Organizational Change Management (OCM) is an often neglected Business Process Management component. Processes need to be adopted to provide value, and OCM can significantly impact how the enterprise accepts changes or improvements to business processes.
The business landscape and the markets we play in are constantly in flux. A business needs to be able to change quickly and efficiently, including its business processes.
A key benefit of BPM is that it enables an organization to meet changing business needs agilely, implementing process changes quickly and efficiently.
There is often significant resistance to change. Organizational Change Management is a powerful BPM tool to help get people on board and moving in the same direction.
Organizational Change Management
OCM describes methods and techniques designed to help organizations prepare for and implement changes. OCM includes building awareness and support for the change, planning and implementing the change, and sustaining the change once implemented.
The implementation of new processes, or the reengineering of existing ones, can cause significant angst within a company. It's common knowledge that people don't like change and given we spend the bulk of our non-sleeping time at work, changes to the way work is a significant cause of stress.
That is why OCM is important to BPM; it helps address the human factors that are usually the number one reason change initiatives fail.
OCM is a well-understood discipline, and there are several methods an organization can adopt. Examples include; Kurt Lewin's 3-Step Change Model, John Kotter's 8-Step Process for Leading Change, and the Prosci ADKAR Model. Learn more in this article on BPM tools.
Why is OCM critical to Business Process Management?
The pace of change is accelerating, and process innovation is one of the best ways for organizations to keep pace.
Organizations are undertaking process digitization and digital transformation at an unprecedented rate. A recent report on technology spending identified digital transformation as the number one initiative on CIO's list.
Research has shown that as high as 75% of these transformation initiatives will fail, and resistance to change is cited as a significant reason.
Robust Organizational Change Management techniques can help mitigate the risk of failure.
Organizational Change Management Considerations
Consider these factors as part of your organizational change management approach:
- Understand how your change may affect other processes, teams, functions, or technology within your company.
- Keep your eyes open for change fatigue, which comes from what seems to be a never-ending onslaught of changes. Work with HR to develop programs to address this fatigue.
- Develop a network of "change champions" that can help drive and support organizational changes.
- Don't forget that BPM requires continuous process improvement, and OCM will continue to play an ongoing role as the processes evolve.
BPM brings with it continuous change. Utilizing OCM principles will allow you to keep awareness high, reduce negative impacts, minimize resistance, improve adoption and mitigate the risk of failure.
