The importance of change management in technology adoption
Change is uncomfortable. We're creatures of habit by nature and, as such, any suggestion that we should do things differently, whether in our professional or personal lives, makes us naturally uneasy. As a Legal Operations Consultant, I often spend my time telling clients that change is positive and necessary for growth. Yet, when faced with a change in my own working life, whether it is a new way of submitting business expenses or using a new portal for requesting annual leave, I have groaned, recoiled and complained. "Why do I need to do this differently now?"
Perhaps I should practice what I preach. The truth is, we can only see the benefits of change once we can see its value and pay-off. The key is understanding and communicating the value change could bring if we buy into it.
The same applies to any technology adoption. We spend time establishing requirements with our clients to ensure the technology implementation is going to meet their needs, create better efficiency, cost savings and provide stronger data to improve their function as an effective legal team. However, this only works if the key users are convinced and can relate to the benefits it could give them down the line. Winning over the senior leadership is only the start. We have to prepare ourselves for handing over to the true judge and jury - the user groups. The real challenge in technology adoption is at the final hurdle of implementation: communicating change management to the business as a whole and addressing any potential barriers or resistance.
Technology adoption without proper change management can lead to a host of issues, including resistance from employees, decreased productivity, and even project failure. Here are some reasons why change management is crucial:
- Minimising resistance: When employees are not properly informed or involved in the change process, they may resist the new technology. Change management helps in communicating the benefits and necessity of the new technology, thus reducing resistance.
- Enhancing engagement: By involving employees in the change process, organisations can increase their engagement and commitment to the new technology.
- Reducing downtime: Effective change management ensures that the transition to new technology is smooth, minimising downtime and disruptions to business operations.
- Maximising ROI: Properly managed change ensures that the technology is adopted efficiently and effectively, maximising the return on investment.
Effective models for change management in technology adoption
Change management models are designed to guide businesses through difficult transformational periods, including new technology adoption, ensuring maximum team buy-in and return on investment. Here are a couple of effective and commonly used models:
ADKAR Model
While there are many different models for change management which can be effective depending on the size and scale of the business or project in question, for technology adoption in particular, one of the most effective is the ADKAR Model by Jeffrey Hiatt.
The ADKAR Model stands for five outcomes needed to achieve successful change:
Awareness – Of the need for change
Desire – To participate and support the change
Knowledge – On how to change
Ability – To implement required skills and behaviours
Reinforcement - To sustain the change
Since the easiest way for any business to fail in technology adoption is to ignore your people, the benefit of the ADKAR Model is that it focuses on the value of the people behind the need for change through equipping them with the relevant tools and understanding to succeed. This model is best adopted as early in the project as possible in order to guide affected teams through the change journey and ensure they understand why the change is occurring, tackling any resistance along the way.
Nudge Theory
The Nudge Theory is like the ADKAR model in the sense that it values the support of employees and fosters their desire to take part in the change. However, instead of establishing clear milestones, it relies on subtle “nudging” of employees in the direction of the change desired. The idea is that by presenting choices in a particular way, employees will begin to see the need for change themselves.
There are 7 key stages to the Nudge Theory to convince employees to make more preferable choices:
- Clearly defining the change and what is expected of them
- Ensuring key stakeholders are included during the analysis phase, so that they have a thorough understanding of the changes proposed and how their role can make it a success
- Provide evidence to support the preferred choice, which can dispel any doubts and resistance
- Present behaviour changes as a choice, highlighting the preferable option so that it is a ‘no brainer’ to embrace change
- Gather feedback to ensure you are aware of other options or choices
- Remove any barriers to avoid friction and sustain engagement.
The strengths of using the Nudge Theory are that it can be used in conjunction with a variety of other models or techniques, and at its core aims to gather full employee support and buy-in. Resistance is unlikely as team members are thoroughly involved in choosing elements of the change and as a result, they feel included in the process.
Key strategies for effective change management
Businesses must be prepared to answer the “Why” question from all angles and perspectives, to ensure the message lands with employees on a personal level. This ensures that employees resonate with the value of the implementation. If you fail to prepare, you’ll prepare to fail. There are various strategies that can be adopted to drive change management and when they are used in combination with the models mentioned above, managing change in technology adoption can appear less daunting:
1. Develop a change management plan
A detailed change management plan should outline the goals, timelines, resources and responsibilities. This plan should be aligned with the overall strategic objectives of the organisation and should include risk management strategies to address potential challenges.
2. Create the right change management team
A dedicated team can oversee the change process, track progress and address any issues that arise. This team should include key stakeholders and representatives from all affected departments to ensure a holistic approach to change management.
3. Plan a variety of business-wide communications
From my experience in supporting in-house teams through their implementations, preparing a series of comms throughout the project ensures employees do not feel blindsided or out of the loop with the upcoming change. It’s important that these communications don’t just focus on the mandate that change is happening, but instead details why it is essential to get on board and the value it can bring to them.
Some effective ways to deliver change management communications to ensure employee buy-in can be:
- Interactive walk-throughs of the piece of technology (preferably through a company voice rather than an external provider)
- Step-by-step guides
- Lunch and Learn sessions
- Q&A’s
- Bi-weekly drop ins
- Town Hall presentations
- Nominating and advertising “Change practitioners” or “Change champions” within the business (and preferably each team affected) to drive the message
- Offering virtual help-desk style support during the introduction of technology
- Regular email updates (carefully drafted to tailor to each audience)
- Involvement in User Acceptance Testing for key users.
4. Use change management models
As detailed above, various change management models can help guide the process, provide a structured approach to managing change and can be used in conjunction with other techniques.
5. Celebrate successes
It’s important to recognise and celebrate milestones to boost morale and reinforce the benefits of the new technology. This can be done through internal communications, rewards, incentives and team celebrations.
Change management is an indispensable component of technology adoption. By systematically addressing the human aspects of change, organisations can ensure a smoother transition, higher employee engagement, and ultimately, the successful integration of new technologies. As technology continues to evolve, the principles of effective change management will remain crucial in harnessing its full potential for organisational growth and success. Managing change in technology adoption can feel similar to the constant questioning and resistance of a toddler's, "But, why?" phase, except this time, you can be prepared with the answers.
To learn more about how DWF can help you with change management in Legal Operations, contact our team below.
