Things to consider in change management planning

There’s nothing constant in this world, except change, so the cliché goes. However, there are changes that are worth the risk and there are also risks that are not that worthy at all.

Change can happen anytime throughout the operation or lifespan of a business.

In business, when you plan to affect change even in the smallest aspect of your industry, you need to thoroughly plan and study it. Lest, the change you affect may cause you your failure instead of your glory.

A change management plan is defined as the “roadmap” of the process how you perceive to affect the change, the purpose of the change and the goal of the change in your business. In Australian business practices, change management plan directly involves the subordinates and not just the senior management.

Here are the things you need to consider in change management planning. These things are interdependent with one another, thus, no one can tell which really is the most important of them all.

Reason for change management

Reasons vary depending on the business’s needs. Some implement change management to improve distribution and marketing. While others execute change management to improve employee performance or reduce operational cost. But overall, change management is done to increase profitability. Each reason for change management calls for different process in the execution of change management.

Costs and resources for change management

Some businesses undermine the cost and the resources for the implementation of their change management, when in fact, these should be the first and foremost to consider. After all, all the movements in a business, whether it be for improvement of the performance of the employees or other changes in the business process, have costs. Thus, it is important to know first the reason for change management to assume how much cost would it need in the process.

Timetable for change management

Some changes require a longer period of time to be implemented, while others require only months for the implementation. The timetable for change management is also one factor to consider for its cost. The longer the change management execution, the costly it would be, that’s the typical scenario. But it doesn’t mean that’s always the case. And the reason for change management could also be a factor in the timetable for change management or vice versa.

Divisions or personnel affected by the changes in the business process

This is the most crucial of all, but not necessarily the most important. Divisions or the personnel in particular are the heart of a business. Some personnel might be sensitive to change while the others are resistant to it. In the changing of business process, you need to consider the effects it could cause to some staff and also to your business. Effects which are possibly positive or negative, to your business or to your staff. However, if the business processes really have to be changed, the positive effects to your business are your sole priority and focus. After all, this is the reason why you are affecting the change in the first place.

This is the reason why a change management planning is required in all changes in business process. If you deem that there is a need to change in your business process you must have change management plan. Change management planning helps to control the negative effects to your business the change in business process is bringing.

In the change of business process, change management planning is vital to achieve your goal. However, these changing in business processes should have critical evaluation and assessment. Look at both sideways when you implement change. Don’t undermine the what ifs and what else in your decision-making.