Perform

In this step, you start working with people affected by the change. Once a change reaches this step, it is part of the process.

This stage of the process may last from only a few seconds or minutes to months or even longer, depending on the nature of the change and the rollout plan associated with the change.

For instance, an upgrade to a user's browser may be very quick, but implementing a new way of working may take months or even years. Allowing the change to sit in this state enables correct auditing of the change's impact across the business.

This step incorporates bringing people on the journey. Key activities include creating and implementing plans and approaches that will support stakeholders and organisations through the change.

The goals of change management can be seen as taking impacted and interested stakeholders on a journey to transition from being unaware of the need for change to being committed to the new way of doing things. Engaging stakeholders, therefore, plays an important role in achieving this aim.

Key Activities

Communications Plan

Delivering the right message to the right people at the right time(s).

Change Readiness Assessment

Understanding the degree to which stakeholders' beliefs, attitudes and intentions are ready for the change and if the change is required.

Change Resistance Analysis

Identifying and establishing mitigation plans for people or groups of people who actively or passively fail to engage with the change initiative. It may manifest as public, verbal opposition, or an individual's feeling of unease or unwillingness to participate fulling the new change.

It is important to carefully monitor the implementation of change to detect early warning signs of resistance and establish strategies to mitigate the resistance.

Training Plan

Once stakeholders posses an awareness of the need for change and have bought into the change process, they will require the knowledge and skills actually to implement the change. A training plan clearly communicates the training and education needed for each level of impacted staff. Training not only provides people with enhanced job-related skills and knowledge.

It can also be an avenue to communicate with and alleviate the fears of those employees impacted by the change. Training can also give them an opportunity to provide feedback about their experience throughout the change.

Example Workflow