It’s a New Year; are you still facing the same problems changing? The year ahead will once again put change management and professional service consultancies to the test. The end of 2023 saw the world economy shift, with many giants restructuring and reshaping their workforce. A new year beckons us to anticipate, adapt, and innovate in the ever-evolving business ecosystem. The lessons learned in 2023 become our map but we all should know by now; the map is not the terrain.

 

How will the landscape of business change management impact you in 2024?

From the iteration of change methodologies to the strategic integration of sustainability, each trend unfolds as a chapter in the story of resilience, innovation, and forward-thinking strategies. Let’s NOT repeat what we think we know; instead, let’s draw on learnings from real-world experiences, knowledge and data that will empower your organisation to thrive in the uncertain economic terrain ahead.

1. Embracing Dynamism and Business Adaptability:

Reflecting on 2023: Last year, companies were challenged to keep pace with the swift evolution of market conditions, highlighting the shortcomings of conventional approaches to organisational change. Lack of adaptability impacted resilience, leading to substantial strategic redirection toward the end of 2023 for many.

Change management trends in 2024: The insights gained in 2023 have clarified that businesses must fundamentally transform their strategies to thrive. While lessons from Agile transitions in the previous year offer valuable guidance, the focus is broader than project management techniques. It’s about fostering a culture that inherently embraces change. As we move into 2024, the trend is shifting towards comprehensive business adaptability strategies. This signifies a recognition that accepting and leveraging continuous change is not just an option but a critical component of enduring success in today’s fast-paced business environment.

Further reading: How to Adapt to Change in Your Workplace. Whatfix

2. Digital Adoption Platforms (DAPs):

Reflecting on 2023: The introduction of new tools and processes often led to confusion and a dip in productivity as teams adjusted. Traditional approaches to internal training methods were sometimes ineffective, leaving employees struggling to adapt. This, paired with a limited understanding of skills gaps, led to blockers in change initiatives and challenges in embedding change initiatives sustainably.

Change management trends in 2024: Digital Adoption Platforms will become widespread, offering real-time, in-app guidance that accelerates the adoption of new software and processes. By integrating directly with tools, these platforms provide interactive walkthroughs, contextual information, and analytics, allowing teams to learn in the flow of work. This speeds up proficiency and enables management to track progress and identify areas where additional support might be needed.

Further reading: Digital Adoption Platforms Market: Key findings, conclusion and recommendations. Medium

3. Data-Driven Decision-Making:

Reflecting on 2023: While many recognised the potential of data, there was a gap in translating it into actionable insights. This often led to missed opportunities and strategies not fully aligned with market realities.

Change management trends in 2024: A robust, data-driven culture will become a strategic imperative. Organisations will invest in advanced analytics tools and establish comprehensive data governance frameworks. Data-driven decisions will become actionable. For business analysts and project managers, this means a greater emphasis on metrics and KPIs to guide decision-making, ensuring strategies are responsive to real-time insights and can pivot as necessary.

Further reading: The State of Organisations. McKinsey

4. Integration of Digital Transformation:

Reflecting on 2023: Digital initiatives often focused on isolated technological upgrades without considering the broader business needs or impact. This resulted in disjointed systems and strategies that failed to leverage the true potential of digital transformation.

Change management trends in 2024: Digital transformation will be seen as a holistic strategy intricately linked with overall business objectives. Understanding WHY the change is needed will be key. For project management and business analysis teams, this means a deeper involvement in strategy development and a focus on ensuring that digital initiatives fully align with and support overarching business goals.

Further reading: The Value of Digital Transformation. Harvard Business Review

5. Humanising Change:

Reflecting on 2023:  Change initiatives often disregarded the human element, treating employees as passive recipients rather than active participants. This led to resistance, low morale, and a failure to realise the full benefits of change.

Change management trends in 2024: There will be a shift towards humanising change, recognising the emotional and psychological aspects of adapting to new working methods. This involves effectively communicating the purpose and benefits of change, providing support and resources to manage the transition, and actively involving employees in the change process.

Further reading: How organisations can create a humanised change experience. EY

6. Change as Part of Company Culture:

Reflecting on 2023: Many organisations viewed change as an occasional disruption rather than an ongoing necessity. This resulted in a reactive culture, ill-prepared for the constant evolution required in today’s business environment.

Change management trends in 2024: Change will be embedded in the cultural DNA of organisations. This means fostering a mindset of continuous improvement, agility, and learning. Employees will be encouraged to seek out and suggest improvements and the ability to adapt will be seen as a core competency.

Further reading: How to define and embed company culture in a way that drives adoption. Forbes

7. Handling the Great Resignation with Insight and Optimisation:

Reflecting on 2023: The Great Resignation highlighted the importance of employee satisfaction and engagement. Many organisations struggled to retain talent, facing high turnover costs and lost institutional knowledge. Additionally, staying ‘attractive’ in a competitive market reached a pinnacle in some sectors, with drivers such as technical debt and operating models becoming reasons employees moved roles. Understanding workforce motivation took a new direction.

Change management trends in 2024: Fundamentally, emphasis will be placed on comprehensive onboarding frameworks and governance that educate new hires about their roles, integrate them into the company culture, and connect them with their peers. This approach is expected to enhance employee engagement, loyalty, and productivity, quickly turning new hires into effective contributors. Additionally, addressing technical debt or optimising systems and platforms will inject a new lease of life into existing ecosystems, supporting existing workforce morale and motivation and attracting new workforce and skills.

Further reading: Employees Seek Personal Value and Purpose at Work. Be Prepared to Deliver. Gartner

8. Sustainability as a Business Imperative:

Reflecting on 2023: In 2023, the business world recognised that sustainability is not just a social media trend but, instead, is both a moral obligation and strategic advantage.

Change management trends in 2024: In the year ahead, business sustainability initiatives will go beyond office recycling bins, printer paper choices and keeping the air conditioning down. Sustainability as a topic will be elevated to board-level discussions, fully integrated into change management strategies. In 2024, organisations acknowledge that sustainability is not just about baseline compliance; it enhances customer satisfaction, brand reputation and future-proof operations. The trend is towards a strategic commitment to sustainability, aligning businesses with global environmental goals and resonating positively with environmentally conscious stakeholders. Sustainability is not just a checkbox activity; it’s a cornerstone of organisational success and resilience.

Further Reading: Respond to ESG Risks and Challenges, A Priority for the Finance Sector. UK Finance

Same Problems Changing, Forging New Opportunities

The experienced change agents will have already spotted that these trends and annual transitions are not unique to 23/24, we have endured decades of similar “opportunities” with variants in their direction and reasoning.

Change is inevitable, but the pivot point for business change revolves around three core fundamentals: people, process, and technology. Future trends in change management will be centred around these elements.

As we embrace 2024, the unfolding business trends, key learnings, and insights tell a story of a more dynamic, people-focused, and technologically integrated approach to change management. This paradigm shift is not just about staying afloat but about navigating the complexities and seizing opportunities ahead.

 

 

Resolving Business Problems with People

Perform Partners stand at the forefront of business change, ready to guide you through your complex change initiatives. Our expertise is understanding the nuanced interplay between people, processes, and technology. We believe your organisation’s ability to adapt and thrive is amplified when these elements are understood and aligned. By partnering with us, you’re not just preparing for the future; you’re shaping it.

Learn more about the projects delivered for some of our clients: Our Work.

As the year unfolds, let’s not just respond to change; let’s anticipate and master it. Get in touch today! Together, we can unlock more for your organisation, turning challenges into opportunities and strategies into actions.