Undergoing any kind of organizational change can involve a broad spectrum of responses and reactions among team members, and digital transformation initiatives are no exception. While your digital transformation projects are probably well-considered and necessary for long-term growth, leaders need to understand that a successful implementation involves a lot more than just ensuring technology works. It also means managing change across the organization to improve buy-in, adoption, and company cultural considerations.
Leaders beginning a digital transformation project should understand that not everyone will immediately jump on board. For people who thrive on new experiences and change, or people with a high degree of comfort around technology, digital transformation may sound exciting. But for others, digital transformation may be threatening, scary, or unnecessary. The news of digital changes may trigger fears of job loss or a sense of inadequacy.
As leaders help encourage support and adoption of digital changes, the SARA Model can be a helpful tool to frame conversations and manage the challenges that arise.
“SARA” stands for:
SURPRISE
In this phase, people typically feel shocked or numb. They may struggle with disbelief or denial, and they may believe the change coming will all be over soon or that they can “duck the wave” of change. Common reactions during this phase might be:
- “Are we really going to do this?”
- “Is this really necessary?”
- “I don’t understand this.”
- Stunned silence or reticence.
ANGER / ANXIOUS
In this phase, people can move towards anger or be anxious. At work or in contact with colleagues, they might resist the change, withdraw from the team, or question if the initiative will even work. At home, they may experience insomnia, depression, or anxiety, depending on the perceived impact of the changes. Common reactions during this phase include:
- “I gave it my all, and now look at what I get.”
- “They’re going to replace us with AI or machines.”
- “Will they even need people after this?”
- “What kind of technology will I have to learn? I’m not good at that!”
RATIONALIZATION
People start to move towards rationalization in the third phase, but this doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll suddenly develop positive feelings about the change. In fact, they may over-prepare, become frustrated, or experience the overwhelm of too much to do. However, they may also start to see possibilities and understand how the changes may benefit the organization. This struggle with the ambiguity of the change and the continued movement toward a final result may trigger some of the following responses:
- “I get it, but I don’t like it, and I don’t think this will work.”
- “This is just another technology tool that they’ll abandon after a while. I’ll learn it, but I don’t have to really adopt it.”
- “I’ll learn this for now, but I’m going to keep doing things my way.”
ACCEPTANCE
Finally, people will start to move toward acceptance of the change. At this point, teamwork increases, leaders inspire, employees are motivated, and overall satisfaction increases. People begin to feel as if they have a clear focus and plan. Typical responses in this phase include:
- “Now that I’m using this technology, I can see how much it will improve things.”
- “This tool is easier to use than I thought it would be. I think I can use this.”
- “I’m excited about how this will improve our team’s productivity.”
Ideally, leaders will anticipate these stages and manage them along the way to minimize the disruption and ease discomfort. Here are a few tips leaders can use to help manage change throughout the digital transformation process:
Communicate early and often
Since everyone adapts to change at a different pace, anticipate that some employees will be slower to adapt than others. Communicate the upcoming changes as early as possible, and share progress and news as often as possible.
Listen to questions and concerns, and take them seriously
Depending on the transformation initiative, it’s possible that some employees may feel threatened. Keep the conversation open, ask for feedback regularly, and address questions and concerns openly and honestly. Most of all, listen and allow employees to express their worries without fear of repercussions.
Demonstrate the advantages
Take the time to demonstrate the new technology in a public forum, where everyone can see what advantages and improvements it will bring to the company.
Be generous with training and resources
There is a wide range of comfort levels with learning new technology. Start offering training as early as possible, and use early adopters and quick learners as resources for those who might need more time. Consider creating short video training guides and written “cheat sheets” or manuals to help ease the learning curve.
Understanding the change process through the lens of the SARA model can be invaluable as you undertake your digital transformation projects. By managing change throughout the process, you’ll improve engagement and adoption and set your organization up for a successful implementation.