Change management and marcomm: planning ahead to build trust

Change isn’t easy. Organizational change, although inevitable, can be even harder because it challenges the comfort of everyday responsibilities. Whether it’s the rollout of an unfamiliar ERP system or the creation of a different reporting structure, new directions or directives within the company bring unknowns that can be downright scary for even the most experienced employees.

As change managers, marketing and communications teams have many opportunities to lead the way in engaging employees. By developing a plan to communicate openly and get ahead of concerns, marcomm can add value and enhance employee trust.

Changing the routine of ‘routine change'

Company change initiatives have become commonplace. According to a study by Gartner, the average organization takes on five major firmwide changes in three years. Sometimes it’s so frequent that employees joke about the latest change as the “newest flavor of the month.” With that in mind, that same study indicates only 34 percent of all change initiatives pursued by businesses end in clear success. That’s a lot of wasted effort that leaves a negative impact on the budget, the reputation of leadership and the trust employees have in the organization.

Enter the role of marketing communications. As an extension of company leadership, marcomm teams can provide counsel and expertise to tailor change campaigns and make the need for and benefits of the change more tangible for employees.

Harvard Business Review suggests five key steps for managing organizational change: understanding what happens in each step of a change, understanding why change is necessary, creating a plan, communicating and preparing for roadblocks. Essentially, marcomm teams interpret each of these steps for employees and stakeholders. That means doing the heavy lifting to understand the full scope of what’s happening and why, and then translating it for each internal audience.

Planning ahead to earn buy-in

As you’re building a plan for change implementation, consider these simple, but not always obvious, best practices to enhance your chances of success:

Know who you’re talking to. Internally, change messages require communication to multiple audiences. Consider the types of workforces involved: Do you need tailored content for office and operational or plant staff? Salaried and hourly employees? Bargaining unit/union personnel? Full-time and part-time staff? What is the experience range of your staff? How many people are “set in their ways” versus open to new ideas and approaches? Will you have any language or cultural barriers to overcome? Customizing key messages to fit each audience will provide clarity and reassurance that the initiative has been thoroughly mapped out.

Commit to communicating. Be as transparent as possible. Communicate frequently, even if you don’t have breaking news. Establish a cadence and stick with it so employees know what to expect and when.

Anticipate questions. What will employees want to know? Does the change affect their benefits? Will it affect how they do their jobs? Prepare talking points for managers and provide additional resources for employees to discuss further. Answer as many questions proactively as you can. Even if you don’t know the answers, being honest and providing some direction will be impactful.

Acknowledge resistance but encourage seeking solutions—and help employees to be a part of those solutions. Especially if the change may be perceived as negative, hearing out complaints demonstrates care, but it’s important to counter with ways to get involved. Present examples of how people at all levels can contribute to the change. Explain what they can do to make the outcome a success.

Be clear about what’s in it for the organization as a whole. For a change to make sense, employees have to understand its benefits. Emphasize the “why” from the top down. Work through managers and with smaller groups to highlight the pros and work through the cons. Identify employee ambassadors at grassroots levels who support the change to engage them to help earn trust across functions.

Be clear about what’s in it for employees. What does the change really mean—good and potentially negative—for individuals? What expectations should they have? How will their individual roles and performance expectations change? How will the change make their work easier or better? In any situation, we all care about how things will impact us directly, so keep that at the forefront of messaging and help employees at all levels to see the longer-term vision for the change.

Sometimes it’s beneficial to partner with a third-party agency for an external perspective in navigating the change. Having a voice that isn’t “in the weeds” of a major change can bring additional clarity, especially for marcomm teams that are smaller or don’t have adequate resources to manage such a large initiative. In these instances, finding a trusted agency partner who knows your business can add valuable insight and allow the internal team to focus on serving as change agents.

Remember, employees who feel “in the know” will also feel empowered, and those are the best kinds of employees to help activate and champion change. Engaging them early will improve your chances of ushering in positive change in your organization.

If you’re looking for guidance on organizational change, email Nancy at Nancy.Spatholt@akhia.com to learn how Akhia might be able to support your team.