Change Management

This month, we build on the change-management concepts introduced in September’s column ("Change Management, Part 1," www.plantservices.com/articles/2008/182.html). The typical change initiative success rate is quite poor. It’s critical to get attention from senior management and buy-in from workers. A potential weak point is the process you use. In some cases, a change is viewed as a technical move rather than a strategic move, and the human factor is ignored. Other times, a company won’t provide the time or resources needed to set the stage for acceptance. Change also can fail because there’s no formal process that describes the necessary steps.