“Ignoring the warning signs: How failing to invest in internal change management communications can harm your business”
Yes, there are several signs that a company should invest in internal change management communications:
- Changes in organizational structure: When a company is undergoing changes in its organizational structure, such as a merger, acquisition, or rebranding, it’s important to communicate these changes clearly and transparently to employees to minimize confusion and ensure buy-in.
- New initiatives or projects: When a company is launching new initiatives or projects, it’s important to communicate the goals, expectations, and outcomes to employees in order to align their efforts and ensure success.
- Employee disengagement or low morale: If a company is experiencing high turnover, low productivity, or low morale, it may be a sign that employees are disengaged and not invested in the company’s success. Investing in internal change management communications can help to re-engage employees and improve morale.
- Lack of understanding of company goals and values: If employees are not clear on the company’s goals and values, it can lead to confusion and lack of alignment. Communicating the company’s vision and mission clearly can help employees understand their role in achieving the company’s goals.
- Resistance to change: Change can be difficult for employees and they may resist it. It’s important to communicate the reasons for the change, the benefits, and how it aligns with the company’s goals.
- Implementation of new technologies or processes: When a company is introducing new technologies or processes, it’s important to communicate how it will affect employees’ roles, and responsibilities and how it will improve the work processes.
By identifying these signs, companies can invest in internal change management communications at the right time, which can help to minimize resistance, increase employee engagement, and ensure the success of the change initiative.
Determining how much time and money should be spent on change management communications depends on the scope and complexity of the change initiative, as well as the size and culture of the organization. However, there are a few methods that can be used to help companies determine their investment:
- Cost-Benefit Analysis: A cost-benefit analysis can be used to determine the potential return on investment for change management communications. This involves estimating the costs associated with the change initiative, such as the cost of creating and distributing communications materials, and comparing them to the potential benefits, such as increased employee engagement and productivity.
- Communication Audit: A communication audit can be used to identify gaps in current communication practices and determine the resources needed to fill those gaps. This can include identifying target audiences, assessing the effectiveness of current communication channels, and determining the frequency and timing of communications.
- Stakeholder Analysis: A stakeholder analysis can be used to identify key stakeholders and their communication needs. This can include identifying who needs to be informed, who needs to be involved, and who needs to be consulted during the change initiative.
- Communication Planning: A communication plan is an important tool for managing change. This plan should include the objectives, target audience, key messages, channels, and timelines for communication. It should also include the resources needed to execute the plan.
- Evaluation and monitoring: it’s important to evaluate the effectiveness of the change management communications, and to monitor the change initiative to ensure that it is on track. This can include measuring employee engagement, productivity, and turnover, as well as tracking the progress of the change initiative.
Ultimately, the time and money invested in change management communications should be proportional to the size and complexity of the change initiative and should be aligned with the company’s overall goals and budget.
About Inward
Inward Strategic Consulting is a 26-year-old management/creative consulting firm that helps clients achieve high performance by developing comprehensive business strategies and cultures aligned with their goals, processes, and resources. They specialize in internal/external branding strategies, change management, brand purpose, and market research. They offer proprietary methodologies such as Visioneering, Inward Marketing, Dialogue Marketing, Best Practice and Benchmarking, and Qualitative and Quantitative Market Research. They have worked with Fortune 100 companies including Walmart, McDonald’s, Aetna, City of Hope, and many others.
Allan Steinmetz CEO
