For many business organisations, establishing change management
may not be possible if it is being performed by an internal member of management.
The reluctance to actually make the changes that are necessary to improve the
areas of concern is greater when the person proposing those changes is close to
the situation. For this very reason, it is recommended to establish change
management by hiring consultants. This can have both a positive and negative
affect on the people within the change. They can, in some instances, view the
consultant as a hero if they gain something from the change, or as a villain if
they lose something during the change.
Change management consultants know that there are several
popular models of change management that are used successfully in business
today. Every model has drawn its steps from the same basic principles of change
management. Those principles are;
·
Every
person who experiences change will react differently as an individual.
·
Everyone
seeks to fulfil their own basic needs regardless of what position they hold.
·
In most
cases for change to take effect everyone will lose something that is comfortable to them.
·
Individuals
have many different ideas about change management efforts, so the plans must be
pragmatic.
·
The fear
of change is very real and must be dealt with in effective ways.
By taking these principals into consideration with every change,
the consultant proposing the change has a higher likelihood of success.
Establishing change management needs to be accepted by all
employees in the business in order for it to be successful. Change management
can be made less traumatic on the organisation if different levels of peer groups
are formed to train employees on the changes and help deal with the changes as
they occur. Change should never be delivered quickly without warning. There are
steps to implementing change to make it effective with the employees.
·
Inform the
employees that there are going to be changes made.
·
Help them
to recognise that the changes are necessary for the business to advance.
·
Provide
the appropriate training for the employees prior to making the change.
·
Help to
meet the employee’s needs during the adjustment period after the change.
·
Gain the
approval and support of the employees for a successful implementation.
When a consultant proposes a change management solution, it has
been drawn from the facts formed by the data provided by the business.
Balancing the steps to migrate the company through the changes successfully is
completely the choice of the businesses management. However, if the proposed
steps are going to be overlooked, then hiring the consultant would be a waste
of time and money. The consultant can direct management on how to sell the
proposed changes to the employees by providing best practices in most cases. For
a successful migration, management should approve the proposed steps and
implement them accordingly.
If your company is serious about making the changes that need to
be made to move your business forward in an ever changing marketplace, then
hiring a change management consultant is the way to go.
This post was written as part of the Nollett Business Solutions blogging program, which provides businesses with the tools, expertise and solutions they need to become dynamic engines in an ever-changing world. Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.