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Change Management

Organizational changes often bring a mix of early adopters and skeptics. For a change to succeed, everyone involved must transition from the current state, through a transitional phase, and ultimately to the desired future state. When considering the implementation of any of the suggested changes in your office, it’s essential to understand and plan for the impact this change will have on individual employees. These change management strategies are intended to help foster adaptation and engagement within your team and are important for the success of new workplace strategy. Whether making a minor shift to adding an internal space optimization committee or implementing a larger change like shifting from all private workstations to shared coworking space, all adjustments inevitably impact employees. By applying change management principles, you can help your team navigate the transition smoothly.”

Creating a Plan

A successful change management plan begins with two critical considerations:

  1. the “why” for the organization and
  2. the WIIFM (“what’s in it for me”) for employees.
  • The Organizational “Why”: Clearly articulate why your department would benefit from transitioning to coworking spaces. Identify specific goals, such as improved space utilization, enhanced collaboration, or increased flexibility, to demonstrate the rationale behind the change.
  • WIIFM: Consider how this change will positively impact employees. Highlight benefits such as more dynamic work environments, greater flexibility, or improved access to resources.

Easing your team into change is vital, and following the Prosci ADKAR model can provide a structured approach:

  • Awareness: Inform your teams that you are exploring the coworking model.
  • Desire: Communicate the WIIFM to help employees understand how the change benefits them.
  • Knowledge: Share detailed implementation plans, addressing how the transition will occur.
  • Ability: Ensure employees understand expectations and are equipped to make the necessary changes. Allow ample time—at least six weeks from initial awareness communications—to align everyone before the official rollout.
  • Reinforcement: Build systems to sustain the change and maintain momentum.

To reinforce the transition effectively, Operational Excellence recommends two strategies:

  1. Celebrate Successes and Share Results: Highlight positive outcomes and employee testimonials in regular updates, such as weekly or bi-weekly emails. Examples of success could include improved collaboration or greater flexibility. Recognizing achievements fosters continued buy-in and encourages adoption.
  2. Collect Regular Feedback and Make Adjustments: Gather input through surveys, interviews, or focus groups to evaluate policies and identify areas for improvement. Demonstrating responsiveness to feedback reinforces trust and underscores your commitment to creating a coworking model that benefits everyone.

By celebrating successes and integrating employee feedback, you can ensure the transition to coworking spaces becomes a sustainable and valued part of your organization’s culture.

If you would like help with creating a change management plan, Operational Excellence offers a change management training through Carolina Talent once per semester and office hours where you can schedule an appointment to receive feedback.