All stakeholders – ranging from owners to construction contractors – are well aware of the fact that any introduction of process change into a project can lead to challenges in project execution. It could also quite possibly hinder the project’s overall success.
Change, when not handled competently, can interfere with the flow of work, cause unintended delays, lead schedules to slip, and increase costs. For organizations to understand this and adopt new capital improvement technology, the reason for the change and vision must be communicated throughout the organization, and supported from the top down.
There needs to be a process where everyone in the organization – from the leaders to the subordinates – understands why the change is being implemented in the first place. They need to be told in simple and direct terms about how this change will allow them to do their jobs more efficiently.
The OnIndus team believes in a systematic approach to handling change in any organization, and it passes through the 7Rs of change management.
Principles of Change Management
No organization can afford to stagnate and become obsolete due to the lack of adoption of new technology and standards. With it, come newer challenges, newer methodologies, and better ways to carry out important business functions that add up to gradual improvements over time. So change is inevitable. However, with every addition/modification in the system process that qualifies as change, you need to make contingency plans in case of failure and faulty integration.
The OnIndus team works with all our client teams through the process of change; allowing each one of them to feel involved, empowered, and most of all, to understand their roles in the transition.
OnIndus helps construction owners realize their PMIS investments by managing and integrating Construction management technology consultants for large capital projects.
There is a need to:
Understand Change
You could think about what the negative impact of not making the change would be. But all the stakeholders and people involved also need to feel confident that the new approach will be positively better and that there’s also a clear and defined route to get there.
Plan Change
Effective change doesn’t miraculously just happen on its own. There needs to be a plan for it and any plan you undertake or design has to be right for your organization. The way that change projects are managed cannot ever be the same for all organizations. Some plans have very rigid change methodologies, while others are more open and flexible in their approach.
Implement Change
So how exactly are you going to make change happen?
You need to be mindful of people’s feelings while trying to implement your plan. There are various stages that we all generally go through during organizational change, ranging from shock and denial to the final point where we’re fully invested in the new approach.
Communicate Change
Communication would play a significant role in Change Management. The change that you intend to put into practice has to be clear and relevant, so people understand what they are required to do and why they need to do it. But there needs to be a right tone to communicate this so that you manage to get the desired results which you’re hoping for.
Types of Organizational Change
Knowing the standard types of organizational change will help you approach the change project planning in a much better manner.
3 Types of Organizational Change
• Developmental Change: This change tries to improve upon something that is already being done, rather than creating something new.
• Transitional Change: This change is all about replacing the “old way” of doing something with a completely “new way” of implementation.
• Transformational Change: This organizational change varies from transitional change as it’s much more challenging because the future is unknown when the change project is commenced. For example, the outbreak of Covid-19 was an unprecedented change.
Popular Models for Managing Change
There are a lot of popular models for Change Management that are currently in practice across the construction industry in U.S. and abroad. However, the popular ones also prove to be the safest and most reliable options. Some of the well-known models for managing change are listed below.
• Lewin’s Change Management Model
• The McKinsey 7-S Model
• Kotter’s Theory
• Nudge Theory
• ADKAR Model for Change
• Bridges’ Transition Model
• Kübler-Ross’ Change Curve
• The Satir Change Management Model
• Maurer 3 Levels of Resistance and Change Model
• John Fisher change management model
Apart from these popular methods, OnIndus’ 7Rs of Change Management ensures that each stage of change is addressed effectively.
Also Read: 10 Best Organizational Change Management Strategies