Change Management Training - Online Course
The modern business world moves fast, and companies must evolve continuously to stay competitive. Some examples of organizational changes are the adoption of new technologies, mergers and acquisitions, and redesigning business processes. However, all these changes have a common denominator; employees must change how they work. This online course focuses on the human aspects of change management, which are just as important as the technical and financial aspects.
Without adequate management, change can be very disruptive for organizations. The following are some potential issues that may emerge when changes are abrupt:
- The new technology, organizational structure, or business process may not yield the expected results. In a worst-case scenario, a company can even become less competitive after the change.
- Employees may feel anxiety and frustration, with a negative effect on their productivity and job satisfaction. As a consequence, valuable talent may leave the organization.
- The project implementation costs and schedule may extend far beyond the original plan.
Change management has the goal of giving employees the resources and support they need when an organization experiences changes. The technical and financial aspects of change tend to get more attention, but the human component is equally important.
Resistance to change is part of human nature, but the same can be said of resilience and adaptability. With adequate support, members of a company can adopt changes successfully and with professional satisfaction. Since innovation is necessary to stay relevant in the modern business world, effective change management makes companies more competitive.
According to Gartner, the average organization has implemented five major changes in the past three years, and 75% expect more changes in the next three years. However, only 34% of changes are considered a clear success, while 16% have mixed results and 50% are considered failures. Change management can be considered a lucrative investment since it improves the results of other business initiatives.
Course Overview
Organizations need leaders who will guide them through changes, or otherwise they will not achieve the best possible results. As mentioned above, the human aspect is critical in any change, just like technical and financial elements. This course will help you avoid common mistakes during changes, while developing the following skills:
- Identifying the life cycle stages of organizational change
- Common responses to change, and how to manage them effectively
- Overcoming resistance to change
- Implementation process for change strategies
- Effective change communication
An organizational change is the sum of many individual changes. However, stress and disruption can be present even when changes are successful, and effective leadership is very important. Clear communication is critical in change management; when employees know what a change consists of, they can work towards that goal more efficiently.
The following are some barriers that can interfere with the change, and this course will provide recommendations to overcome them:
- Resistance to change as a part of human nature
- Rejection from employees who are affected by a change
- The business reason for the change is not clear, or it has not been communicated well
- Negative bias due to failed projects in the past
- Lack of trust in the team leading a change
- Lack of planning to ensure a smooth change
If two similar companies undergo the same changes, the final results can be very different depending on how human aspects are managed. The same change can increase or decrease profitability, and the experience can be positive or negative for employees.
Course Topics
- The cycle of change
- Typical responses to change
- Change leadership
- Implementation of change strategies
- Change communication and anchoring
- Case Studies
