Welcome to the third installment of our change management series. In part one, we explored the reasons people resist change, while part two examined how different generations respond to change. Despite some differences, we found that strong leadership, effective communication, and a clear understanding of the reasons for change are universally critical in overcoming resistance.

In this article, we’ll focus on practical strategies organizations can use to help employees embrace new technologies and mitigate resistance to change. Whether you’re introducing a new workforce management system or any other technology, these steps will help guide your transition.

Communicate a Clear Vision and Benefits

One of the biggest reasons employees resist change is uncertainty about the benefits. Why would they want to disrupt familiar processes without good reason?

To overcome this, it’s vital to clearly communicate both the vision and benefits of the new technology.

• Connect it to the broader company goals. Employees need to see how their role fits into the bigger picture and how the new technology helps achieve these objectives.
• Show personal benefits. Especially for frontline employees, it’s essential to emphasize how the new tool will directly improve their daily tasks, such as speeding up workflows or making their jobs more meaningful.

Failing to explain the relevance of the technology could have consequences. Research from Gartner shows that 63% of employees stop using technology they feel is irrelevant to their work.

Key Takeaways:

• Use multiple channels to communicate, including meetings, emails, and informal discussions.
• Tailor messages to specific departments or employee groups to make the benefits feel personal.

Get Leadership on Board

A lack of support from leadership can derail even the best change initiatives. For employees to buy into the change, they need to see their leaders fully committed.

Steps to ensure leadership support:

• Visible leadership involvement: Executives and managers should be vocal advocates for the new technology, reinforcing its importance and demonstrating its use.
• Lead by example: Leaders should actively use the technology themselves to signal their buy-in. This builds trust among employees and encourages them to follow suit.
• Create a Leadership Communication Plan: Develop a structured plan where leadership regularly communicates updates, celebrates wins, and addresses concerns. This keeps everyone aligned and reassures employees that the change is under control.
• Train Leaders: Provide specialized training for leadership on change management strategies, so they are well-equipped to support their teams during the transition.

Involve Employees in the Change Process

Change initiatives are more likely to succeed when employees are involved from the start. In fact, Gartner research shows that involving employees can increase the success rate of change initiatives by 15%.

Ways to engage employees:

Here are some options for getting employees involved:

• Create cross-functional teams: Representatives from various departments can test the new technology and provide feedback, becoming advocates for the rest of the company.
• Pilot programs: Roll out the new technology to a small group first. Early adopters can then help address concerns and promote the benefits.
• Feedback loops: Encourage employees to provide feedback during the process. Make adjustments where possible based on this input.

Provide Comprehensive Training and Support

Proper training is essential to easing technology adoption. Without it, employees may feel overwhelmed or underprepared, leading to increased resistance.

A 2024 report by Whatfix found that 33% of employees received less than an hour of training during a software implementation, and 78% felt they lacked the expertise to fully utilize the technology. These numbers highlight how crucial comprehensive training is to success.

Best practices for training and support:

• Role-based training: Tailor training to specific roles so that employees only learn what’s most relevant to their day-to-day tasks.
• Ongoing learning opportunities: Offer refresher courses and resources that employees can access whenever they need support.
• Create a support network: Establish ‘super users’ who are well-trained on the new technology and can offer peer-to-peer assistance.

Make the Change Incremental

Change can be overwhelming if introduced all at once. A more effective approach is to break the process into manageable steps, allowing employees to gradually adjust to the new system.

Phased Implementation: Start with the most critical features or roll out the system department by department. This allows employees to familiarize themselves with the new technology without feeling overwhelmed.

Iterative Improvements: Collect feedback throughout the implementation process and make adjustments as needed. This shows employees that their input is valued and helps ensure the transition runs smoothly.

Use Data to Drive Adoption

Data is your ally in monitoring how well the new technology is being adopted and where additional support may be needed. Tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) provides concrete evidence of the benefits, encouraging employees to stay engaged.

Metrics to track include:

• Usage and performance: Measure how frequently employees are using the system and how efficiently they complete tasks.
• Engagement rates: Track how often employees log in, how long they spend in the system, and which features they use.
• Productivity gains: Monitor improvements in workflow efficiency and reduced manual tasks.
• Employee satisfaction: Gather feedback to see how the new technology impacts job satisfaction.

Keep employees informed about these metrics, especially early wins that demonstrate how the technology is helping.

Anticipate and Pre-empt Resistance

Lastly, anticipating resistance and planning for it can make a world of difference. Conduct a stakeholder analysis to identify potential objections from different groups and prepare targeted strategies to address their concerns.

Also use data to identify where employees are struggling. If certain departments or individuals are lagging in adoption, this may indicate a need for additional training or support.

Metrics to identify struggles include:

• Low adoption rates in specific departments or teams
• High error rates or frequent support tickets from particular user groups
• Longer task completion times compared to benchmarks or pre-implementation data
• Underutilization of key features
• Negative feedback or low satisfaction scores from specific groups.

By being proactive, you can minimize issues before they escalate.

Motivation, Ability & Prompts

In the first part of this series, we looked at the Fogg Behavior Model, a popular theory that explains the components of behavior and how to leverage them to create change.

Throughout this article, we’ve discussed several tactics that align with the model. For example, communicating the benefits will boost motivation, while providing training and support, and implementing change incrementally, target the ‘ability’ part of the equation. Making sure support resources are easily accessible is another key.

As for prompts, use reminders and notifications within the new system (or through other channels) to encourage regular use. Use email campaigns or other forms of internal communication to share tips, updates, and reminders about the technology, and use the ‘super users’ mentioned earlier to provide peer-to-peer prompts.

Conclusion

Overcoming resistance to technology adoption doesn’t happen overnight, but with the right strategies, it’s possible to ease the transition. To summarize:

• Communicate the benefits clearly and consistently.
• Get leadership actively involved and supportive.
• Engage employees in the change process.
• Provide thorough, ongoing training.
• Implement the change incrementally, and use data to guide adoption.

At MANUS, we specialize in helping organizations manage workforce changes smoothly with our cutting-edge software solutions. Contact us today to see how we can help you make your next technological transition a success.