Why do we need to involve people in change?
Because presentations do not change behaviour. People do.
In my earlier HR leadership roles, I experienced changes that were designed without the people affected by them.
A small group created the solution behind closed doors. Everyone else learned about it only a few days before launch, when the decisions had already been made and there was almost no opportunity to influence anything.
Today, I design change differently.
I involve different groups at different stages, based on the knowledge, experience, and influence they can bring to the change:
– Senior leaders from the very beginning
We align on the why, the direction, and the non-negotiables. If leaders do not genuinely stand behind the change, the rest of the organisation will notice immediately.
– Experts and people who actually do the work during solution design
They see the exceptions, risks, and everyday realities that no steering committee can identify from behind a desk. Their involvement helps ensure that the solution is not only well designed, but also workable in practice.
– The HR community throughout the entire change
HR often hears concerns and questions before the project leadership does. Its role is therefore not limited to distributing communication. HR can help capture signals from the organisation and respond to them more quickly and sensitively.
– Change ambassadors from design through implementation
They are close to the teams and have a direct sense of what is happening within them. They test messages, gather feedback, and translate the change into the language of everyday work. When involved early, they become trusted guides for their colleagues.
– Managers before and during implementation
They are the translators of change for their teams. If they do not understand the change, do not believe in it, or have no space to ask their own questions, the message will be lost or distorted on its way to employees.
Different roles. Different stages. The same principle.
Involve people while they can still influence the change, not only when they are expected to accept it.
When working with clients, I therefore ask:
Who needs to be at the table now, not later?
Where are we merely informing people instead of genuinely involving them?
How can we use their experience to make the change more practical and effective?
Because when people first see the change only after it has already been finalised, it is too late for genuine co-creation.