Successfully implementing change in your business is not always easy. Not everyone will be excited about change. Sometimes it requires being proactive and putting in place some simple strategies to make your employees and colleagues more comfortable with the new changes.

You want to implement a new system that is going to completely revolutionise the way you do business. But, as with any new change, comes complications. A big one is bringing your staff along with you. They may not feel ready to undertake the new challenges that any software implementation requires. So, how do you you successfully implement change in your business?

What are common problems that arise with reluctance to change.

The reason you’re implementing these changes is to see a shift in your business. Maybe you want to streamline data, or have more visibility over projects and reports. But more than likely, you want to see more profits and return on investment for the resources you’re allocating.

Employees need to share this vision. Without it, they can quite often erode any profits or productivity that can be achieved. Sometimes they will attempt to go against process and protocol and return to the old way of doing things, which ultimately makes implementation a nightmare.

So how do you bring employees along with you?

#1 – The big one, is to leave no employees behind. Your employees need to feel part of the process. They need to feel like they are a major stakeholder in the new implementation and that their ideas have been put into this process.

#2 – Every person in the change management process needs visibility of whether they are succeeding or failing. Employees who are positively working with the change should see rewards and recognition and vice versa for those who are lagging behind and hindering the process.

#3 – Managers and key decision makers need to demonstrate what the big picture is to employees. The more everyone understands how the change is going to make their lives easier the more they will feel like feel connected in achieving the end goal.

#4 – Deal with the naysayers, quickly. With most implementations, we see there are generally a few hesitant individuals who liked the way things operated before. This is understandable, but continued resistance without any interjections from management can really de-rail and damage the progress of the change.

Organisations need to know when to say enough is enough. If you wait too long, employees can gain a powerful opportunity to create damage on your goals. This damage comes in the form of not following new process management protocols and persuading others to do the same.

It all lies in the communication of the vision

Inspire those around you by presenting a compelling vision and goal for the future. Remember, your employees might not have the same motivations and insider knowledge as you do. You need to communicate effectively what the big picture is and how this change is going to provide an even clearer path for them ahead.

They need to know what is in it for them. Why is this change important? And how is it going to positively affect the organisation and individual long-term. As a result you will have more engaged employees and may even create some change champions within your business.

If you are considering a change in your business software, get in touch with Thrive. We can help navigate you through the confusion.