A large consulting firm gained most of its revenue through customized training programs offered in the manufacturing sector. As the numbers of manufacturing facilities in the U.S. dwindled, coupled with significant reductions in employee training efforts in the remaining facilities, leaders realized they could no longer rely on manufacturing as the mainstay. The CEO realized the firm would have to change its approach in generating new business and accommodating new markets. The company turned its efforts toward healthcare industries, and sought the expertise of individuals with an understanding of the challenges unique to the healthcare arena.
For more than 20 years, a well-known pharmaceutical company had experienced significant annual growth. Sales goals were consistently exceeded, as the lion’s share of the company’s revenue came from vaccines. Now, several of the company’s patent protections were expiring at the same time, and generic brands were hitting the market. Clearly, the company faced increased competition, elevated R&D costs and increasing production costs.
Emily was Sales Manager for a large media outlet. She was the youngest member of her team, yet she was responsible for leading them through some changing times. Emily’s team had been intact and in place prior to her arrival, and she had met with a bit of the “not invented here” attitude when she recommended new promotions and new packaging for some of the product offerings. Now initiatives were coming down from the top, and Emily had to move her team of senior employees to compliance. Emily believed the changes were good ones. However, based on the way the more senior members had reacted in the past, Emily felt uneasy about directing the changes.
The process of effective change management can be complex, but it should not be overlooked. Change management involves not only developing a new strategy, but also updating processes, systems, technology, and culture to support the changes. People are the central tenet of an effective workplace change because the latest technology will be useless if people don’t use it. At HigherEchelon, we can help you devise and deliver a change management strategy to support your new vision. Contact us to schedule a consultation.