5 things every business change management plan should include

Businesses have always faced evolution and periods of rapid change. But every so often, a moment-in-time comes along that feels bigger than that; where the business landscape shifts and the course of the next few decades is decided. With technological and AI advancements happening at pace, we’re at one of those moments – and organisations must be prepared for the transformation.

Why? Well, according to McKinsey, 63% of successful commercial transformations prioritise a balance between team health and performance, highlighting the critical role of careful preparation and change management in fostering trust and collaboration throughout the transformation process.

And the scale of the change ahead is demonstrated by the prediction from the World Economic Forum that 23% of jobs will be disrupted by technology by 2027, with 14 million jobs lost due to technological and economic shifts.

Businesses know they need to tackle this enterprise-wide tech transformation head on – but success isn’t just about selecting the right systems. It’s about making sure their people embrace and use them effectively. A well-executed business change management plan is therefore essential to maximising new technology.

Five critical elements that every organisation should include in their strategy.

1. Provide clear, consistent and transparent communication

Communication is the foundation of a successful change management strategy; supporting staff to understand why the changes are being made and how they will benefit from them is the best way to avoid resistance or disengagement. During periods of change, it is important to communicate regularly and across multiple channels.

Best practices include:

• Regular updates via multiple channels (emails, meetings, internal portals).
• Leadership buy-in, with senior figures actively endorsing the change.
• Two-way feedback opportunities to address concerns and refine messaging.

2. Engage stakeholders and champion change

Stakeholders at all levels – from leadership to frontline employees – need to be involved early and often. It’s a widely recognised fact that when teams are engaged, and feel represented, they are far more likely to embrace new technology.

To drive engagement, we recommend:

• Identifying key stakeholders across departments and involving them in planning.
• Appointing ‘change champions’ who advocate for the new system, especially among their peers.
• Creating a collaborative culture where knowledge sharing is encouraged (and people are not afraid to feed back) through open forums and feedback loops.

3. Prioritise training and support

No matter how well designed or powerful it is, technology is ultimately only as effective as the people using it. Inadequate training can cause frustration, decrease productivity and slow down adoption. Meanwhile, businesses that invest in increasing digital literacy will reap the benefits, including better uptake and application of new tools, improved productivity, and the inevitable positive effect of this on their bottom line.

A strong post-implementation support system is equally important, making sure users have a way to ask questions and share tips as they adjust their working patterns.

Key approaches include:

• Instructor-led sessions for hand-on learning.
• Online tutorials and self-paced training modules.
• Peer-to-peer mentoring for ongoing support.

4. Track success and areas for improvement

Without clear performance indicators, it’s impossible to gauge the success of your business change management plan. Tracking key metrics and measurements allows you to understand progress and address challenges early on if needed.

Essential metrics that should be taken include:

• User adoption rates across different areas of the business.
• Employee satisfaction and feedback on the new tools and processes.
• Operational efficiency metrics that can demonstrate time and cost savings.

5. Work with expert partners

Of course, not every business has the internal expertise to manage large-scale change effectively. Partnering with experienced business change management specialists can make all the difference.

As Europe’s largest dedicated Google Cloud only partner, and with more than 15 years of experience behind us, Qodea is already supporting some of the world’s biggest brands across different sectors and countries to realise the potential of cloud technology and turn it into significant, long lasting business value.

The answer? A people-first approach

When businesses face increasing disruption, a human approach to business change management is critical. At Qodea, we don’t just implement new technology, we ensure it’s embraced and optimised for long-term success. 

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