The People Side of Change

Time to Read: 2 Min

The People Side of Change

Although it is sometimes called the soft side of change, managing the people side of a change is often the most challenging and critical component of an organizational transformation.

Consider a merger or acquisition. The technical side of the change is certainly complex. You must work out the financial arrangements of the deal, integrate business systems, make decisions about the new organization's structure, and more. But getting people on board and participating in the merger or acquisition can make the difference between success and failure.

Why? Individuals will need to perform their jobs differently. The degree to which they change their behaviors and adopt new processes has a significant impact on the initiative. This is why the soft side of change can be the harder side of change. Fortunately, you can apply a structured approach to managing the people side of change and make a big impact on overall success.

Change Management addresses the people side of change.

Creating a new organization, designing new work processes, and implementing new technologies may never see their full potential if you don't bring your people along. That's because financial success depends on how thoroughly individuals in the organization embrace the change.

Change Management is the application of a structured process and set of tools for leading the people side of change to achieve a desired outcome. Ultimately, Change Management focuses on how to help people engage, adopt and use a change in their day-to-day work.

When defining Change Management, we recognize it as both a process and a competency:

• Change Management as a Process:

  The Change Management process enables practitioners within organizations to leverage and scale the Change Management activities that help impacted individuals and groups move through their transitions. The Prosci Methodology includes a robust, research-based process called the Prosci 3-Phase Process.

• Change Management as a Competency 

  At the organizational level, Change Management is a leadership competency for enabling change within an organization. It is also a strategic capability designed to increase the change capacity and responsiveness of the organization. 

  For senior leaders, Change Management competency means being able to lead change for the organization, including being an effective sponsor of change and demonstrating commitment to the change, both individually and organizationally. For people managers working with front-line employees, competency relates to effectively coaching direct reports through their change journeys. Although competency varies according your relationship to change, organizations are more effective and successful when they build Change Management competencies throughout their ranks.

Change Management is not just communication and training. Nor is it simply managing resistance. Effective Change Management follows a structured process and employs a holistic set of tools to drive successful individual and organizational change.

There are numerous reasons to employ effective Change Management on both large- and small-scale efforts. Here are three main reasons:

1. Organizational change happens one person at a time

2. Ignoring the people side of change is costly

3. Change Management increases the likelihood of success