What to Know about Change Management Communication: Create a Change Communication Plan

Are you satisfied with the change management communication of your company? Could you still improve the communications efforts? According to WTW, 70% of change initiatives fail. Furthermore, only 43% of employees in 2023 thought their organization was good at managing change communications — a 17% drop from 2019.

In a time where transformation is rapidly changing the landscape of many industries, change management communication is more needed than ever. Managers and supervisors alike must master the art of successful change management and effective communication to help employees understand their ever-changing roles. Read on to discover everything you need to know about change management communications, including compiling your company’s change management and communication plan to ensure that your company will stay intact during periods of transition.

What is change management and change communication?

Change management refers to the structured plan taken to implement successful organizational changes. Meanwhile, effective communication in change management is an essential element of this plan. It ensures all employees understand the objectives and benefits of the changes being implemented. Therefore change management and change communications go hand-in-hand.

The goal of change management and change communications is simple: support all employees during times of change. That way, companies achieve the best outcomes possible. When an internal communications department nails the delivery of a change management communication plan, it retains employee engagement and keeps the productivity of team members high.

Overall, successful change management and communications plans achieve the following objectives:

• Engage Leadership and Stakeholders: Effective change communication actively involves leaders and key stakeholders so that they are supportive of the change. Their agreement is crucial for driving change forward and navigating successful change management.
• Outline the Organization’s Mission: Effective change management communication should clearly state the goals, mission, and values that guide the change process to maintain standards. Change management communication plans should unite a company and enforce its values.
• Reassure Employees & Ease Uncertainty: The real importance of communication in change management lies within calming and uniting an organization. This allows periods of transition to be met with minimal resistance, thus allowing changes to be successfully implemented.

Now that we’ve defined some aspects of change management communication plans, let’s examine their necessity before discovering how to construct the many components of this communication strategy.

The importance of communication in change management

Effective communication in change processes is vital to ensure that all employees understand the changes and how the changes impact them. Unfortunately, communicating organizational change is a delicate process. Therefore, successful change management communication plans are compiled with significant care.

Not providing enough information leads to tension within a company. However, improper change management communications can lead to panic. People could even jump ship if companies break trust. Meanwhile, without clear communication, misinformation and confusion can spread. Such failed practices all undermine the change initiative.

Effective change management communication should rally a company together. Failed communication efforts do just the opposite. Consider these numbers:

74% of leaders say they involved employees in creating a change strategy. However, only 42% of employees feel included in the change communication process.

Gartner for HR

What does this discrepancy mean? Well, the difference of opinion between employees and managers or middle managers can lead to a significant drop in employee performance. When team members feel undervalued or cut out of key communications, employee engagement drops.

In fact, Gallup found that there is a 70% variance in employee engagement among teams determined solely by the manager. This rather shocking statistic suggests that failed leadership communications efforts cost companies big time.

Change management communication really matters

To further outline the importance of communication in change management, let’s examine a few more statistics that shed some light on change management communication.

• Effective change management communication might be more important than you think. According to a study by Forbes, in the past decade the reason 31% of CEOs were fired is due to poor change management. That means that no position is immune to the pitfalls of communication failure.
• Gartner reports that 73% of employees affected by change report moderate to high stress levels. Developing a change management communication plan template for your organization to work from can significantly improve the employee experience, which then affects productivity and morale.
• Meanwhile, the National Center for Biotechnology Information recognizes the phenomenon of resistance to change — or RTC — and states that “employees’ negative attitudes and responses may prove harmful” in a paper published in 2021. Therefore, bungling change management communication can actually harm your employees.

Essentially, this all boils down to understanding that the way employee communications are handled has a significant impact on the happiness and productivity of a workforce and the success of a business. To have a positive and productive working environment, one must handle change management communication with foresight, attention, and care.

How to create a change management communication strategy in 10 easy steps

When it comes to how to communicate organizational change, the answer doesn’t involve spontaneously seeking a solution. Instead, communication in change management should always be well thought out. Creating a change management communications plan ensures that leaders have the necessary communication tools in place to facilitate successful change management.

A well-crafted change management communication strategy involves identifying key messages, selecting appropriate communication channels, and ensuring consistent and timely updates. This structured approach to communication in change processes helps align the organization and fosters a sense of inclusion among employees. So let’s break down the change management communication process below.

1. Assess the impact of change

Let’s look at the steps to make navigating your change management communication strategy more accessible. First, communication in change management involves a thorough impact analysis to understand how the change will affect different parts of the organization and employees. This involves:

• Evaluating departments: Identify which departments will be most impacted by the change and how their workflows could be transformed.
• Employee impact: Consider the day-to-day changes employees will experience and how these changes will affect their roles and productivity.
• Stakeholder analysis: Assess how key stakeholders and middle managers will be affected and what support they need to drive the change.

When it comes to assessing the change impact, account for all points of view.

2. Identify the key messages of your change communications

Next, your focus should be on key messages. Define the overall approach and objectives for your change communications. Ensure the key messages of your change management plan are clear, detailed, and defined. The objective is to alleviate uncertainty and create a calm working environment that can carry on through transition periods.

Successful communication efforts paint a clear and compelling vision for the future of the company post-change to help employees understand its direction and purpose. Present the key messages of the change communications plan, as well as the values of the organization, to employees. Therefore they understand the value, purpose, and objective of the change.

3. Create a communication plan

Ready to put things together? Communicating organizational change involves a comprehensive change management communication plan that outlines the sharing of information throughout the organization. Once you’ve outlined the key messages, you can next detail them in a comprehensive plan that provides clarity, structure, and timelines. Present a clear outline of the intended outcome of the change in your vision statement. This should include:

• Rationale: Explain why the change is necessary and the benefits it brings to the workforce.
• A clear values alignment: Demonstrate how the planned changes align with the organization’s mission and values.
• The impact on employees: Detail specific information on how the change will affect employees’ roles and responsibilities. This can include long-term and short-term disruptions and adjustments.

Additionally, you must provide a detailed timeline that outlines when and how often communications will occur. Also include the communication tools and platforms, such as an intranet or employee apps, that will be used. Lastly, be sure you let employees know how the changes will affect their day-to-day operations.

4. Select appropriate communications channels

Once you have your change management communication plan in place, it’s time to select the best communication channels to ensure maximum employee engagement. Remember, the goal is that all employees understand the changes being made. Consider the benefits of the various communication channels at your disposal. Let’s examine some top options:

• Employee apps: Used for instant updates and mobile accessibility
• Intranet: Provides a centralized location for detailed information and resources
• Employee email: Preferred for formal announcements and detailed explanations
• Face-to-face: Adds a personal touch for sensitive communications and immediate feedback

The question isn’t which communication channel to use but rather how you can utilize all of the options at your disposal to reach employees. Additionally, consider how you can customize your messages. Audience segmentation allows you to send messages to different groups to provide relevant updates to affected parties. Be sure to give the necessary information to relevant groups without overloading messages.

5. Provide training & support

A strategized change communication plan offers training programs and resources to help employees develop the skills and knowledge needed to adapt. One element of this is ongoing support. Have appropriate support resources in place as well, including FAQs, help desks, and support teams available for assistance to ease the change process.

Ongoing support includes training resources, such as workshops and online courses related to new processes and tools. You may also want to align specific training for certain departments, as well as managers and supervisors, to better support teams through the transition.

6. Establish feedback mechanisms

Successful change management efforts include setting up channels for employees to provide feedback. You must understand how employees are responding to the change endeavors. Feedback mechanisms can include:

• Surveys and polls: Regularly gauge employee sentiment and gather input
• Feedback forums: Host open forums or town hall meetings for real-time feedback
• Anonymous suggestions: Enable anonymous feedback to encourage honesty
• Middle managers: Use middle managers to collect and convey team feedback to leadership

But remember, don’t just gather feedback — act on it. Demonstrate that you value employee feedback. You should show how the feedback impacts the change management plan.

7. Monitor & measure progress

How successful was your change management plan? When it comes to change management communication best practices, teams should continuously monitor the progress of the change implementation and measure its impact by using key performance indicators (KPIs) to track success.

Be sure to develop specific metrics to measure the success of communication efforts. Create regular check-ins and periodic reviews to assess progress and make necessary adjustments. Additionally, use employee feedback to understand the effectiveness of the communication strategy.

8. Celebrate milestones & successes

When monitoring progress, it’s also important to provide timely updates about the change management plan progress. This includes more than just news, however, as there are many opportunities for recognition. Managers and supervisors should recognize and celebrate the achievements and milestones reached during the change process to boost morale and reinforce the positive aspects of the change.

The celebration might be as simple as public acknowledgment. Announcements in meetings or company-wide communications on mobile apps can give some much-deserved credit to appropriate parties. You can also consider implementing recognition programs or public rewards to offer incentives for significant contributions to the change effort.

9. Address resistance

You know the old saying: hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. Effective communication strategies include preparation for addressing things that are not accepted. Identify potential sources of resistance and develop strategies to best respond to them. To minimize resistance, provide transparent communication throughout the entire change communication process by clearly explaining the reasons behind the change and how it benefits the organization.

Plan listening sessions and meetings where concerns and questions can be voiced and addressed. Lastly, be sure to involve employees in the planning process and make changes based on their concerns, opinions, and ideas. It’s necessary to engage with resistant employees to understand their concerns and involve them in finding solutions in order to keep employee engagement high.

10. Maintain open communication

To close out building a change management communication plan, there is a final ongoing step to remember. Ensure that communication remains open and transparent throughout the change process. Regularly update employees on progress, challenges, and successes, utilizing effective communication tools and communication strategies. This consistent flow of information helps to maintain trust and keeps everyone aligned with the organization’s goals.

Regular updates through established channels are crucial. Transparency is key; share both successes and challenges honestly to build credibility. Additionally, encourage ongoing dialogue through engagement activities such as Q&A sessions, feedback forms, and open forums. These activities foster a sense of inclusion and allow employees to voice their concerns and suggestions, further supporting the change process and minimizing resistance.

Building a communication plan for change management

Many leaders seek a change management communication plan sample, as working from a change management communication plan template can minimize issues and streamline the communication process. Developing a change management and communication plan template to use for each period of transition will save time and support ongoing communications goals. Consider the following steps for compiling your change management communication plan template.

Sample change management communication plan template

By following and customizing the steps outlined in this change management communication plan template, you can create a change management communication plan that will have maximum impact in informing, inspiring, and reassuring your workforce during periods of transition.

Change management communication: Best practices & examples

Before we wrap things up, let’s examine some change management communication best practices. Here’s what a successful change management communication plan should look like in action.

1. Engage Leadership and Stakeholders:
   • Example: The change communication process directly involves leaders. They are informed about the process and they support the changes. This top-down approach ensures alignment and commitment at all levels.
2. Clear Vision and Key Messages:
   • Example: Key messages are clear and detailed, helping employees understand the direction and purpose of the change. They are presented with a compelling vision for the future state of the company post-change.
3. Use of Multiple Communication Channels:
   • Example: You leverage various communication channels, such as intranet updates, employee emails, and face-to-face meetings, to reach all employees effectively. This multi-channel approach ensures that information is accessible and comprehensible to everyone.
4. Feedback Mechanisms:
   • Example: You include surveys and feedback forums, as well as regular opportunities to voice concerns. Employees have plenty of opportunities to share their feedback. This two-way communication is used to adjust strategies and address issues promptly.
5. Training and Support:
   • Example: The workforce is provided with comprehensive training programs and resources. Employees have the necessary tools at their disposal to adapt to new changes. This might include workshops and online courses tailored to specific roles and departments.
6. Monitor and Measure Progress:
   • Example: There is continuous monitoring of the change management communication plan, using key performance indicators (KPIs) to track the effectiveness of communication efforts. Regular check-ins and reviews help in making necessary adjustments and improvements.
7. Celebrate Milestones:
   • Example: There is regular recognition and celebration of achievements during the change process to boost morale and reinforce positive aspects of the change. You can also implement company-wide acknowledgments and rewards for significant contributions.

Change management communication: building an action plan

The importance of communication in change management cannot be stressed enough. Periods of transition are sink or swim for many companies. To align an organization, you need healthy change management communication. Ultimately the true driver of organizational success is not the implemented plan, but the people who comprise the workforce. Effective change management communication should be educational, inclusive, and provided to the entirety of the workforce.

Staffbase’s newly launched Mission Control is an advanced communication management system created to revolutionize internal communications and meet the demands of change management communication. From centralized planning to enhanced collaboration to measurable impact metrics, Mission Control is designed to help organizations stay in control of their narratives and adapt strategies as needed through aligning communication efforts with company goals and initiatives.

By choosing Mission Control as a communications alignment system, you can:

• Plan and co-create your change management plan stages and steps
• Measure and course correct to stay on track and reach goals
• Provide full transparency, alignment, and connection for all workers

Ultimately, integrating best practices into your change management communication strategy can significantly improve the chances of successful reception and implementation. By engaging leadership, using clear and consistent messaging, leveraging multiple communication channels including employee apps, and maintaining open feedback mechanisms, companies can navigate through changes smoothly and maintain a positive working environment no matter the level of change.