Change Management

“Change management” is a phrase / concept that has recently become trendy. Now a focus of HR, management, IT, operations, and even branding, the literature is full of advice on what to do or what to avoid in order to effectively manage change.

We have all heard that “change is a constant”, but many organizations view change management as an initiative that comes into play when something significant (either positive or negative) is happening within the business that must be addressed – usually within a defined timeframe – rather than as an ongoing, integral part of an organization’s strategic communications approach. This has resulted in the need to look differently at how change management is addressed – to recognize that strategic communications and employee engagement are critical to the effective management of significant, mission-critical, and game-changing business processes. Developing employees that embrace – and even lead – change is a part of culture building rather than an action item as part of an initiative.

The Spark Connections team has delivered successful change management solutions in the following areas:

Acquisitions
Integrations
Rebranding
Restructuring
Corporate strategy
New business processes

Our ability to partner with our clients to deliver such solutions is because we understand

The needs of the business
That the perspectives of stakeholder groups are often conflicting
That emotions run high in times of change, and that sheer logic may not always carry the day
That top-down, “tell-them-what-we-want-them-to-know” approaches are better replaced with collaborative conversations and a deep understanding of what the points of concern may be in any given scenario or with any given stakeholder group
That employees must stay engaged and motivated and productive throughout the process
That the transition of mission-critical business processes must have minimal impact on client relationships or on the effectiveness and profitability of the business
That multi-levelled approaches are required so that change is addressed throughout the organization with the involvement of leaders and influencers at all levels
That change management and the organization’s strategic communications strategies and action plans are aligned and working in partnership so that the approach to change becomes part of the culture rather than a reaction to an initiative
That not managing change – or managing it poorly – can result in:
- A loss of productivity
- Declining staff morale
- Employee retention issues
- Reputational risk
- Profitability

“Developing employees that embrace – and even lead – change is a part of culture building rather than an action item as part of a one-off initiative. “