Aussie organisations need to embrace change or risk failure

Australian organisations need to take a holistic approach when it comes to change management and business performance or risk their project failing.

That's according to Leigh Parsons, managing director of business performance specialists, State of Matter.

"When a business is in the process of moving to a new state, it goes through a series of phase transitions, which can be tough to navigate. Moving an organisation to a new state requires creativity, insight, persistence and empathy," he says. However, most organisations don't behave as predictably as that. Parsons puts this down to the fact that they are made up of people, with all the random, erratic, impulsive, stubborn, irrational behaviours for which our species is famous. 

"The human element of an organisation is often a secondary consideration to the technology when it comes to organisational change, but this is a mistake," he explains.

"In order for any technological change to be effective and successful, employee buy-in must be secured, otherwise the implementation will almost certainly fail."    He explains that building a successful change management strategy that will achieve optimum business performance requires an organisation to possess a strong insight into how the change will be received by its employees.  "While businesses need to show some empathy and consideration of their employees when it comes to organisational change, particularly change that requires a radical departure from the way things are currently done, they must also show persistence and emphasise that these changes are for the betterment of all concerned," says Parsons. "Change is a universal constant, in the physical world, and in the life cycle of a business. Therefore, organisations need to face up to the reality that change must be embraced, and prepare their employees for it accordingly."