Change management is inevitable in any aspect of life and so is in business. Change management can be beneficial or non-beneficial but in most cases, the latter turns out to be positive. Change management is effected through a number of ways and each is applicable depending on the situation in which change is to be conducted. As a project manager, the belief is that the proposed initiative would be more successful if a change manager is incorporated into the team. The paper narrows down its focus on an argument presenting the importance of change management and the role of a change manager in a project as well as how the latter will benefit the project.
Importance of Change Management
Finch (2012) outlines that change management enables thriving in an ever-changing world given that organizations are facing more complex, faster, and cross-functional change than any change witnessed before. The adaptability of an organization to multiple changes enables the achievement of a strategic vision in the changing landscape witnessed today. The application of change management enables delivery of results and building competencies to grow the capacity of the organization in tackling more changes but one at a time.
Change management delivers the people’s dependents portion of the project’s return on investment. Kelley (2016) explains that changes are effected to improve organizational performance through the operational teams. Improvement comes from installing new solutions but much of the expected performance and benefit is tied to changing the mode employee’s conduct their jobs. Change management allows capturing the adoption process and delivering on the project’s return on investment through focusing on how the organization’s stakeholders carry out their jobs.
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The gap between the requirements and results of any project is narrowed easing the path of achieving the success of the latter. Most often, change meets requirements without delivering on the expected outcomes. Change management focuses on the solution to challenges of an organization or the project rather than the benefits of the solution. Change management focuses on the change desired through putting an emphasis on the people’s aspect, such as employees, or team members to be the major asset for which the change is to be achieved. Therefore, the existing gap between the project requirement and results, outcome and outputs as well as solutions and benefits is significantly narrowed (Finch, 2012). Through change management, the gap is closed through equipping and supporting individual success as a way of bringing life to work.
Equally, as Kelley (2016) notes, change management increases the likelihood of a project’s success. A better application of change management enables proper delivery of project objectives. Initiatives having an excellent change management increase the chances of delivering the project deliverables six times better than those without. Therefore, an effective application of change management significantly increases the efforts of the success of a project.
Likely, change management creates a smooth work process and eases the tension related to an organizational project. Most often, an organization through its employees resists the occurring changes. Change management becomes the formal way of communicating to employees as it communicates the importance associated with the specific change as well as how the change will be implemented in a way that no interruptions or distractions occur to any of the stakeholders in the process. Maintaining the flow of information throughout the beginning to the end of the change smoothen the transition and equally shortens the time that the change is to be implemented (Finch, 2012). Change management creates an open-minded environment where employees become more open to change while positively engaging in the process to ensure success in the long run.
Role of a Change Manager
A change manager plays a key role in making the members meet the project’s objectives on time and within the planned budget through increasing their adoption to the change process. Dettwiller (2012) points out that the change manager focuses on the people’s aspect of change through familiarizing to the changes in the project’s processes, member’s role as well as the involved structure put in place. The primary responsibility becomes creating and implementing strategies and plans of change management through maximizing on employee adoption while minimizing resistance to the change process. Therefore, advocating for higher proficiency and utilization with changes impacting the employees. The proposed improvements increase value creation, benefits realization, ensures a high return on investments and facilitating achievement of results and outcomes of the project. The change manager facilitates the latter through the following.
Applying a structured methodology and leading the activities involved in change management. The manager is in a position to scan and evaluate the best methodology applicable to the project, therefore, applying tools appropriate to create a strategy that will enable the employees adapt to the change required by the project.
Through supporting the efforts of communication through designing and developing the project tools to all stakeholders. Communication is a significant determinant of the success of the project as it keeps all stakeholders informed and minimizes errors that might be incurred while carrying out the project. Communication also creates an environment that fosters success as it facilitates understanding of the project variables.
Lastly, change manager supports training efforts by providing input, document requirements and supporting the delivery and design of the training programs. Through training, members become fully equipped with knowledge, expertise and resources needed for the project. Therefore, ensuring a projects’ success as the major aspects have been put into considerations.
Conclusion
Change management can be facilitated in numerous ways. However, change management is crucial and needs to be paid attention to. The latter is important to any project or organization due to several reasons as highlighted in the paper. Nevertheless, a project manager is essential in the phase of the project, as through the individual, the change management process can be carried out in a smoothened and eased way. A project manager is equipped with knowledge and expertise needed in carrying out projects and enabling projects’ members or employees adapt to the latter.
References
- Dettwiler, P. (2012). The Change Management Challenge in Growth Firms. Facilities Change Management, 16(4), 42-56. doi:10.1002/9781119967316.ch4
- Finch, E. (2012). Facilities Change Management in Context. Facilities Change Management, 8(2), 1-16. doi:10.1002/9781119967316.ch1
- Kelley, B. (2016). Project and Portfolio Management Are about Change. Charting Change, 28(3), 193-204. doi:10.1057/9781137536976_17
