While we know in our hearts that change is good, it is a rare person that truly enjoys shaking up the status quo and changing their ways. However, when it comes to technology, products, services, and systems are constantly evolving and updating, meaning that you likely have to usher in these upgrades and changes on a fairly regular basis. Below, we outline a few tips to help your employees get on board with the changes and incorporate them into their workflow with nary a complaint (ok, maybe one or two, but far fewer than you would typically expect!)
Tout the value:
The biggest driver for change is if you can inform your staff that it will in some way make their workday a little lighter or brighter. When introducing a new system or product, share the rationale for implementing this change with your staff. If it was sold to you that it would help to streamline a process or procedure, let them know what type of time saving they might expect and that it will free up time for them to focus on other, more exciting aspects of their role. If the transformation will free up resources, talk to them about how the savings will be reinvested into the business and may impact them directly.
Be transparent:
One of the worst aspects of change is that there’s usually a whole lot of behind-the-scenes prep work that goes into researching, evaluating, and even purchasing the new system that the roll out can be…well, a little abrupt! Further, if it’s a big change that will significantly alter the way that someone handles their day-to-day workload, it can feel daunting to be thrown in at the deep end. You can address your employees’ concerns right out of the gate by being transparent that you are even evaluating a change and what you’re hoping to gain from it. This can also be a crucial time to ask employees for their feedback, where applicable, about what they might like to see in a system or process upgrade and how it will impact their workflow. When it comes time to implement the change, make a road map so that workers can see how the change will be phased in, what the timeline looks like, and when you expect to be truly up and running with the new system. In this way, everyone is on the same page and no one feels left out, or worse, strong armed by the change.
Add incentives:
Sometimes folks just need a little nudge to get on board with a new idea! You don’t have to offer up something terribly extravagant. Even offering a bagel breakfast at the meeting where you introduce the change, a catered luncheon on training day, or a small ice cream social celebration when the new product formally launches can really go a long way to boost excitement and engagement. While we believe you should never underestimate the value of free food in spurring some enthusiasm, or at least a good training turnout, you should also make it clear that one of the broader benefits of this change lies in how it’s going to streamline or otherwise improve their workflow.
Consider super-adopters:
If you’re implementing a sweeping change, it can be beneficial to identify and train a select group of employees who can serve as super adopters. This small cohort of staff can not only champion the change but can also be positioned as “go to” folks for troubleshooting or simply serving as a touchstone for questions or concerns that arise during implementation. Not sure how you can get your super-users on board? Look to your younger staff. By nature, they tend to be a little more tech-savvy than your more tenured staff AND they are early enough in their career that you can pitch this as a growth opportunity where they get to flex their leadership skills and take at least partial ownership of a project roll-out.
Loop them in and listen:
As a result of the pandemic, even your most tech-phobic staff have had to make huge strides in their technological capabilities and with that, have likely become more opinionated than ever on what works and what falls flat. Honor their newfound interest by encouraging them to provide feedback not only on the product or system, but also on the planned roll out. Further, you should be touching base with them post-implementation to understand whether the change has delivered on what was promised. Specifically, ask your employees what they like about the new system, what new capabilities or processes they are most benefiting from, and how it has changed their workload. If the change has not gone as smoothly as hoped, ask your workers what the sticking points have been and what they would change if given the chance, then actually take steps to incorporate the feedback and fix the issue. Even if the problem truly is far gone, you can still use their feedback to guide future purchases or changes or even just improve your implementation process.
Take your time:
Even the most perfect product with the most perfect rollout can fall flat right out of the gate. In short, change is hard and there is always a learning curve that workers need to tackle before they feel truly comfortable abandoning their old ways and focusing on the new. Understand that not everyone will pick up on the technology at the same rate and that there is a big difference between struggling to incorporate the change and being outright resistant to it! For those that are truly having trouble, be sure to provide additional support and encouragement and give folks a bit of leeway to learn at their own pace and gradually adopt the new system at a mutually agreed upon time.
Have you implemented new technology? Share any tips and tricks that have helped smooth the launch in the comments section below.
