DECEMBER 17, 2024
In today's business landscape, persistent change has become the norm, leading to widespread change fatigue within organizations. As a result, executive leaders are prioritizing change management as a crucial initiative, and Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs) play a pivotal role in developing a workforce resilient to change.
According to Evanta’s proprietary CHRO Leadership Perspective Survey, change management surged to the top of their priority list for 2024, rising in importance for the first time in over three years. Furthermore, Gartner’s forward-looking HR survey suggests that change management will remain a top priority through 2025.
Given the significance of this issue, we surveyed 200 CHROs within Evanta communities to gain insights into their organizations' approaches to change management and the roles they play in these initiatives. From their responses, three key themes emerged.
1. Nearly Every CHRO Plays a Leading Role in Change Management
When asked about the status of change management within their organizations, a staggering 88% of CHROs reported that they are currently engaged in change management initiatives. An additional 6% indicated plans to initiate such efforts in the future, while only 6% stated they are not involved in any change management activities.
For those already in the process, three common drivers of change were identified from their comments. The first driver is advanced technology and digital transformation, as many organizations focus on implementing new technologies and transforming existing systems to enhance efficiency and competitiveness. Additionally, a significant number of CHROs cited mergers and acquisitions (M&A), which often require integration and restructuring efforts. Lastly, organizational restructuring was frequently mentioned, with CHROs aiming to better align organizational design with strategic goals and improve operational efficiency.
Ninety-five percent of surveyed CHROs have an active role in change management at their organization. Their main responsibilities include communicating with stakeholders, providing strategic direction and oversight, and leading change initiatives. Only 5% of survey respondents indicated minimal involvement, delegating responsibilities to other leaders.
2. CHROs Remain Confident in Their Capabilities Despite Immense Challenges
When asked about the barriers they face in implementing change management initiatives, CHROs identified effective communication and securing buy-in from all levels of the organization – particularly middle management and frontline employees – as the most common challenges. This finding aligns with Gartner’s recent HR survey, which revealed that 54% of CHROs believe their current communication methods fail to engage employees.
One CHRO remarked, "My biggest challenge is having the right leadership in place and developing and executing a communication strategy." Another noted, "Buy-in from frontline management is a challenge. Communication across the agency is also a challenge." Additional comments highlighted issues such as "not enough," "inconsistent," and "poorly timed" communications.
CHROs also frequently emphasized the need for strong leadership support and alignment, which is often lacking. As one CHRO stated, there is a "lack of commitment from senior leaders." Another commented on the importance of "leadership understanding the requirements of properly managing change."
Other challenges include resource constraints, cultural resistance, and the maturity or methodologies of change management. Some CHROs reported that their organizations struggle with a lack of experience, standardized processes, and an overall understanding of change management.
Despite these significant challenges, CHROs remain relatively confident in their organizations' change management capabilities. Seventy percent are "somewhat confident," while 20% are "very confident." Only 10% report not being confident in their organizations' capabilities.
3. CHROs Address Change Fatigue to Build Resilience
Many CHROs report experiencing change fatigue within their organizations. According to a Gartner survey, 73% of HR leaders say their employees are fatigued by change, and 74% believe their managers are not equipped to lead change effectively.
While addressing change fatigue is an ongoing challenge for most organizations, we asked CHROs to share their strategies for supporting employees through these transitions. Although many acknowledged the need for further progress, they also highlighted areas where they have achieved success. Here are some of their responses:
Overcoming change fatigue is a real challenge, and we address it by openly discussing it with our employees and acknowledging their concerns. We emphasize communication and provide support to help everyone understand the change management process, and its impact on them.”
We conduct periodic resets, working with leaders to determine where issues are so that we can streamline and move forward. We celebrate successes and provide ‘gifts of time off’ to staff and leaders to help them recoup their energy.”
Right-size it to the initiative. It’s not a one-size-fits-all nor static process. Engage stakeholders early and involve them in the planning and rollout. Understand and plan for other commitments. Pivot to adapt.”
Set strong expectations for a continuously changing environment. Communicate the ‘why’ for every change. Build resilience skills within employees.”
We modify change to ensure that it's gradual. Employee and lower-level management (the influencers) are key in this approach.”
This is challenging. We haven't found a solution to fatigue, but we try to publicly acknowledge wins and those who were most involved in the change to show appreciation.”
For the complete results, view our CHRO Community Pulse Survey on Change Management here.
If you are an HR leader navigating change management at your organization, join your local CHRO community to connect with peers on this topic. Or, if you are already a community member, check out MyEvanta to view upcoming opportunities to discuss change management in person or virtually with your peers.
by CHROs, for CHROs
Join the conversation with peers in your local CHRO community.
