It can be alarming to learn that 70% of all change initiatives tend to fail, according to Forbes. As an IT department that wants to use the most superior software to streamline your application and IT asset performance, this can be frustrating. Change management exists between change development and deployment, and it helps to control the outcomes of the initiatives.
Without the employees championing any new transformations you desire for your IT infrastructure, they are poised for failure. Sadly, employee resistance tends to be among the top reasons for failure in change management. One aspect that can, however, improve the success rates of your initiatives would be to deploy IT transformations in the perfect time.
Here is why timing means everything when looking to make changes in your IT infrastructure:
Excessive Change Leads To Change Fatigue
The IT world is ever dynamic. From security threats to application performance tweaks, change is inevitable. With change, however, comes the need to document and implement the initiative. Often, technology such as change management software helps in the management of these initiatives, but they can only be effective enough if the change is done with some form of restraint.
You might want to have the latest IT infrastructure, but is your IT team and current infrastructure ready to handle it. If your team has to handle different transformations on a daily basis, they will eventually develop change fatigue. This will lead to them being too tired to both champion more transformations and implement the recent ones.
Eventually, They Will Resist
The last thing you want working against your change management effort is your workforce since they are the same people who will champion it. Oftentimes, employees will resist it if they find that an initiative gets on their way to be productive enough. For instance, if a security tweak will mean that it will take longer to access data, they will find ways to circumvent the tweak. This exposes you to a diversity of security risks.
Additionally, when employees get to the level of change fatigue, they will turn a blind eye to any new changes that you introduce to the organization. The trick is to introduce the initiatives in phases.
It’s All about Balancing Patience and Knowledge
Yes, all the initiatives that you plan for your IT assets might be for the better of the organization, but they do not all have to come at the same time. To determine the best time to bring forth change into the organization, you need to combine both patience and knowledge. What will the change mean to the company and how will people perceive it?
It makes sense to conduct enough research on the impact of any disruptive initiative you wish to indulge in and at the same time document this information. Next, weigh between any two initiatives and determine the most appropriate at the current time. Once you introduce it, be patient enough for your workforce to get accustomed to it before introducing the next initiative.
Assess Employee Morale
Just like timing, employee morale can make or break your change management efforts. For change to be effective enough, employees need to be on the same page and see the wider picture of the change. In case you are introducing a new mobile device management policy, employees need to holistically understand why it is important. Otherwise, your initiative will fail.
This is where change communication comes in. You need to shift the morale of the employees into one that supports the change to improve the success rate of the change. Take time to address any issues that they may have to prevent resistance.
Conclusion
Take too long to make a change or do it too abruptly and you will increase the chances of failure. The timing has to be perfect to ensure that the IT infrastructure changes you make improve the performance of your assets as well as improve security. Assess your organization’s current situation to improve the chances of success of your change initiatives.
