Embracing Technology Upgrades
Paige Turner- Finance Manager
Things might have appeared simpler back in their day, but when you've got a team member who insists on maintaining their old ways of doing things, they can create a massive hinderance to the rest of the team. A significant number of new initiatives in a business fail not because the system is unfit for purpose, but because the intended users, for various reasons, resist the new ways of working and cause the project to fail.
Resistance is healthy
Resistance is a natural part of any change process and if you manage it effectively, it can lead to a stronger uptake of your change initiative. However, if it goes unchecked, it can completely undermine your best efforts. Ensure you don't waste your effort and lose momentum in support from your team thanks to a few key players resisting your grand plans.
Some of the biggest risks to effective business process management of having a team member resisting change are:
- Critical job management information is missed or duplicated because information is moving at a snail's pace
- Their outdated workflow processes do not take into account the new information needs of the business
- Essential project information is not accessible at the point of need because they have the details on lockdown
Bring your team along with the change process
There's an exciting range of features in workflow technologies now at your disposal, but they will only have their intended impact if your field operatives and office admins embrace the changes and use their new job management system to its full potential. So how can you address staff resistance and bring everyone along with the positive change?
Avoid fear of the unknown- Of course those pushing the upgrade can see the benefits, but if the staff being expected to use the new software didn't know it was coming, it can be an unsettling change.
Involving change champions in the process before a new system is unveiled can get even the biggest skeptics on board and make the roll out process productive and friendly.
Prevent team disconnect- With larger companies there can be a disconnect in the objectives of different departments, so the team driving the implementation haven't fully considered the impact of process change on those using it. Yes management might want all the forms to be filled out and submitted digitally, but if the mobile workers are comfortable being page turners, what's their incentive to change?
Explaining the bigger picture to everyone involved in the change process can help people embrace their new expectations and see how they can benefit in the long run.
Don't roll out and run- Sometimes the biggest failures in change management can come from a simple lack of training once the new system is in place. For the implementation team, the roll out can seem like the final stages of the project, but for those expected to use it on a daily basis, this is just the beginning.
Putting in a post deployment roll out plan can support users as they adapt, ensuring they remain engaged and excited about what the new technology system can do for them.
Use Re-flow job management software to change your page turners into digital demons.
With change embraced, it's time to burst Paige's bubble!
