It's no secret that organizational change management (OCM) is a critical component of any digital transformation initiative. In fact, many experts believe that OCM is the key to success when it comes to successfully transitioning to a more efficient digital business model. But what exactly is the impact of OCM on digital transformation? And how can you ensure that your organization's OCM program is effective in supporting your digital transformation efforts? Let's explore these questions and provide some guidance on how to ensure that your OCM program helps rather than hinders your digital transformation initiatives.

Digital transformation is all about organizational change. At its core, digital transformation is about changing the way your organization does business in order to better compete in the digital era. This means adopting new technologies, processes, and organizational structures that are designed to help you operate more effectively and efficiently in a digital world. Organizational change management is all about helping employees successfully adopt a new normal, and it's incremental to the success of any type of business pivot.

There are many reasons why OCM is so important to digital transformation.

1. Digital transformations are often very complex initiatives that touch every aspect of the organization. This means that there are a lot of moving parts and a lot of people who need to be involved in order for the initiative to be successful. The right approach to change management ensures a higher level of alignment both on the lateral, executive level and the vertical, organizational level.

1. Digital transformations require employees to adopt new technologies and/or processes that are outside of their comfort zones. OCM helps to ease this transition by providing training and support that employees need in order to feel comfortable with the changes. It also serves as the foundation of mitigating resistance to change, which is an inevitable factor of any transformation process.
2. Digital transformations can be disruptive to organizational culture. OCM can help to minimize this disruption by helping employees understand and buy into the change. It can also serve as the gateway to instilling a more adaptive, change-friendly culture that has been proven to stand the test of time.

In order for an organizational change management strategy to be effective, it needs to be properly planned and executed. To hit the nail on the head, you need to first do an organizational readiness assessment. An organizational readiness assessment will help you to understand where your organization is at in terms of readiness for change. Once you have a good understanding of this, you can develop an OCM plan that is tailored to the specific needs of your organization.

Your assessment should start with a survey to gauge the company's trust in leadership, perceived company culture, and overall resistance or excitement for change. These are key indicators of organizational readiness that will help you to develop an OCM strategy that is tailored to your organization's needs.

Once you have a good understanding of organizational readiness, you can start to develop your OCM plan. Your plan should include a communications strategy, training and development programs, and change management processes.

Communication Strategy

Your communication strategy should be designed to help employees understand the digital transformation initiative and what it means for them. It should also help to build buy-in and support for the initiative. To do this, you need to ensure that your communications are clear, consistent, and frequent.

You also need to make sure that you are communicating with employees at all levels of the organization, in all formats and channels. This means the same messages should go out through various different formats.

Training and Development Programs

Your training and development programs should be designed to help employees understand and use the new technologies and processes that are being adopted as part of the digital transformation initiative. It is important to provide employees with adequate training so that they feel comfortable using the new tools and processes. Otherwise, they will likely resist the change.

Change Management Process

Change management processes are designed to help employees successfully adopt the new normal. These processes should be designed to fit the specific needs of your organization based on what you find in your initial organizational assessment. By taking the time to properly plan and execute your OCM program, you can ensure that your digital transformation initiative is successful.

Digital transformation is a complex process that requires organizational change management to be successful. By taking the time to assess organizational readiness and develop a tailored OCM plan, you can ensure that your digital transformation initiative is successful.

If your organization is going through a business or digital transformation, don't hesitate to reach out to us. Our team of certified change management experts are here as a resource to help you spearhead the new normal and ensure your team acclimates to change with content.