The three phases of change management are preparing for change, implementing the change, and sustaining the change. These phases provide a simple structure for helping an organization move from its current way of working to a new approach. Each phase focuses on different activities, from building readiness and communicating the need for change to supporting adoption and making the change sustainable.
1. Prepare for Change
The first phase is about creating readiness for the change. Before introducing new systems, processes, structures, or behaviours, organizations need to understand what is changing and why.
Leaders should define the purpose of the change, identify who will be affected, assess potential challenges, and establish clear goals. This is also the time to consider how employees may respond and what support they will need. Tools such as the Change Style Indicator can help leaders understand how different people are likely to approach the change.
Communication is particularly important during this phase. Employees should understand the reason for the change, what the organization hopes to achieve, and how the change may affect their work. Giving people opportunities to ask questions can also help identify concerns early.
2. Implement the Change
The second phase is where the planned change is put into practice. This could involve introducing a new technology system, changing organizational structures, redesigning processes, or adopting new workplace behaviours.
Implementation should include the practical support employees need to make the transition. Depending on the change, this could include training, coaching, workshops, resources, demonstrations, or hands-on practice.
Managers also play an important role during implementation. They can help employees understand new expectations, provide feedback, identify problems, and communicate concerns to leadership.
Organizations should also monitor progress during implementation. Employee feedback and performance information can reveal whether the change is working as intended or whether adjustments are needed.
3. Sustain the Change
The third phase focuses on making the change part of normal operations. Introducing a new process or system does not necessarily mean that the change has been successfully adopted.
Organizations need to reinforce the new way of working through ongoing communication, coaching, feedback, recognition, and measurement. Managers can help by continuing to discuss expectations and addressing behaviours or processes that have not yet been adopted.
Measurement is also important. Organizations can track relevant indicators such as adoption rates, performance, employee feedback, customer outcomes, or productivity to determine whether the change is producing the intended results.
If the results show that certain areas are not working as expected, leaders can make adjustments rather than assuming the change is complete.
Bringing the Three Phases Together
The three phases of change management create a continuous process. Organizations first prepare people and the business for change, then implement the new approach, and finally reinforce it so that it becomes sustainable.
The exact activities will depend on the type and scale of the change. A new technology system may require extensive training, while a cultural change may require longer-term leadership, communication, and behavioural reinforcement.
Regardless of the situation, effective change management considers both what needs to change and how people will move through the transition.
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