How Can Change Management Programme Failure Be Prevented?

In today’s business world, organisations have to deal with rapid changes. Advancing and developing technology, globalisation, and challenging economic environments mean that organisations continually have to adapt to ensure that their business survives. Many companies can struggle in this environment, and it is the organisations which adapt the quickest, whilst maintaining their levels of service, reputation, and profits are usually the ones which overtake their competitors and build profits. Throughout these changes, all levels in the company must adapt and learn how to keep the business running smoothly.

As a result many organisations set up change management programmes to enable the business to control every aspect of the business as the new changes occur. A change management programme can help businesses to succeed, with project managers devising strategies for minimising risk, maximising success, and monitoring progress throughout the changes.

Yet it’s acknowledged that approximately 2 in 3 change management programmes fail in some way. What can be done to minimise the risk of your company failing?

It is thought that one of the most common reasons why a change management programme fails is poor project managers. In the face of change, project managers who are highly trained, skilled, and knowledgeable in PRINCE2 methodology can have the expertise and skills to put systems in place to ensure the programme is successful.

Change can be difficult to manage, and one of the first aspects to consider when you are implementing change in your business is the workforce. Throughout this time your members of staff can often be taken out of their comfort zones, and enforcing change when they may not understand why the change is necessary can lead to the failure of projects. Having highly trained and knowledgeable project managers leading the programme can help to motivate change in your employees and inform them why the change is necessary which can lead to genuine motivation in staff. This can result in a successful change management programme which exceeds expectations and brings multiple benefits with longstanding results.

With this in mind, organisations need change management programmes in place that are led by skilled and experienced project managers who can assess and identify changes within the business and put measures in place to control them. One way of ensuring that your organisation weathers the changes is to have a controlled, consistent, and structured system in place, with all members of staff working to a common goal.

Having PRINCE2 accredited project managers leading the change management programme can help ensure that the process is controlled, organised and structured, helping your organisation to thrive through the changes. The key features and benefits of PRINCE2 include a focus on business justification, a defined organisation project management structure, and an emphasis on separating the project into controllable and manageable stages. These qualities can help ensure the success of a change management programme – trained in PRINCE2, project managers can offer consistent and controlled leadership which can be vital in successfully managing change management programmes.

Furthermore, project management consultant and mentor Geoff Reiss believes that project managers also need to have the confidence to close projects if necessary. He told Media Planet that:

“We need to get a lot stronger at challenging bad projects and shutting them down before they cost companies or the tax payer even more money.”

Having managers in place who are knowledgeable of both the field and project management can help to minimise risk and ensure success in business.

With 2 in 3 change management programmes failing, ensuring that managers are effectively trained to lead projects can be vital in ensuring that your business isn’t one whose change management programme fails, but instead is one who succeeds and profits in the face of change.

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