For some people, change can be challenging. Therefore, understanding and anticipating the needs of your employees during times of transition is essential to the success of any project or process enhancement. Based on our experience in project and process management, here are some top tips to help your team navigate through change: 1. Include those affected by the change in establishing the objectives of the project and in developing the briefing document for those implementing the change. 2. Provide regular updates once the project has started and as changes are being implemented. 3. Keep the lines of communication open, including providing regular opportunities for feedback. 4. Offer training and development opportunities to those that may need upskilling to be able to work effectively post implementation. 5. Be visible - Lead by example and embrace the change with a positive attitude. It is critical to maintain the trust of the team, especially if thing get hard. Guiding a team through change requires planning and patience, but with the right strategies, you can make the transition smoother and more effective. One of the first discussions we have with our clients is to ask: What do you want to accomplish? And, how are you planning to achieve this? This allows us to gain a clear understanding of the objectives and outcomes to be achieved from the change. Documentation is often an overlooked component of the change management process. Using the information gathered above, we are able to assist in formulating, and then document, a change management plan. This ensures the key activities and time are managed appropriately while keeping the employees and their requirements front of mind. Solid documentation including planning and a thorough impact assessment is critical component to ensuring everyone in the team is ready to take on the change journey. Change is inevitable, and often it arises from circumstances we may not have anticipated. At Flexiq, we strongly believe that encouraging a culture of flexibility or, as we like to call it “flexible thinking”, goes a long way towards building resilience and a team more likely to embrace change whether it is planned or not.