Organisational change-readiness

In a technology-driven, globalised world, change is a given, as is the accelerating pace of that change. Many pay lip service to the idea that change is a necessary part of modern organisations, yet the reality can be different; often there is a palpable sense of fatigue from staff when yet another initiative for change is announced.

Success in change initiatives hinges on recognising that the fatigue is real, acknowledging it as a psychological state, and putting the human aspects of change at the forefront of organisational effort.

IES is a thought leader on change and change-readiness. We provide organisations with practical guidance on ways and methods to cope with change, and how and where best to deploy them for maximum benefit in both current changes and in change-readiness for an unpredictable future.

Our research highlights the importance of collaboration with, and among, key stakeholders and leaders to develop and craft a vision for any change. Communication is essential to establish an effective, persuasive discourse that demonstrates the importance of a change initiative and makes it clear why it matters for everyone in the organisation. In a changing world, this can be the key to thriving, not just surviving.

Contact: Alison Carter

Our work in this area

What is organisational change-readiness?

Organisational change-readiness concerns an organisation’s preparedness to manage and thrive in an unpredictable environment of change. A change-ready organisation puts into practice the three key concepts of organisational resilience, learning orientation and adaptability. IES research shows that together these three concepts lead to better performance outcomes.

It is not easy to put these three key concepts into practice. We help our clients by supporting their specific organisation design, development and change initiatives. We collect and analyse baseline data, and advise on the measures most likely to be useful indicators for the success of any change interventions.

We also help in shifting organisational culture and assessing overall readiness for change. We achieve this through support for visioning and shaping the change initiative, building culture change capability workshops and leadership development activities.

Effective leadership and change

Effective leadership during large-scale, complex change is an important capability for organisations.

Leaders in change-ready organisations exhibit mindful behaviours which have a ‘snowball effect’ on their wider organisation. These leaders are continuous learners, engage with stakeholders at all levels, encourage organisational ambidexterity, and create alignment and adaptability.

We can help senior leaders think through how best to envision these changes and then help them rise to the challenge of how best to contextualise their vision to meet local needs. We help senior leaders to analyse the features of any particular situation, and to encourage vested interest at the local system level.

We achieve this through a ‘critical friend’ role to in-house change teams and leads, and by designing workshops for volunteer change champions.