The ADKAR model is an approach to change management proposed by Jeffrey Hiatt in 1996 and focuses on change at the individual level within an organization and consists of five fundamental and sequential phases. This model allows everyone in the company to speak the same language and involves people so that they feel part of the changes, introducing modifications in their processes and operations.
The ADKAR model consists of the following phases:
Awareness: this phase involves raising awareness of the need for change.
Desire: in this stage, the aim is to generate the desire to be part of the change, to work on it and to support it.
Knowledge: this phase involves providing the necessary knowledge on how the change is to be effected in your specific area.
Ability: in this stage, skills, knowledge and behaviors that facilitate the change process are implemented.
Reinforcement: this last phase involves consolidating the change achieved in order to maintain the change in the organization in the long term.
Examples of how the ADKAR model has been applied in real situations
Examples
Implementation of a new project management system
In a company that is implementing a new project management system, it would be necessary to ensure that all employees have the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively use the new system.
Modernizing a company's operations
Imagine you work for a company that still organizes its operations on paper and wants to modernize. The company is considering installing software for data processing applications and products and using advanced spreadsheets to improve its performance.
Awareness: explain to all employees involved in the change that the company is wasting hours on paperwork every day and how unproductive this is.
Desire: once everyone understands why the change is needed, explain why this will be good for them.
Knowledge: identify all the information needed and what knowledge is important for the change to be successful.
Skill: ensure that everyone involved is able to do their part with the necessary knowledge and tools.
Reinforcement: institute a follow-up to ensure the change, so that the change will be traced and improved.
These examples show how the ADKAR model can be applied in different contexts to facilitate change and ensure its success.
An action plan for implementing ADKAR in your organization
I Building awareness
1. Develop effective and targeted communications to share the business, reasons for change and the risk of not changing.
2. Effectively sponsor (lead) the change at the right level in the organization. Share why change is necessary and how it aligns with the overall direction and vision of the business.
3. Enable managers and supervisors to be effective coaches during the change process; prepare them to manage the change and help them reinforce awareness messages with their employees.
4. Provide employees with easy access to business information.
II Creating Desire
1. Enable business leaders to effectively sponsor change; create a sponsorship coalition at key levels of the organization.
2. Equip managers and supervisors to be effective change leaders, to enable managing resistance.
3. Assess the risks associated with change and design special tactics to address those risks.
4. Involve employees in the change process in the early stages.
5. Align incentive and performance management systems to support change.
III Developing knowledge
1. Implement effective training and education programs.
2. Use job aides that assist employees in the learning process.
3. Provide one-on-one counseling.
4. Create user groups and forums to share problems and lessons learned among peer groups.
IV Capacity building
1. Encourage the day-to-day involvement of supervisors.
2. Provide access to subject matter experts.
3. Implement programs for performance monitoring.
4. Provide practical exercises during training that allow employees to practice what they have learned.
V Reinforcing change
1. Celebrate successes and implement recognition programs.
2. Give rewards for successful implementation of change.
3. Collect feedback from employees.
4. Conduct audits and develop performance measurement systems; identify root causes of low adoption and implement corrective actions.
root causes of low adoption and implement corrective actions.
5. Incorporate accountability mechanisms into day-to-day business.
In summary, the key players and activities that contribute to each element of the ADKAR model are shown in the table below:
ADKAR Elements | Who ? The most influential actors | How? The most influential activities |
|---|---|---|
Awareness (A) of the need for change | Key Sponsors (business leaders), direct supervisors | Sponsorship (leadership), Communications, Coaching |
Desire(D) to support and participate in the change | Main sponsors, Coalition of sponsors , direct supervisors | Sponsorship, Coaching, Resistance Management |
Knowledge (K) of how to change | Project Team, Coaching Team, HR | Training, Coaching |
Ability (A) to implement required skills and behaviors | Direct supervisors, Project Team, Training Team, HR, Training, Coaching, Coaching | Training, Coaching |
Reinforcement (R) to sustain change | Senior Sponsors, Direct Supervisors | Sponsorship, Coaching |
Bibliography
Hyatt Jeffrey. (2006). The ADKAR Advantage: Your New Lens For Successful Change, Publisher Prosci.
Malhotra G. (2019). ADKAR Model: What Is It and How To Use It? - Whatfix Blog. https://whatfix.com/blog/adkar-model-what-is-it-and-how-to-use-it/
Comments