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The hard reality: no success without a soft landing

Whether it's implementing an IT system, a new way of working or an adjusted organizational structure, implementing change is complex. Nowadays, we constantly face change, and adopting it is one of the biggest challenges for organizations. Successful change is possible. But what is the secret? And more importantly, how do you ensure a sustainable result? One where employees remain engaged and truly embrace the change. In this blog, we dive into the key challenges and success factors of Change Adoption.


Finding the balance

It starts with the right balance between the ‘hard’ (e.g. strategy, processes and systems) and ‘soft’ (e.g. behavior, culture and leadership) aspects of change. The hard side is easy. These aspects are measurable, explicit and often documented. Easy to adjust, therefore. In contrast, the soft side is generally more challenging. After all, these factors are much more difficult to measure, often implicit or abstract and open to multiple interpretations. It is also often thought that the soft side will follow if the hard side is well-arranged. As a result, organizations focus on the hard side of change but leave the soft side as it is. Understandable, but unwise.


The hard reality is that most changes fail on the soft side. While carefully working out your strategy, objectives and (new) processes form a solid foundation, the actual realization of change largely depends on how the change is received by employees. Whether they ultimately act according to the intended change is the most crucial factor for sustainable success. Two things are essential here: managing resistance and creating engagement. How do you do that?


fluffy white feather standing diagonally on office desk

Dealing with resistance and creating engagement

One thing is certain; change comes with resistance. Fear of change, misunderstanding of the new direction, or negative experiences from the past are just a few examples. But you know what? Resistance is good news! It is a valuable signal of engagement, and the critical perspective helps to refine the approach and change initiative further. So, map out the sentiments among employees, make explicit what bothers them - and discuss it. If you manage to get to the core, the cause, this gives you unique information that you can use to make the change a success. So, see resistance as an opportunity to engage in dialogue with employees and let them contribute to the change.

Get two birds with one stone: By engaging in dialogue and letting employees contribute, you also create engagement. This engagement leads to results that are more supported and more sustainable.


Putting it into practice

What can you do in practice to deal with resistance and create engagement? In our Change Adoption approach, we guide the entire change, from start to finish. In each phase, there are elements you can use to deal with resistance and create engagement. Here’s a sneak peek:


  • We always start with a compelling change story, shared from the very first moment according to a clear communication plan. Because let’s be honest, you also want to understand the why, how and what behind a change, right?

  • Next, we initiate energetic workshops and training sessions to equip employees with the skills the change requires of them.

  • We continuously engage in dialogue with employees, through a chatbot and/or conversations, as this provides us with information about the sentiments and needs within the organization.

  • By deploying ambassadors, employees within the organization who can take the lead for the rest, we create an internal driving force that pulls other employees over the line.

  • And when we achieve the first results, we celebrate them well, because acknowledging successes motivates to keep going.


Is your organization facing a major change? Or are you already in the middle of it? Then don’t overlook a soft landing. Otherwise, the change will fail due to employee behavior that hasn’t adapted. As a Transformation Team, we understand this and help your organization successfully implement change.


Authors:

Martine Dellemann

Daan 't Gilde  



Do you want to ensure a soft landing? Get in touch



Peter Hardy

Director Transformation

T: +31650929204

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