Humanizing change: Developing more effective change management strategies

Research shows that most large change management efforts fail. Why? Something’s been left out of the equation: the human element. Organizations can draw on new behavioural economics lessons to powerfully connect change to human behaviour—and keep employees engaged in the process.

Organizations can adopt three strategies to “humanize” organizational change, aiming to help their change initiatives deliver the desired results:

• Identify employees’ belief systems

  Use an evidence based approach to change

• Leverage the power of social norms

• Frame the change initiative 

  Use data and human psychology to communicate and nudge throughout the change process

  Create a social experience rather than a top down initiative