Supporting Company Teams Through Change: 5 Tips from Digital Attitude

Today more than ever, it’s important to focus on change management has become a necessity—not only to adopt new technologies effectively and sustainably, but also as the lens and perspective through which to guide corporate strategy as a whole. Change, in fact, is a value, a cultural element, and an attitude to be cultivated in every aspect of an organization, down to the level of each individual.

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Therefore, to paint a complete picture of the actions to be taken, on the one hand there is the company as a whole—with its processes and technologies—while on the other hand there are the people with their ever-changing expectations and needs. However, these are not separate silos but rather elements in constant dialogue with one another, and it is important to address them in a comprehensive manner.

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While processes and technologies often receive the most attention, people sometimes risk being pushed into the background. On the contrary, people are the essential cornerstones of change processes; they have now become more aware, and thanks to digital technology, endless possibilities have emerged. In fact, phenomena such as the Great Resignation and “New Ways of Working” have highlighted just how important employee engagement —and even more so the employee value proposition—as well as retention strategies— but also, and above all, as strategies for attracting new talent in what is now, to all intents and purposes, a“war for talent.”

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In this complex yet fascinating scenario—one characterized by a constant search for balance and harmony—what strategies can we use as a starting point to collaboratively design paths toward change? How can we best support corporate teams while placing people’s experiences at the center?

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1. There can be no change without listening

Designing change means, first and foremost, listening. In fact, to design any change plan, it is necessary to identify the main pain points and needs of the organization, the stakeholders involved, and, above all, the people. These will form the basis for understanding how to implement change effectively and sustainably, grounding the strategy in real-world data that, on the one hand, enables effective change management and, on the other, allows for performance measurement from a data-driven perspective.

2. Small Habits for Big Changes

Marshall Golsmith , in his renowned book *Triggers*, highlights how behavioral change is one of the most difficult things to achieve. However, this complexity can become “simple and orderly” when broken down into small steps. Working on small tasks consistently, day after day, is the secret to achieving change goals that may initially seem truly complex.  An example of this strategy is focusing on employees’ small daily habits to generate a significant impact at the organizational and business levels.

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3. Change is a journey, not a destination

Planning for change doesn’t mean getting from point A to point B; rather, it means embarking on a journey where every element can be reevaluated, expanded upon, and adjusted “along the way.” Initiating change can be simple, but what’s truly important is making it sustainable over time—and to do that, you need to map out a journey where each step sets the stage for the next.

4. To make a change, you often need “a gentle nudge”

A powerful ally for change is nudging, which involves small “gentle nudges” that influence human behavior by steering it toward a specific action. This theory, combined with specific behavioral design interventions, makes it possible to modify behaviors and habits that are not conducive to change, while still preserving individual freedom of choice. These principles underpin, for example, the habit-inspiring platform technology, a white-label platform designed to generate unconventional sustainable and effective change within a company.

5. Communicate the change

Effectively communicating change is another truly essential element of any change project. Effective internal communication is a key factor in the success and sustainability of these types of projects. How can this be done effectively? First and foremost, it is essential to equip every employee in the company with the right tools and resources—especially when working remotely. At the same time, it is necessary to tailor communications to the specific audience: personalize messages, engage employees in a compelling way, pay close attention to tone of voice, and, finally, effectively measure the results of the communication plan.

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Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we must now “give people back their time”—that is, understand, and then put into practice, how to ensure flexibility for people within the new relationship between time and the workplace, while properly maintaining a healthy work-life balance in this context.

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