WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME TO INVOLVE CHANGE MANAGEMENT IN YOUR PROGRAM?
Change is inevitable in any organisation; managing it effectively can mean the difference between success and failure.
While we often focus on the business processes and technology involved in change initiatives, we must not forget the people—the most critical asset of any organisation.
Involving change management from the beginning of a program is crucial, as it helps mitigate risks, engages stakeholders, and ensures a smoother transition. Without the proper involvement from end users or those impacted, we risk getting it wrong, leading to unnecessary resistance and project failure. This article explores the benefits of early involvement in change management and the potential pitfalls of waiting until a program is underway. However, it’s important to note that it is never too late to bring in change management; the critical aspect is how effectively it is done.
Benefits of Early Involvement
Proactive Stakeholder Engagement: Involving change management at the start allows for thorough stakeholder analysis. Change managers can identify and assess the potential impact on different stakeholder groups early on. By engaging stakeholders from the outset, change managers can build rapport and trust, easing tensions that often arise during transformational initiatives. Understanding their concerns, expectations, and needs is vital for creating a change strategy that resonates and drives acceptance.
Support During Business Case Development: Early change management involvement can significantly enhance a program’s business case. Change managers bring a unique perspective on the human factors involved in the transition process. They can help articulate the benefits of the change, particularly how it aligns with organisational culture and employee needs. A well-rounded business case that addresses the human side of change can foster greater buy-in from leadership and stakeholders.
Resource Planning and Budgeting: Change management professionals can provide valuable insights during resource discussions. They can assist program managers in identifying the necessary resources, including training and support options. Involving change management early ensures that the correct resource considerations are established. A well-thought-out approach, aligned with the change initiative, is crucial—whether it involves selecting the appropriate vendors or considering hypercar options for ongoing support.
Training and Support Conversations: Engaging change management from the beginning allows for informed discussions with vendors about training, support, and hyper-care options. Change managers can assess the training needs of various stakeholder groups, ensuring that training programs effectively address their skills gaps and prepare them for the new processes or systems. This foresight maximises the efficacy of training initiatives, leading to greater adoption and smoother transitions.
Higher Success Rates: According to research from Prosci, projects that include effective change management are six times more likely to meet objectives and three times more likely to succeed. These statistics underscore the importance of involving change management early in the process.
Increased Employee Adoption: Studies by McKinsey & Company indicate that organisations managing change effectively can achieve a 70% employee adoption rate, enhancing overall success. Early involvement prepares employees to accept and engage with the changes.
Return on Investment: Research shows that for every $1 invested in change management, organisations can expect returns between $3 and $10. This impressive ROI highlights the financial benefits of early engagement with change management.
THE RISKS OF LATE INVOLVEMENT
Bringing change management into the picture midway through a program—or worse, only at the end to address fallout—can lead to significant challenges:
Crisis Management Instead of Strategic Planning: If change management is introduced after issues have arisen, it often shifts from a proactive strategy to reactive crisis management. Rather than guiding a smooth transition, change managers are left to clean up misunderstandings, resistance, and dissatisfaction—tasks that are far more complex and time-consuming.
Increased Resistance: When employees perceive that change was imposed without adequate support or consideration, it breeds distrust. Late intervention fails to build the necessary relationships, often exacerbating resistance to change. Employees may feel blindsided and reluctant to engage with initiatives they don’t understand or seem poorly thought out.
Incomplete Impact Assessments: Involving change management late can hinder conducting comprehensive impact assessments. Change managers need time to gather insights about how different groups will be affected by the change. Waiting until mid-program can lead to oversights that leave critical issues unaddressed.
Missed Opportunities for Engagement: Late interventions often miss the chance to cultivate a change readiness and engagement culture. Organisations that do not have change management at the table from the start risk losing valuable input that could shape a more effective change strategy.
Crisis Costs: A report from KPMG indicates that poor change management can lead to a failure rate of 70% for change initiatives, resulting in significant time and resource costs. Thus, bringing change management in late can often compound the challenges faced.
It's Never Too Late to Bring Change In
While early involvement in change management is ideal, it is essential to recognise that it is never too late to seek the expertise of change management professionals.
Even during the later stages of a program, bringing them in can still yield significant benefits. Change managers can promptly assess the current situation, identify unresolved issues, and implement targeted strategies to mitigate resistance and foster acceptance.
Even a late intervention can stabilise an ongoing program, address misunderstandings, and realign stakeholders toward a common goal. The key is to approach the situation with a clear plan, open lines of communication, and a genuine commitment to understanding and addressing the concerns of all impacted.
The right time to involve change management in your program is at the beginning, alongside the program manager. By doing so, organisations position themselves for a smoother transition and greater likelihood of success. Early engagement fosters proactive stakeholder analysis, enriches business case discussions, informs resource planning, and facilitates critical conversations around training and support.
Conversely, waiting until the middle of a program—or introducing change management only at the end—creates unnecessary risks and challenges that could easily be avoided. However, it’s also important to remember that change management can still be transformative at any program stage.
