The Datamax Thinking Blog

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Suck It Up, Buttercup – How NOT to Do Change Management

Companies routinely focus on the technology side of IT initiatives and forget about the people. And that leads to failed initiatives.

You can ignore change issues when introducing new technology and fail. Or you can focus on managing changes and training everyone on the new technology and processes and succeed.

People hate to change.

Change is hard. If you've ever tried to break a bad habit or start a healthy new one (we're all starting to think about resolutions for next year, right?); you know exactly what I'm talking about.

When it's time to improve your business' processes by adding new technology – anything from new process management software to CRM to digital copiers – changing employees' existing habits can be hard.

Too many companies overlook the need to manage the changes and opportunities the new technology enables for the business. The attitude is often something like “Suck it up, buttercups. We bought it; you'll use it.” While that attitude might get grudging compliance – it's the sulky, foot-dragging kind that means no one really cares about the change.

And people resist change for many reasons. These 10 Reasons People Resist Change from Harvard Business Review seem about right: loss of control, excess uncertainty, surprise, everything seems different, loss of face, concerns about competence, more work, ripple effects, past resentments, and sometimes the threat is real.

Overcome Resistance to Change

How do you overcome this resistance? You need change management. Change management isn't some politically correct way to baby your company's workers along. No, change management is a strategy for shifting perceptions to embrace rather than reject change. It's a process that focuses on helping everyone understand and accept new initiatives (technology or otherwise), the reason for the initiative, and also encompasses the need for any needed training (especially for new technology – which, however “user friendly” ALWAYS needs to be explained to the people who will use it). After all, if you're spending money on a new technology initiative (buying one or a fleet of digital copiers; implementing document management; new security procedures, etc.) you should maximize your investment by doing everything in your power to ensure workers use their new tools correctly.

Change management will help.

Now, you could ignore everyone's legitimate confusion and concerns, launch a new initiative, and watch it bomb. Or, you could actually take slightly more time and do it right with training.

Training – The Key to Successful Change

Do a Google search for reasons for IT projects to fail or succeed and some variation of “user training” will be on every single list. The key part of change management to focus on here is the need for training.

A digital copier loaded with productivity-enhancing apps and capabilities is only as useful as the ability of employees to actually USE those new capabilities.

That's why we include at least some training in all of our engagements.

We pay attention to stakeholders, both in planning and during implementation.

We answer questions.

We focus on clear communications to ensure that the business gets the support it needs from the technology we provide, including user training.

Don't ignore the change that new technology – any new technology – creates in your office and for your co-workers. Help them work through it and reap the rewards of seeing your technology and efforts maximized!

Did you know your copier can also do these things? ›

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