change project you have planned, you need to be transparent with them about what it will take to implement the change successfully. Otherwise, you risk losing your employees’ trust.
Best practice: Avoid setting unrealistic goals or timelines for change, and don’t sidestep discussions about potential challenges the initiative may bring. In addition, let your employees know they can come to you at any time with their questions or concerns.
Here’s the thing about change projects: Just because you hit your deadline for implementation, it doesn’t mean everyone is feeling prepared and confident about what happens next.
Your small or midsize business may travel a bumpy road in the first weeks or months after a major change has taken effect. That is why easing up on change management efforts during this sensitive time can be a serious mistake.
Best practice: Ramp up communication to your employees during the post-implementation phase of a change initiative. Make sure they feel supported and have the resources they need to succeed. For example, you may find you need to offer additional training to some or all team members.
Remember, your ability to affect change in your workplace hinges to a large degree on employee engagement. So, when team members step up to help their colleagues through the transition, be quick to acknowledge their contributions. And with each major milestone achieved, take a moment to share and celebrate that success with your staff. These are good practices for change management as well as talent management.
Technology changes, such as adopting new software, upgrading an ERP system, or adopting AI, analytics and automation tools, can transform the operations of a small or midsize business. However, they require careful attention to change management to succeed. Some additional tips to apply to these types of change intiatives include:
Setting a clear strategy from the outset
Before implementing new technology, define what success looks like for your small or midsize business. Is it faster workflows? Better customer data management? Reduced costs? Clear goals can help ensure your team understands the “why” behind the change.
Making it manageable
Major technology initiatives like ERP upgrades often fall short of expectations due to poor planning or lack of buy-in. Consider breaking the project into smaller phases. Also, make a point to involve employees who will use the system daily so they can help drive success.
Offering robust training and support
One of the top reasons tech initiatives fail is the lack of proper training for staff. Provide hands-on workshops, tutorials or access to support channels to help employees feel confident in using the new tools.
Emphasizing the upside
Frame the implementation of a new technology solution or the upgrade of an existing one as an opportunity for the business and its workforce, rather than a disruption. Highlight how the change will make tasks easier, improve accuracy or free up time for more meaningful work.
Closely monitoring post-implementation adoption
Here again, do not let up on change management efforts following implementation. Offer ongoing support, collect employee feedback and make adjustments as needed to help ensure the technology is fully integrated into your daily operations.
Effective change management isn’t just about avoiding pitfalls — it’s about fostering resilience and adaptability in your organization.
With a clear strategy and open communication, your small or midsize business can set the stage for making even the most challenging transitions successful, and turning them into opportunities for driving growth and innovation.
A proactive approach to managing transitions can make the difference between a seamless integration and a costly setback. That said, tackling change management can be daunting, especially for technology projects that require specialized knowledge and concerted effort.
That’s why it can benefit your small or midsize firm to adopt a scalable talent model and engage external resources to help support your significant change projects. For example, experienced project consultants can lend the skills needed to drive your initiative forward and assist with change management by:
Facilitating communication: Consultants can help craft clear, consistent messaging to address employee concerns.
Streamlining implementation: They can manage project timelines and confirm that resources are allocated effectively.
Driving adoption: By providing training and support, consultants can help employees gain confidence with new tools and processes.
Engaging small business consultants also gives you more time to focus on your core responsibilities as a leader while doing your part to keep the change initiative on track. These highly skilled resources can provide not only technical knowledge but also a structured approach to managing the human side of change, which is critical to achieving successful outcomes.
If your small or midsize business wants to embark on a major change initiative, you don’t have to go it alone. Robert Half can provide highly skilled talent, including experienced consultants, to help you achieve success with your project. Learn more about our world-class consulting solutions, and our flexible and scalable project resources.
