Managing people and organisations through change continues to be one of the most critical aspects of leadership in supply chain organisations today, according to Gartner.
But a recent Gartner survey found that supply chain executives and employees have differing perceptions of their organisation’s capability in adapting to change. The survey showed that 36% of supply chain executives believe they are ready for the challenge, while only 13% of employees think they are.
Gartner analysts say supply chain executives need to understand how employees engage to support change in order to successfully lead that change.
The survey revealed that employees want to be more closely connected with the overall purpose of the change and to know how it affects them in their role. Training, piloting and giving feedback on the status of the change are therefore very important to employees.
“For the most effective change management strategy, communication is of paramount importance,” says Chadwick. “Supply chain leaders need to create a communications plan that articulates the importance of working together toward a well-defined vision, and tailors messages and engagement methods to different audiences in order to successfully embrace new ways of working.”
When a change is implemented, it doesn’t mean it is adopted. “Supply chain leaders need to engage a team in a post-day-one follow up on system issues and training in order to keep employees moving to new business practices,” Chadwick says.
