Types of Change Management
Ever been a little bit confused about the different types change management? Don’t worry, me to! There are many versions that are often grouped under the same term, Change Management, but there are some fundamental differences between them. So, this blog is here to outline and explain the four main types to clear everything up for you.
But first, what is change management? This to is often unclear, I’ve been in numerous social situations where I’ve been asked what I do, which then leads to a few blank faces and an explanation is needed.
According to the dictionary the Change Management definition is:
And this describes it pretty well, but a more rounded definition would be:
Change management facilitates the people side of change, this includes a focus on preparing (Build), creating awareness (Excite) and supporting (Equip) individuals to successfully adopt any change that may be happening within their organisation, department or team.
Wondering what Build, Excite, Equip is? Check out our simplified Change Management Methodology that can be applied to any of these types of change management. BEE Adopt
The Four Types of Change Management
Organisational
Potentially the most commonly known organisational change management is where an organisation, as a whole, is going through a structural, cultural or infrastructural change.
An example: A company restructure where they change the whole organisational structure.
Acquisitions and Mergers
This is when a change will happen due to the joining of what were previously two companies into one. Whether that be a company that has brought another company, Acquisitions or a company is combining with another company, Mergers. Here there will need to be changes to departments, teams, hierarchies, processes, and software’s to name a few, all of which the people side of change needs to be carefully managed.
An example: A larger company being merged with a smaller company, what changes need to be made for them to fit in?
Business
Business change management is when there is a change to the businesses processes or operations to benefit the businesses goals and aspirations.
An example: Streamlining the sales quotation process within a company.
Transformation
Transformation change management is where a product or software is being put in place that will have an impact on someone’s day to day role. This is mostly technical changes.
An example: The migration and roll out of Microsoft 365.
Change Management Sub-Types
Within all of these change management types, there are three sub-types of change, these are:
Adaptive/Developmental Change
When the changes are small and evolve over a longer period of time to improve business strategies and processes.
e.g. Enhancement Projects
Transformational
When change is happening on a larger scale, it cannot be 1-1 mapped between the current and future states, often the future state is not known in detail but there is a vision that is driven by underlying beliefs and values.
e.g. Programmes of work
Transitional
When you are replacing something that already exists with that is new and different to the current state and can be visualized in detail before the change starts.
e.g. Projects
Even though these forms are different, the method to deliver a successful adoption of the given change can follow the same approach.
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