It’s been said that the only constant is change, and this is true with organizations as much as it is with life. While change can often be positive or even transformational, it can also be complicated. When it comes to implementing new technologies, the transition must be handled with the greatest care for the sake of your team members. Here are some lessons learned about the human side of navigating IT change management, gleaned through years of leading such transitions.
The Trouble With Change
When leaders approach an upcoming implementation as a straightforward transaction, they’ve made their first mistake. Even if the mechanics of upgrading or replacing a system are simple, the bigger picture rarely is. Instead of viewing these changes as purely technological, leaders must consider the broader impact.
Whatever manual process you’re now going to automate is a process a human being has handled for the last five, 10, or 20 years. The frontline staff doesn’t hear, “This will make the organization better” or “This will make your job more sustainable in the future;” they see a threat. This new piece of technology will take away something they’ve historically done. In many of their minds, it will also change how they do their work and could even affect their ability to pay their rent and feed their kids.
This is one of the hardest lessons a leader can learn. Even if you see the change as a value add for the enterprise, it doesn’t mean your team sees it that way. They have to get past the personal impact of what you’re doing before they can embrace how it might benefit the organization. Given that many employees live paycheck to paycheck and don’t have the same stock options or other financial luxuries that executives often have, they’re not concerned with potential payoffs two years down the road–they need to know they’ll continue to be paid right now.
Importance of Managing Down
The first step in delicately and effectively navigating change management is recognizing that you have a problem with your team’s perceptions of the change. Once you do, you can start working to solve this.
Consider whether you are the right person to execute the conversations that will be necessary to move the project forward. If you don’t have empathy and rich emotional acumen, you might not be–and that’s okay. It’s important to have the right person facilitating these communications; any approach deemed dismissive or disingenuous will be spotted very quickly.
The people suited for this won’t merely regurgitate your executives’ message downstream; they’ll interpret what’s being said and share the information with their audience in a way that will resonate with them and their unique concerns. Many people think that managing up is key–and it is–but managing down is just as critical. Without properly speaking to your employees about the upcoming change, what’s expected of them, and how it might affect them, you’ll never get your team on board–and it’ll delay or derail your project.
Pruning the Tree in the Right Way
Ignoring your employees’ concerns, fears, and uncertainties around change can make the entire process exponentially harder. They often don’t see the broader organizational strategy—they focus on their immediate job and what’s changing for them. They may assume that the company is cutting costs, automating jobs, or making their lives harder without understanding that these changes are necessary to reinvest in parts of the organization that drive growth.
Like with pruning a tree, the goal isn’t to cut away everything but to strategically remove what’s no longer serving the whole. If you don’t manage this carefully, the whole organization suffers, not just the parts you’re trimming.
Key Takeaways
When all is said and done, successfully navigating organizational change isn’t just about upgrading systems or implementing new technologies. It’s about understanding and addressing the human side of the equation.
By acknowledging your team’s fears, communicating openly, and finding the right person to guide them through the process, you create an environment where the individuals who work for you–and the organization–can thrive. With empathy, patience, and the right approach, you can turn resistance into acceptance and make your transition smoother and more impactful for everyone involved.
This article originally appeared in Healthcare Business Today.
