How to successfully implement business transformation should be fully understood before implementing change.
With an ever-changing economic landscape, organisations that fail to implement successful change journeys are unlikely to keep up with market demands or keep their employees accepting of a change.
1. People are at the heart of change
Businesses must understand that change can feel incredibly personal for both employers and their teams. This is particularly true for sectors where large-scale change projects have the tendency to draw people away from their primary roles.
2. Understanding the difference between business change and transformation
To successfully manage a business change or business transformation, it’s important to first understand what type of programme is required.
Change can be facilitated through one of two ways. Either through stepped change or a ‘wholesale’ transformation.
A stepped change encourages continuous improvement through tackling multiple small projects, while a ‘wholesale’ transformation works through recognising that a change in one place can affect change elsewhere. This type of programme requires decision-makers to consider people, process, technology, and assets, depending on the company structure and departmental interdependencies.
3. Identify all required business change
One of the most overlooked aspects of a business change or transformation decision-making process is deciding upon clear goals. This means taking time at the beginning of the process to identify what needs to be achieved and why. Once this decision has been made, it’ll be easier to decide the best course of action to deliver a successful journey.
4. Create a strong business case
Once the extent of the change journey has been identified, the next step is to create an airtight business case. This is crucial to ensuring that required funds are made readily available for the change or transformation journey to be seen through, as well as to help carefully manage the due diligence of a business and mitigate against barriers to a successful outcome.
5. Choose the right business change support
Choosing the right support is crucial and can mean anything from specialist recruitment to external experts or internal provision. Often when planning significant change, external input can accelerate the process and iron out internal resistance more easily. Consultancies can act as critical friends to businesses looking to step up their change programme by helping to facilitate the initial scoping, sizing and shaping of the transformation.
When engaging with change projects, it is crucial for decision makers to fully understand the best approach so sufficiently fulfil the needs of the business. It is also important for leaders to fully grasp the importance of flexibility when incorporating a change or transformation strategy.