The Importance of Change Management in Times of Uncertainty
Surviving and thriving as a business in today’s volatile climate all falls on the strength of a company’s adaptability and change management. How leadership elects to navigate turbulent waters will have a significant impact on your team, client relationships and the company’s bottom line. And for the majority of leaders and business execs, the unprecedented challenges sparked by COVID-19 were career-first – from implementing new technology and protecting jobs to preserving culture and keeping the business afloat.
But in times of adversity, opportunity arises – especially when utilizing change management consultants to help your organization emerge stronger than ever. To ensure your change management is effective, here are five crucial skills and strategies vital to overcoming times of uncertainty.
- Visibility & Transparency
During times of instability, your staff will be looking to your change management team for guidance and reassurance. It’s key for businesses to put their leaders front and center to ensure information is communicated accurately and transparency is being exercised.
It’s critical for transition periods to be handled seamlessly, and change management consultants have the expertise needed to steer businesses in the right direction. Companies can leverage open forum video calls or surveys as a vehicle for collecting insightful feedback – which can be utilized to shape your strategy moving forward.
- Provide Valuable Resources
Being able to make informed decisions requires your team to not only process information objectively, but have access to the data and tools needed to move the needle forward. Creating the right infrastructure for collaboration and cross-departmental communication is a pivotal piece of working with effective change management consultants.
- Develop the Right Framework & Set Expectations
To help your company weather uncertain times, it’s imperative to develop a high-level strategy for how your business will respond to change over a 6, 12, and 18-month period. This eradicates any confusion or anxiety by providing leadership and staff with a clear outline of expectations. Areas you’ll need to account for include how you plan to manage your technology, people, cash flow, and business. These elements should also be used to guide how you communicate with both clients and internal team members.
- Maintain a Consistent Rhythm
Workers crave structure in their daily lives – especially when grappling with uncertainty. By crafting a consistent schedule for meetings and how information is exchanged, it’ll ease fears, boost productivity and help create a rhythm for how the business operates. Managing change is an arduous task – even in the best of circumstances. By staying consistent, empathizing with staff, and ensuring all questions are answered, it’ll keep workers focused and on-task.
- Hire the Right Change Management Resources
By equipping your organization with the right resources, like strategic change management consultants, it’ll enable your business to succeed even in times of uncertainty. To learn more about how the team at Concannon can help you implement an agile and change-ready culture, contact us today.
