change management case study with questions and answers

Short Case Study on Change Management

A short case study on change management can be very helpful in learning how to manage change effectively. In today’s business world, change is constantly happening and it can be very difficult to keep up.

Having a solid understanding of change management is essential for any manager or business owner.

A good case study will show you how one company successfully managed a major change and what lessons can be learned from their experience.

By studying short case study on change management, you will gain valuable insights into the importance of planning, communication, and employee involvement when managing change.

You will also learn about the different stages of change and how to overcome resistance to change.

These are all important topics that any manager or business owner should be familiar with. Learning about them through a short case study is an excellent way to gain a better understanding of these concepts.

Here are 05 short case studies on change management that offer you valuable insights on managing change.

1. Adobe- a transformation of HR functions to support strategic change

Many a times external factors lead to changes in organisational structures and culture. This truly happened at Adobe which has 11,000 employees worldwide with 4.5 billion $ yearly revenue.

Acrobat, Flash Player, and Photoshop are among the well-known products of Abode.

Due to new emerging technologies and challenges posed by small competitors Adobe had to stop selling its licensed goods in shrink-wrapped containers in 2011 and switched to offering digital services through the cloud. They gave their customers option of downloading the necessary software for free or subscribing to it every month rather than receiving a CD in a box.

The human resource (HR) function also took on a new role, which meant that employees had to adjust to new working practices. A standard administrative HR function was housed at Adobe’s offices. However, it was less suitable for the cloud-based strategy and performed well when Adobe was selling software items. 

HR changed its role and became more human centric and reduced its office based functions.

The HR personnel did “walk-ins,” to see what assistance they might offer, rather than waiting for calls. With a focus on innovation, change, and personal growth, Adobe employed a sizable percentage of millennials.

Instead of having an annual reviews, staff members can now use the new “check-in” method to assess and define their own growth goals whenever they find it necessary, with quick and continuous feedback. 

Managers might receive constructive criticism from HR through the workshops they conduct. The least number of employees have left since this changed approach of HR.

Why did Adobe’s HR department make this change? Since the company’s goals and culture have changed, HR discovered new ways to operate to support these changes.

2. Intuit – applying 7s framework of change management 

Steve Bennett, a vice president of GE Capital, was appointed CEO of Intuit in 2000. Intuit is a provider of financial software solutions with three products: Quicken, TurboTax, and QuickBooks, which have respective market shares of 73 percent, 81 percent, and 84 percent. 

Despite this market domination, many observers believed Intuit was not making as much money as it could.

Additionally, the business was known for making decisions slowly, which let rivals take advantage of numerous market opportunities. Bennett desired to change everything.

In his first few weeks, he spoke with each of the top 200 executives, visited the majority of Intuit’s offices, and addressed the majority of its 5,000 employees.

He concluded that although employees were enthusiastic about the company’s products, internal processes weren’t given any thought (based on Higgins, 2005).

He followed the famous Mckinsey 7S Model for Change Management to transform the organization. Let’s see what are those changes that he made:

By making acquisitions, he increased the products range for Intuit.

He established a flatter organizational structure and decentralized decision-making, which gave business units more authority and accountability throughout the whole product creation and distribution process.

To accomplish strategic goals, the rewards system was made more aligned to strategic goals.

He emphasized the necessity of a performance-oriented focus and offered a vision for change and also made every effort to sell that vision.

He acknowledged the commitment of staff to Intuit’s products and further strengthened process by emphasizing on quality and efficiency of his team.

Resources were allotted for learning and development, and certain selected managers were recruited from GE in particular skill categories, all to enhance staff capabilities concerning productivity and efficiency.

Superordinate goals:

Bennett’s strategy was “vision-driven” and he communicated that vision to his team regularly to meet the goals.

Bennett’s modifications led to a 40–50% rise in operating profits in 2002 and 2003.

8,000 people worked for Intuit in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, India, and other nations in 2014, and the company generated global revenues of nearly $5 billion.

3. Barclays Bank – a change in ways of doing business

The financial services industry suffered heavily during mortgage crisis in 2008. In addition to significant losses, the sector also had to deal with strict and aggressive regulations of their investing activities.

To expand its business, more employees were hired by Barclays Capital under the leadership of its former chief executive, Bob Diamond, who wanted to make it the largest investment bank in the world. 

But Barclays Capital staff was found manipulating the London Inter-Bank Offered Rate (LIBOR) and Barclays was fined £290 million and as a result of this the bank’s chairman, CEO, and COO had to resign.

In an internal review it was found that the mindset of “win at all costs” needed to be changed so a new strategy was necessary due to the reputational damage done by the LIBOR affair and new regulatory restrictions. 

In 2012, Antony Jenkins became new CEO. He made the following changes in 2014, which led to increase of 8% in share price.

Aspirations

The word “Capital” was removed from the firm name, which became just Barclays. To concentrate on the U.S. and UK markets, on Africa, and on a small number of Asian clients, the “world leader” goal was dropped.

Business model

Physical commodities and obscure “derivative” products would no longer be traded by Barclays. It was decided that rather than using its customers’ money, the business would invest its own.

Only thirty percent of the bank’s profits came from investment banking. Instead of concentrating on lending at high risk, the focus was on a smaller range of customers.

In place of an aggressive, short-term growth strategy that rewarded commercial drive and success and fostered a culture of fear of not meeting targets, “customer first,” clarity, and openness took precedence. Investment bankers’ remuneration was also reduced.

Beginning in 2014, branches were shut, and 19,000 jobs were lost over three years, including 7,000 investment banking employees, personnel at high-street firms, and many in New York and London headquarters. £1.7 billion in costs were reduced in 2014.

There was an increase in customers’ online or mobile banking, and increased automation of transactions to lower expenses.  To assist customers in using new computer systems, 30 fully automated branches were established by 2014, replacing the 6,500 cashiers that were lost to this change with “digital eagles” who used iPads.

These changes were made to build an organization that is stronger, more integrated, leaner, and more streamlined, leading to a higher return on equity and better returns for shareholders. This was also done to rebuild the bank’s credibility and win back the trust of its clients.

4. Kodak – a failure to embrace disruptive change

The first digital camera and the first-megapixel camera were both created by Kodak in 1975 and 1986 respectively.

Why then did Kodak declare bankruptcy in 2012? 

When this new technology first came out in 1975, it was expensive and had poor quality of images. Kodak anticipated that it would be at least additional ten years until digital technology started to pose a threat to their long-standing business of camera, film, chemical, and photo-printing paper industries.

Although that prediction came true, Kodak chose to increase the film’s quality through ongoing advances rather than embracing change and working on digital technology.

Kodak continued with old business model and captured market by 90% of the film and 85% of the cameras sold in America in 1976. With $16 billion in annual sales at its peak, Kodak’s profits in 1999 was around $2.5 billion. The brand’s confidence was boosted by this success but there was complete complacency in terms of embracing new technology.

Kodak started experiencing losses in 2011 as revenues dropped to $6.2 billion. 

Fuji, a competitor of Kodak, identified the same threat and decided to transition to digital while making the most money possible from film and creating new commercial ventures, such as cosmetics based on chemicals used in film processing.

Even though both businesses had the same information, they made different judgments, and Kodak was reluctant to respond. And when it started to switch towards digital technology, mobile phones with in-built digital camera had arrived to disrupt digital cameras.

Although Kodak developed the technology, they were unaware of how revolutionary digitalization would prove to be, rendering their long-standing industry obsolete.

You can read here in detail Kodak change management failure case study.

5. Heinz   – a 3G way to make changes

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway and the Brazilian private equity business 3G Capital paid $29 billion in 2013 to acquire Heinz, the renowned food manufacturer with $11.6 billion in yearly sales.

The modifications were made right away by the new owners. Eleven of the top twelve executives were replaced, 600 employees were let go, corporate planes were sold, personal offices were eliminated, and executives were required to stay at Holiday Inn hotel rather than the Ritz-Carlton when traveling and substantially longer work hours were anticipated. 

Each employee was given a monthly copy restriction of 200 by micromanagement, and printer usage was recorded. Only 100 business cards were permitted each year for executives.

Numerous Heinz workers spoke of “an insular management style” where only a small inner circle knows what is truly going on.

On the other side, 3G had a youthful team of executives, largely from Brazil, who moved from company to company as instructed across nations and industries. They were loyal to 3G, not Heinz, and were motivated to perform well to earn bonuses or stock options. 

“The 3G way,” a theory that 3G has applied to bring about change in prior acquisitions like Burger King, was the driving reason behind these modifications. Everything was measured, efficiency was paramount, and “nonstrategic costs” were drastically reduced. 

From this vantage point, “lean and mean” prevails, and human capital was not regarded as a crucial element of business success. It was believed that rather than being driven by a feeling of purpose or mission, employees were motivated by the financial gains associated with holding company stock.

Because it had been well-received by the 3G partners, those who might be impacted by a deal frequently saw a “how to” guide published by consultant Bob Fifer as a “must read.”

However, many food industry experts felt that while some of 3G’s prior acquisitions would have been ideal candidates for a program of cost-cutting, Heinz was not the most appropriate choice to “hack and slash.” The company had already undergone several years of improved efficiency and it was already a well-established player in the market.

In summarizing the situation, business journalists Jennifer Reingold and Daniel Roberts predicted that “the experiment now underway will determine whether Heinz will become a newly invigorated embodiment of efficiency—or whether 3G will take the cult of cost-cutting so far that it chokes off Heinz’s ability to innovate and make the products that have made it a market leader for almost a century and a half.” 

Final Words

A short case study on change management can be a helpful tool in learning how to effectively manage change. These case studies will show you how one company successfully managed a major change and what lessons can be learned from their experience. By studying these case studies, you will gain valuable insights into the importance of planning, communication, and employee involvement when managing change. These are all vital elements that must be considered when implementing any type of change within an organization.

About The Author

Tahir Abbas

Related posts.

18 External Communication KPI Examples

Tips for Winning Change Management Awards

The need for change management in the project management process

Purdue Polytechnic Institute

Global mobile menu.

• Departments
• Statewide Locations

Managing Change in Uncertain Times: A Case Study

Change management, defined as the methods and processes by which a company effects and adapts to change, has long been vital to the functioning of successful organizations. As John C. Maxwell said , “change is inevitable, growth is optional.” All organizations undergo changes during their lifespans, but not all organizations are able to effectively respond to change or harness it for success. 

This fact was made painfully apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic. After businesses were forced to shut down in-person operations, many suffered catastrophic losses. The airline industry, travel and leisure industry, oil and gas industry, and restaurant industry were among the hardest hit . Thousands of businesses were forced to close for good, and thousands more suffered through significant profit loss, layoffs and downsizing. Still, some businesses made vital adaptations that carried them through the worst of the pandemic. Many restaurants, for example, shifted from traditional, in-person service and poured resources into curbside, takeout and delivery services, using technology to communicate with their customers and remain up and running. These adaptations built on services that the restaurants already offered, making the changes easier to implement and accept.

A Case Study in Change: Delta Airlines

Unlike restaurants, airlines did not have much existing infrastructure to carry them through a global pandemic. Airlines profit based on the tickets they book, and if nobody is willing to fly, airlines can’t just pivot to a “take-out” travel option. After the pandemic hit, airlines were faced with a crucial ultimatum: find an innovative solution or suffer catastrophic losses. Delta Airlines, one of the oldest and largest airlines in the country, decided to tackle the change head-on and immediately started working on a change management plan.

Delta structured changes to its operations around what would make customers more comfortable and ultimately found that customers were willing to pay for some extra peace of mind. Implementing the change was made easier by quick and effective communication across all levels of operation. Flight attendants, gate staffers and corporate communications professionals were given the tools they needed to communicate the company’s safety plan to prospective passengers and execute the new seating rules. As the immediate changes took effect and began yielding results, Delta worked on making the changes more efficient and seamless, refining its process every step of the way.

The Science of Change Management

Delta’s quick and effective response to a major change in business operations helped usher it through the worst of the pandemic without suffering bigger losses. Innovative research on best practices in change management is poised to help other businesses do the same. According to the Change Management Review , using technological and organizational tools to manage “the human side of change” is particularly important. Consider, many businesses were forced to move their operations online after the start of COVID-19, and this change affected employees most of all. The businesses who fared best after moving online were the ones who assisted their employees in adapting to the change by providing opportunities for virtual team building, socialization, and mental wellness checkups, for instance. By considering the effects of change on their employees, these businesses took a proactive approach to getting their teams through a daunting and sudden transition. 

David Michels and Kevin Murphy, two industry experts who research change management, have helped quantify what exactly makes some organizations excel at handling change. According to their study , there are nine organizational elements that contribute to an organization’s ability to manage change:

• Purpose and direction – the qualities that help organizations lead change.
• Connection, capacity, and choreography – the qualities that help organizations accelerate change.
• And scaling, development, action, and flexibility – the qualities that help organizations organize change.

Michels and Murphy also developed categories identifying the challenges many organizations face when dealing with change. They determined that organizations struggling with change were either:

• In search of focus, meaning they struggle to lead change, identify ambitions and map agendas.
• Stuck and skeptical, meaning they struggle to move beyond small-level changes and avoid big decision making.
• Aligned but constrained, meaning they struggle with change because of organizational barriers.
• And struggling to keep up, meaning they struggle with organizational fatigue and burnout. 

This kind of change management research gives organizations the opportunity to critically evaluate their responses to change and map effective plans for dealing with change in the future. Even without the pandemic factor, being able to change and grow is of primary importance in a world of fast-paced technological advancement and global communication. Change management specialists are in high demand in every industry, with 12% projected job growth (U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics) and a median salary of $128,992 (Salary.com). 

Purdue Prepares Project Managers to Master Change

Purdue University’s 100% online Master of Science in IT Project Management prepares students for project management careers in the fast-growing information technology field. Students develop mastery of project management processes and procedures using program materials included in the Body of Knowledge developed by the Project Management Institute (PMI®). Courses are taught by industry experts in high-demand specialization areas such as change management,  risk management and security management.

Since the program is entirely online, working professionals can arrange their plan of study around their busy schedules and take classes from anywhere. The program is specifically tailored to industry-experienced go-getters who want to break into the IT field or advance their careers by developing project management expertise.

Professionals who want to grow their expertise without committing to a master’s degree can choose to complete a four-course graduate certificate in Managing Information Technology Projects. The credits from the graduate certificate can be applied towards the master’s degree if a student chooses to pursue the master’s after completing the certificate.

Learn more about the program and graduate certificate on the course’s website .

About the author.

Rachel (RM) Barton

• Browse All Articles
• Newsletter Sign-Up

ChangeManagement →

No results found in working knowledge.

• Were any results found in one of the other content buckets on the left?
• Try removing some search filters.
• Use different search filters.

This site uses cookies to improve your experience. By viewing our content, you are accepting the use of cookies. To help us insure we adhere to various privacy regulations, please select your country/region of residence. If you do not select a country we will assume you are from the United States. View our privacy policy and terms of use.

• Employee Benefits
• Change Management
• Talent Acquisition
• Applicant Tracking Systems

Case Study: Designing HIPO Programs That Work

Chief Learning Officer - Talent Management

AUGUST 10, 2021

These domains account for 19 total competencies and are defined loosely enough for managers throughout the system to define with additional clarity and applicability by level and functional area. Each session has a short case study that directly relates to the topic.

Case Study Underscores Why HR Change Management Skills Are Critical

HR Daily Advisor

DECEMBER 8, 2017

While your day-to-day duties make demands on your time, don’t neglect your most important HR responsibility: helping your organization plan and manage changes essential to the organization’s growth and future. Management Development. Change Management . Strategic Planning. Organizational Diagnosis.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

• The Engagement Engine: Strategies for Building a High-Performance Culture
• From Awareness to Action: An HR Guide to Making Accessibility Accessible
• Unlocking Employee Potential with the Power of Continuous Feedback

MORE WEBINARS

Trending Sources

• DecisionWise

EmployeeConnect

• Engage2Excel
• UrbanBound HR

Case Study – Goulburn Valley Water

NOVEMBER 26, 2020

A Case Study on Performance Management & Policy Management . As a Statutory Utilities Corporation, all GVW employees and managers are required to have current policies, training and competencies completed periodically. These manual processes also brought about a higher level of risk for GVW.

Mini Virtual HR Conference: HR Metrics and Change Management (2 Free Business Credits)

FEBRUARY 14, 2018

Wednesday, Marcy 7th Driving Change : How HR Can Lead Effective Change Management Practices. Explore examples of balanced scorecards and unique metrics created to align with business objectives, as well as case studies of metrics in action. Change , funny enough, is unchanging.

Virtual HR Training Event: HR Metrics and Change Management

How Bosch Uses Gamification to Build HR Analytics Skills (Case Study)

Digital HR Tech

AUGUST 7, 2019

To enable HR to use data and analytics to drive business results, we needed to build a skillset in analytics and change people’s mindset to evolve the human capital strategy for the organization. An effective change management plan would be critical to success and there were three pillars to our approach: Making data fun: Gamification.

People Analytics and HR-Tech Reading List

Littal Shemer

OCTOBER 11, 2022

It will also introduce machine learning and where it fits within the larger HR Analytics framework” Handbook of Regression Modeling in People Analytics: With Examples in R and Python Keith McNulty (2021). It covers key questions: Where to find data in an organization? How to collect and analyze it?

3 Examples of Organizational Change Done Right

AUGUST 6, 2019

Organizational change is one of the riskiest, most earth-shaking things a company can do. But a successful reorg can set an organization on the path to future success like nothing else can.

Case Study: Diverseco

SEPTEMBER 13, 2022

Quick comments: There has been many an occasion on this journey, where we have looked to EmployeeConnect for guidance, advice and support – outside of their scope – for example ; there was a situation where the payroll integration advice did not appear correct from the payroll vendor, and EmployeeConnect were able to recommend a solution.

23 Human Resources Director Interview Questions To Prepare For

Analytics in HR

NOVEMBER 13, 2023

Presentation or case study : You might be asked to present a case study or demonstrate your problem-solving skills in action. Share an example of a time when you implemented strategies or programs to enhance employee retention. Can you share an example of a time when you had to lead HR through a significant change ?

21 HR Books Every HR Professional Should Read in 2024

OCTOBER 12, 2023

With a series of interesting and very recognizable examples from her role as HR director at the BBC, Adams illustrates how people can be managed better in an increasingly digital and disruptive business environment. For example , you cannot define how comedians in general are – and then measure that through a 360-degree feedback survey.

7 Organizational Design Courses to Follow in 2022

MAY 31, 2022

It offers tools to guide management through organizational change . Topics covered in the Organization Design: A Foundational Course for Practitioners – IRL Cornell program include business analytics, change management , human capital management , leadership, and strategy. Cost: Course is $1,995.

Achievers at Europe’s Largest Employee Engagement Summit: London, April 20

APRIL 6, 2017

The third Employee Engagement Summit to be held at the Victoria Park Plaza in Central London on 20th April 2017 promises to be the biggest and best yet – with Chief Executive plenary keynotes, 45 speakers, 500 delegates, 2 seminar rooms, world-class case studies and round-table sessions. Transformation & Change Management .

The Importance of Leadership Development in the Workplace

Careerminds

FEBRUARY 15, 2024

Let’s explore a few examples of leadership development in action. Participants engage in interactive discussions, case studies , and skill-building exercises to enhance their leadership competencies. Here are examples of the five components often included in leadership development plans.

Year-Round Recognition: Crafting a Continuous Employee Appreciation Strategy for 2024

JANUARY 31, 2024

The monthly event is a perfect example , where you give awards to the top achievers for the month. For example , a supervisor might let others on the floor know that an employee has just made successful sales! A Christmas party held annually for the company is a perfect example of this! CSAT should be a key part of your scorecard.

Successful People Analytics Change Management Starts with the Right Vision and Goals

APRIL 26, 2021

A solid change management strategy is woven into many of the success stories you’ll hear at Outsmart so we’re excited to bring you this article on the topic. Proper change management is part of the answer. Quick case study : From vision and goal-setting to real results.

Workforce Readiness: The Learning Metric that Leads to Real ROI (i4cp login required)

DECEMBER 10, 2020

Take, for example , i4cp member Accenture. Workforce readiness is critical and should be viewed and managed as a key organizational success criterion. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), like Accenture, provides another excellent example of leading-edge upskilling/reskilling/new skilling. Click here to read the i4cp case study .

Why Do Companies Have Reservations About Adopting OKRs? Is the Investment Truly Worth It?

AUGUST 30, 2023

Addressing these reservations requires proactive change management strategies and clear communication to ensure that OKRs are seamlessly integrated while minimizing disruption and maximizing their effectiveness in driving strategic success.

Ten Great HR Reads for the Holidays & Beyond

DECEMBER 18, 2020

Browne takes a fresh look at HR through an engaging assortment of real-life examples , insights, and epiphanies. Jada Willis uses examples of companies of all sizes that are thriving in this remote world and offers tips for leveraging communication techniques, unlocking productivity secrets, and building people connections.

Why Organizational Culture is Important

Culture Counts

DECEMBER 20, 2019

Despite the change management function growing in demand, change management is still almost always under-invested in. That is the short answer for why organizational culture is important in IT change management . Even if they do see it, what is the motivation for making such an inconvenient change ?

25 Interview Questions for Diversity and Inclusion Managers

JUNE 21, 2022

And the skills needed for the job are: DEIB management HR advisory HR strategy formulation Networking Change management . We’ve compiled a list of 25 interview questions for Diversity and Inclusion managers , together with some ideas for formulating your answers. It might be new legislation related to D&I, for example .

Cultural Sensitivity Training: The Bridge Between Employee Development and Inclusive Productivity

SEPTEMBER 20, 2023

Promote Diversity in Leadership: Strive for diverse representation in leadership positions to set an example and influence company culture positively. Create Training Materials: Develop training materials, including presentations, handouts, case studies , and multimedia resources.

What Needs to Be In Place For An Organization to Be Dialogic

Conversation Matters

MARCH 30, 2021

In the second, “ An Organization That Changed Its Culture by Implementing Dialogue, ” I offer a brief case study of an organization, The Virginia Department of Corrections, that has implemented dialogue at every level. Edmondson 2012; Schein and Schein 2018, Dixon 2019 ). Pentland, 2012).

From Traditionalist to Futurist

Human Workplaces

AUGUST 6, 2018

between 0 and 5 on our 10-point scale) tend to favor concepts like privacy, exclusivity, risk aversion, predictability, slow-and-steady, measured change with heavy change management , and emphasis on the corporation rather than the individual. Here’s an example .

How do HR systems differ in small and large firms?

JULY 31, 2023

HR systems requirements and features in small organisations (up to 200 employees) Here’s a statistic to consider: of the 13 case studies the of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) fresh from implementing HR software , nine of them had no previous system at all. Take performance management , for example .

Gloria Chen Pushes for Greater Representation

JANUARY 6, 2022

Lead purposeful and inclusive digital-first meetings: When managing hybrid teams, leaders must think asynchronously and reconsider if a meeting is necessary, be diligent about sharing meeting agendas and pre-reads ahead of time, as well as capture and share action items post-meeting.

HR Analytics – Calculating Success

Strategic HCM

FEBRUARY 29, 2012

This definition leads the authors to including things like engagement surveys as example of analytics whereas to me, these are clearly measurement approaches rather than analytical ones (the analytics then follows the measurement of engagement). And I’m largely unimpressed by the book’s case studies . And scenario planning?

Book Review: Awaken, Align, Accelerate by MDA Leadership

Workplace Psychology

NOVEMBER 30, 2017

The book harnesses “the art and science of developing leaders into a unique collection of self-assessments, development suggestions, case studies , sample leadership development plans, coaching recommendations, and cross-cultural coaching tips” (Nelson & Ortmeier, 2011, p. MDA Leadership’s Awaken, Align, Accelerate is a big book.

Job Security, Wage Stagnation, and the Quest for Top Talent

Aberdeen HCM Essentials

OCTOBER 8, 2019

The inclusion of performance data in the hiring process also sets up for a redeployment strategy that helps HR and managers identify internal top talent that can be better optimized in another role. A great example comes from a case study on student debt repayment benefits.

More Fatal Flaws of Performance Management

MARCH 31, 2015

This is tougher than it seems; managers often want to soften bad news, which can result in employees not getting the message. Managers may also be vague in explaining expectations, leading to miscommunication and other problems later. Give specific recommendations and examples for improvement. Using the System Inconsistently.

Activity Based Working: What HR Professionals Need to Know

SEPTEMBER 8, 2020

Examples of such a setting are silent zones, collaboration zones, learning zones, social zones, etc. Several ( case ) studies have been done into the effects of ABW. While the idea is for employees to change settings depending on their activity, it turns out that in reality, we like to return to the same spot. The result?

Thinking of Switching to a 4-Day Workweek? Here’s What Other Companies Said

JUNE 13, 2022

When it came to productivity, “ The majority feel that their team demonstrated that they are capable of meeting (or in some cases exceeding) productivity targets within shorter working hours.” According to the case study , when the organization compared pre- and post-trial results, they found a 40% increase in employee engagement.

Book Review – Psychology and Work: Perspectives on Industrial and Organizational Psychology

JUNE 2, 2016

Among the things I found engaging about this I/O psychology textbook is a mention of how change management connects to and falls under Industrial and Organizational (I/O) Psychology: “ Change management is a specialization within I/O psychology that is referred to as Organization Development (OD)” (Truxillo, Bauer, & Erdogan, 2016, p.

The Top 5 Culture, Comms, & Cocktails Podcast Episodes from 2019

SocialChorus

AUGUST 14, 2019

Twice a month and over cocktails, I’ve introduced you to the latest ideas in corporate culture and real-world examples of how to engage employees with the best workplace communications programs. Communications is essential during any company change management . Happy employees make for very happy customers.”. Kyla Turner. #5:

6 Tested Techniques for Dramatically Improved One on One Meetings

AUGUST 24, 2016

There have been too many articles, white papers, and case studies written on the “death of the annual performance review.” But when you brush past the hyperbole, you find a diverse list of successful companies changing the way they measure employees. Change management is a big, hard problem to solve.

Case Studies: How Companies Use People Analytics to Achieve Results

DECEMBER 4, 2019

For example , one story shows how by digging deeper into high performer turnover data, the HR leaders were able to hone in on the exact team (software development) and location (Krakow, Poland) where turnover was highest. Taking effective action starts with a culture change and change management to achieve it.

Managing Transformation and Changes Using People Analytics

MAY 6, 2020

All these changes are transforming the way we live, how we communicate with each other, how we create and share knowledge, how we do our personal stuff, and even how we manage a relationship. The global Covid-19 pandemic has challenged companies to manage their enterprises in new ways. Challenges and transformation. Time id ltd.

Secrets to Recruiting & Retaining Great People in a Crazy Labor Market

JUNE 28, 2021

And I think Jeff and John are going to give you some very specific examples of how that takes place. And DailyPay as a vendor is also very comfortable and familiar with change management and communications and training to make sure that everybody knows how to do this. And there’s service and support behind it.

Get The Most From Employee Check-In Meetings

Brandon Hall

APRIL 27, 2021

How can we change manager behaviors at scale to develop a culture of coaching and continuous feedback? • How can we enable managers and employees to collaborate better and more often on performance goals? For example : Provide coaching and feedback tips and checklists for managers . Critical Questions. •

14 Companies with Great Employee Rewards and Recognition Programs

OCTOBER 19, 2021

His business is now a Harvard Business School case study ." " Free Guide to Implementing a Rewards & Recognition Program [Download now] This story is a classic example of great employee rewards and recognition program in action. Two examples of rewards and recognition programs from consulting companies 1.

Rick & Amy Simmons: “A great company is one whose end product permeates all levels of the system”

Thrive Global

OCTOBER 7, 2021

We founded the telos institute in 2006 to offer specialized expertise in business strategy, leadership development, and change management to leaders, leadership teams, and organizations around the world. There, we visited companies, heard case studies , engaged in simulations, and more. Can you explain or give an example ?

How to Master the Shift from Performance to Development Management

JULY 25, 2018

This is also how HR can use technology to support the development and performance management . The standard market functionalities of existing HR cloud solutions suites, for example , are already suitable for a wide range of HR topics which means that the prototype for a later configuration exists already.

Stay Connected

Join 398,000+ Insiders by signing up for our newsletter

• Participate in Human Resources Today
• 2019 Human Resources Today Summer Reading List
• Stay At Home Reading List
• Add a Source
• Add a Resource
• See All 
• 2018 Human Resources Today MVP Awards
• 2017 Human Resources Today MVP Awards
• 2019 Human Resources Today MVP Awards
• 2020 Human Resources Today MVP Awards
• 2021 Human Resources Today MVP Awards
• 2022 Human Resources Today MVP Awards
• Wed. Apr 10
• Tue. Apr 09
• Mon. Apr 08
• Sun. Apr 07
• Mar 30 - Apr 05
• Employee Engagement
• Onboarding Software
• Talent Management
• Performance Management
• Time and Attendance
• More Topics 

Input your email to sign up, or if you already have an account, log in here!

Enter your email address to reset your password. a temporary password will be e‑mailed to you., be in the know on.

Human Resources Today

Expert insights. Personalized for you.

We organize all of the trending information in your field so you don't have to. Join 398,000+ users and stay up to date on the latest articles your peers are reading.

Get the good stuff

Subscribe to the following Human Resources Today newsletters:

You must accept the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions to proceed.

You know about us, now we want to get to know you!

Check your mail, we've sent an email to . please verify that you have received the email..

We have resent the email to

Let's personalize your content

Use social media to find articles.

We can use your profile and the content you share to understand your interests and provide content that is just for you.

Turn this off at any time. Your social media activity always remains private.

Let's get even more personalized

Choose topics that interest you., so, what do you do.

Are you sure you want to cancel your subscriptions?

Cancel my subscriptions

Don't cancel my subscriptions

Changing Country?

Accept terms & conditions.

It looks like you are changing your country/region of residence. In order to receive our emails, you must expressly agree. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails.

You appear to have previously removed your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions.

We noticed that you changed your country/region of residence; congratulations! In order to make this change, you must accept the Aggregage Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Once you've accepted, then you will be able to choose which emails to receive from each site .

You must choose one option

Please choose which emails to receive from each site .

• Update All Sites
• Update Each Site

Please verify your previous choices for all sites

Sites have been updated - click Submit All Changes below to save your changes.

We recognize your account from another site in our network , please click 'Send Email' below to continue with verifying your account and setting a password.

You must accept the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions to proceed.

This is not me

Change Management: Results With and Without. A Case Study.

22 February 2022 Same change, same time, two different approaches, widely different outcomes. Article written by Nelly Tire and Vincent Piedboeuf

Prosci Europe's case studies offer practical insights for organisations wishing to make changes that stick.

Executive Summary

Why should I read? To get a real-life example of what can happen without a structured approach to managing the change. We uncover the difference in outcome between two organisations seeking to deploy the same technological solution to a recurrent and common issue in the personal care service sector.

Highlights:

• In one case, the implementation phase proved much longer than expected. Only half of the staff was or stayed on board. The gulf between the target set and the number of people proficiently using the change kept widening every day.
• The second case shows adoption and utilisation rates close to 88%. A clear CM plan with actionable strategies delivered expected results on time.
• For a complete overview of what a successful CM plan looks like, please see Keys to application. 

Background 

Year – 2021.

Sector – Personal Care Services.

Who – Two non-profit organisations offering social services such as childcare, home nursing, special assistance to vulnerable people, heavy-duty housework, etc.

What – In a nutshell, outdated paper-based management and monitoring systems generate errors, poor responsiveness, and late payments while also causing the organisations and the sector to miss out on new opportunities. The new "Mobile Teleprocessing System" attempts to leverage technology to optimise the provision of existing and future services.

Type of change – See below. 

The challenge (why the change?)

Baseline. Managing and controlling provided services happens through a two-fold mechanism of phone check-in used by staff members in the home of users (elderly, physically- challenged people, etc.) and paper-form shift sheets subsequently signed by users (date of the month, number of hours).

Internal reasons to change. Both entities sought to provide practical solutions to recurrent problems reported by frontline employees/account services. Climbing on the train of digitisation was also expected to raise the sector's attractiveness. More specifically, both associations faced the following issues:

• The excessive shift sheet volume led to repeated data processing and validation delays, pushing back invoicing and wage payments to 15 days the following month.
• Frontline employees (caretakers) found it challenging to check-in using the user's phone landline .
• There were problems managing shift sheets/forms , sometimes signed by disabled or vulnerable people (users), by staff members themselves, when not simply lost.

External reasons to change.   The availability of game-changing technological solutions, which could also respond to concerns related to funding, turned the change into a pressing issue. The mix of specific requirements and opportunities included:

• system loopholes – the phone clocking in/out mechanism could only be used for some services.
• technological developments and new apps designed to smooth out the problems of bureaucracy and speed up data exchange.
• requests from funders to better control the use of resources allocated to the associations and allow real-time communication with home care services. 

The solution

This set of external and internal drivers led to "Mobile Teleprocessing" project. The overarching element of the action plan was the switch from the aforementioned "point system" (fixed phone system and shift sheets) to the use of a particular app running on a professional smartphone and connected in real-time with the all-in-one software for planning/accountancy . This advanced solution could also help manage instant alerts in case of a change in the internal working schedule. Sending off invoices would be just one click away. Other apps responding to specific health and care issues were also under consideration. 

Expected benefits ranged from shortening processing times and reducing errors when logging data to improving communication with frontline employees and funders. 

Keys to application – 1st case

Highlight: The first organisation implemented the solution within one month, impacting 500 employees. The plan was based upon Prosci's best practices and ADKAR model for individual change. Here is an overview of the main items:

a. Sponsorship, the face of change.  

Active and visible sponsorship throughout the whole duration of the project is the number-one success factor of any change initiative. In this case, the Director-General was designated as the primary sponsor. Beyond its involvement in the early phases, he was provided with data fresh from the field to remind people of the rules and communicate results. 

b. Bringing in Change Management resources.

The association allocated resources to CM, setting up a dedicated team with a change practitioner and a network of change agents.

c. Evaluating impact.

The organisation identified the groups impacted by the change (frontline employees, team leaders, accounting services) to prepare targeted training sessions.

d. Creating Awareness and Desire.

Before moving any further along the change journey, the association communicated extensively around the project and the strategic reasons underpinning it. They proceeded to:

• Convene and conduct a meeting to introduce the project and CM plan to team leaders and super-users.
• Get executives and team leaders actively involved with CM and fully committed to the process.
• Circulate a promotional film featuring the change and its rationale, along with footage of an employee using the new tool.
• Disseminating information on the intranet to communicate with frontline staff (caretakers operating in users' homes)
• Send mail communications to present the "Mobile Teleprocessing" project to users and employees.

e. Building Knowledge and Ability.

After completing the impact analysis and conducting preliminary campaigns to raise awareness and desire, the organisation started to prepare the people for the change. They did so by:

• Delivering 21 training sessions to 500 collaborators
• Choosing instructors among expert users
• Designing high-quality training materials, with a strong focus on user-friendliness  (practical exercises, quizzes, appropriate evaluation forms, ….)
• Systematically collecting and analysing feedback to improve materials
• Creating FAQs on the intranet
• Uploading Video tutorials on the association website
• Developing memos for teams on specific topics
• At the end of the project, team leaders took over the role of instructors for new employees entering the application.

f. Reinforcing.

To ensure long-lasting results and effective use of the phone and app, the association proceeded to:

• Collect info on clocking in/out processes and the remaining volume of shift sheets.
• Hold a special briefing on results, including a quick review/reminder of the rules (main sponsor).
• Diffuse reminders on the intranet.
• Issue warning letters to people tricking the system by logging incorrect data, holding multiple broken phones, or repeatedly losing them.

Keys to application – 2 nd case

Highlight : The size of the change was even more significant in the second case, impacting about 800 employees. The expected time for completion was one month and a half. But unlike its counterpart, this association did not implement any structured Change Management plan. Team leaders viewed the technical solution as an easy fix.

Items : Team leaders were tasked with demonstrating how the application worked, with the following consequences:

• Employees complained that they received poor guidance and struggled to use the phone or the application.
• Employees perceived the new tool as a "policing instrument."
• The roll-out proved difficult, triggering resistance among staff and causing the training modules to be delivered late. 

Results and Takeaways

Clear differences in outcomes show the importance of adopting a structured approach to managing the change. The implementation lasted one month without any significant setback in the first case . Not only did this association meet the deadline. Adoption and utilisation rates after four months were close to 88% . In contrast , implementation suffered from major delays in the second case . While leaders had planned on a one-month and a half roll-out, deployment was only complete after six months. Moreover, adoption and utilisation rates proved grossly insufficient , with a more modest 50%.

If all the above-described Change Management items account for what did go well in the first case, what went wrong in the second one?

A common mistake is to jump right into equipping the people without raising A wareness and creating D esire. This second case study clearly illustrates the consequences of not laying the foundations for the change. Omitting this part led to early resistances, crystallizing without any strategy or capacity to mitigate them. The new system was seen as a policing maneuver of sorts.

Furthermore, there was no attempt to create engaging training materials, leaving team leaders without a clear roadmap or tools to deliver K nowledge. Frontline employees lamented the lack of information or guidance. Issues with the phone connection in some rural regions also meant that employees were unable ( A bility) to use the solution. The new system, first seen as a quick fix, created distrust, and with nothing being done, the snowball effect sat in.

Change cannot be left to chance.

Check out our resources to learn more about Change Management and stay updated!

PROSCI Methodology in action

PROSCI's impact analysis provides a very accurate overview of the kind of change involved. The following "radar graphs" identify how the project "Mobile Teleprocessing" affects the three main target groups: Area Managers, Domestic Helpers, and Accounting Services. Most dimensions are self-explanatory [1] , but let's point out that processes , systems , tools, and critical behaviours – heavily emphasised in this case study – refer to:

• the "action steps to achieve a defined outcome" ( processes ), or how the provision of care services will be managed and monitored from this point on.
• the "combination of people and automated application" necessary to meet a set of goals ( systems ), in this case, all stakeholders and what is expected from them in terms of promoting, showcasing, and or being able to use the new "Mobile Teleprocessing" system.
• "an item used for a specific purpose" ( tools ), that is, a professional phone and related app to clock out, report, or log other relevant information.
• "a specific response to a stimulus" ( critical behaviours ), in this example, the consistent and proficient use of the professional phone and app.

[1] PROSCI's change impact model offers a robust framework to define the change along 10 dimensions that may impact people involved.  These dimensions or areas typically include Processes (1), Systems (2), Tools (3), Professional Roles (4), Critical Behaviours (5), Mindset/Attitudes/Belief (6), Reporting Structure (7), Performance Review (8), Compensation (9), Location (10). To learn more: https://www.prosci.com/resources/articles/defining-change-impact

After having managed a large number of changes in a wide range of business sectors, Vincent Piedboeuf  dedicates his time helping managers to optimise their return on investment through effective integration of the people side in their change projects. He is one of the most active Change Management instructors and certifies hundreds of people in Prosci methodology every year.

Nelly Tire and Vincent Piedboeuf

Do you want to learn more?

Know more about Change Management

Learn the foundations of Change Management

Replay our Webinars

Be in the know.

Join the community to receive the latest articles on Change Management, upcoming events and exclusive newsletter.

We guarantee 100% privacy. Your personal details will not be shared to third party partners.

Join the community to receive the latest thought change management articles, upcoming events and exclusive newsletter

By completing and submitting this form, I authorize the use of my data for being informed of Prosci Europe upcoming events, and gaining access to useful materials tailored to my specific needs. For further information regarding the processing of your personal data or your rights on your personal data, please refer to our  Privacy Policy .

Don't ask me anymore

We’ll get back to you soon.