Long-term success is often determined by an organization's ability to change
Organizational change management is not easy. It is not a one time event and it does not happen overnight. It is a process that must be managed carefully. Too often change management consultants focus exclusively on communicating what’s being changed, assuming that if people are simply informed of a change, they will embrace it. That is pathway to failure, particularly when the change involves a behavioral and/or emotional component.
Of course strategic communications are important, however complex organizational changes that require new ways of working need a deeper change management consulting approach to achieve success.
We connect you to consultants who take a holistic approach to change management that is so much more than just top-down communication and training. Employees must be engaged and invested in the change from the beginning. A proven methodology is needed that combines industry best practices with years of insightful experience.
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Get the results you expect
Simply sending out a few communications and throwing together some training slides will not cut it when it comes to effective change management consulting. Not only would this likely cause your project to fail, but you also risk making things worse because your employees will feel that the change was forced upon them. Your initiative will go live with no confidence instilled in them, the process, or the initiative as a whole. A successful transformation with real results requires a proven approach that is led by experienced experts.
You need to meet your challenges head on by assessing your work processes, your culture, and how they interact with each other. Effective change management consultants have dealt with similar challenges before, and bring that experience and the lessons learned to you and your organization. They can blend a proven methodology, tools, and research, with innovative thinking that is required for leading change and enabling long-lasting results for your business.
Effective consultants focus on understanding your goals and strategies, and work hard to develop thorough plans to make them a reality. They make a measurable difference to your business through the combined work of our experienced and knowledgeable, yet diverse work teams with their own specialized skills. A consulting firm’s specialized teams come together to develop rock solid change management strategies with fresh ideas for your project that provide you with a competitive edge.
Sound Familiar?
It is estimated that up to 70% of change initiatives fail – mostly due to employee resistance
Approximately 50% of chief executives indicate that culture change is the largest impediment to success
Less than 38% of organization leaders consider themselves effective at inspiring employees
These problems and more could be mitigated with an effective change management strategy.
Make your vision of long-lasting results a reality
Change management solutions for all types of transformations, including the following:
Culture Change
An organization’s culture plays an instrumental part in its ability to accomplish goals. Changes are often necessary to ensure employees can thrive and succeed.
Digital Transformation
The best designed implementation is only as effective as your employees’ ability to adjust to the technology, processes, and new ways of working.
Business Strategy
Getting “buy-in” from employees for a new business vision is essential. Our methodology gets employees engaged early, setting the path for collaboration, integration, and success.
M&A Integration
Although it might make strategic sense, mergers and acquisitions can only work when the people and cultures of the two organizations can come together and work as one.
Organizational Development
Change management for initiatives such as Leadership Development, Organizational Design, Process Improvement, Workforce Planning, and Performance Management.
Workspace & Real Estate
Relocations or changes to workspace, such as mobile seating and desk sharing are often met with employee resistance. We get your employees on board from the beginning.
COVID-19
COVID has changed our lives at home and at work, and it will continue to do so. We will help you transition away from, or back to, the office (or virtual office).
Other Business Transformations
Organizational change management consulting for all other transformations, including corporate spin-offs, divestitures, etc.
Why Hire a Change Management Consulting Firm
You need outside expertise
Change management is complex, with many moving parts. To achieve your goals, you need different sets of very specific business expertise. An organizational change management consulting firm will bring a team with these specific skill sets, meaning they provide the experience necessary to enable project success regardless of change type or industry.
They provide an objective view into your business
Change consultants come from outside your organization and therefore provide a fresh set of eyes into the challenges of your business. They are not affected by any issues or politics that may be impacting your employees and do not have the same emotional connection, either positive or negative, to the way things have been done in the past. This offers them a clean perspective to address those challenges and set the path forward.
They can be cost effective
Hiring a consulting can be cost effective, because they will not be permanent employees. When you bring on a permanent employee, an organization typically pays a salary, health insurance, retirement benefits, workspace, and other costs. By hiring a consultant, you do not incur these costs and he or she typically leaves at some point after project completion.
They customize your solution
Consultants don’t come in and offer one solution to all clients. Alternatively, when they come into your business, they tailor the solution to best meet the specific issues for your organization. This is where the consultants demonstrate true value to your organization.
Reach your business goals
Hiring an outside change consultant greatly increases the likelihood of your projects success and reaching your goals. Additionally, after a successful project, you have landed a trusted consultant that you can use for other projects in the future.
Find the Experts You Need to Drive Results
Tips on Selecting a Change Management Consultant
Remember that you are the client
Although it may sound obvious, it is important to remember that you are the client. Your organization will pay the consulting firm. This means that you are in charge. The firms want your business and they should prove their worth to get it. All strategies and tactics employed by the consulting firm should fit the needs of your organization, not the other way around. Never let a consultant try to persuade you to let their tactics drive your requirements.
Be clear in your requirements and what you want the firm to do
Before meeting with prospective consulting firms it is important to have internal meetings to flush out exactly what you want them to do. This will help you in the selection process as it will give you specific criteria to base your decision. Additionally, this gives the firms a better idea of what you need so they can demonstrate their expertise in that particular area.
Determine the firm's experience
You want to be sure the consulting firm you interview can produce the results you expect. Do some research to see what they have done in the past. Simply viewing their websites can give you a good idea of the types of work they have done, what industries they have worked with, case studies, and more. However, do not determine their experience simply based on your research. It is important to ask questions during the selection process to verify their experience. Also, remember that you are not necessarily judging the qualifications of the firm, but instead the qualifications of the individuals who would work on your project.
Keep in mind that you are likely hiring a team
When you speak with firms during the selection process, you are likely dealing with one or two of their representatives. However, you are not only hiring them, you are hiring a team. You want to have an idea of the team structure and the qualifications of each individual. You also want to know such things as the structure of the team, the project sponsor, and whether or not you have a dedicated project manager.
Look at the cost structure
Of course you want your project completed as economically as possible. However, that certainly does not mean you should go with the firm who offers the cheapest proposal. You are likely throwing money away because you will need to start over and hire a new consultant if the results are not sufficient. Also, good consultants will usually have an end date for the project and not drag it on indefinitely.
You also want to consider timelines. An expensive consulting firm that gets the project done quickly can be more efficient than a lower priced consultant who takes longer to complete the work. You can sometimes find a nice balance when you find a new firm who employs experienced consultants. You may get a good rate because the firm is trying to make a name for itself, yet you still get the expertise of an experienced change consultant.
8 Questions to Ask Change Management Consulting Firms
How much experience do your consultants have?
You want to ask questions regarding experience not only about change management in general, but also for your specific type of change.
What specific knowledge do you have of our industry?
You want to be sure the consultant has experience with your type of business.
What types of assessment do you plan to do before implementing the strategy?
They should be able to describe the steps they will take to assess the specific needs of your business. It is a red flag if they plan to move straight to implementation without adequate assessment.
Can you describe your change management strategy or your plan to achieve success?
They should be able to provide a clear sense of their strategy. Even if it is early in the process before assessment has been done, they should shed some light on how they go about driving change.
What other clients have you worked with?
This does not mean you are looking for big name companies or even large organizations. Ideally, the consulting firm has worked with clients whose business is similar to yours.
What would the structure of your team look like?
You want a clear idea of the team that will work on your project. Specifically, you want to know who would fulfill each role, the project sponsor, and who on the team is permanently assigned to your project.
Can you explain your payment structure?
You not only want to know the total costs, but also the intervals of payments. Do you pay by month? By milestone? You also want to know what percentage must be paid up front.
We are interviewing several firms. Why should we hire you?
This will give the firms an opportunity to provide details on their strengths and why they are the right firm for your project.
Make your project success a reality
Components of an effective Change Management Strategy
- Change Impact Analyses
- Leadership Engagement
- Communication Plans
- Readiness Assessments
- Change Reinforcement
- Change Implementation Plans
- Stakeholder Management
- Culture Change Support
- Training Plans
- Knowledge Management Maps
- Visioning Sessions
- Employee Resistance Plans
- Engagement Opportunities
- Change Agent Networks
- Workforce Alignment
- Measurement Strategies
- Organizational Surveys
- Case for Change
Change Management Process
ASSESS
Carefully analyze your organization to understand the stakeholders, change impact, readiness, and culture to develop a robust change plan.
PLAN
Develop the strategy based on the essential components of change management, including a change agent network. Project timelines are nailed down.
IMPLEMENT
The plan turns to action as a buzz is built around the change for stakeholders using multiple communications, networking, and integration tools.
MEASURE/ADAPT
Change is a process. To ensure that change sticks and that goals are reached, measure success throughout and make any necessary changes.
Change Management Strategies that Produce Results
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