summer 2007
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Q&A: Discussing Today’s Business Trends —
New Technology Implementation and the
Value of Employee Buy-In
Trillium Solutions Group, Inc., is a business operations and technology consulting firm that helps clients reach their goals by applying sound project management and business analysis principles. In doing so, Trillium works with clients to successfully navigate a wide array of complex business issues. Much Shelist spoke with founder and CEO Steve Adelstein about the value of gaining employee buy-in as part of a successful new technology implementation.
Much Shelist: When a company implements a new technology solution, why is employee buy-in so important?
Steve Adelstein: Businesses use technology for many good reasons: to streamline processes, communicate more effectively, improve the quality of products and services, and so on. In many cases, however, business leaders look at the phrase “technology solution” and focus on the word “solution.” They assume that new technology alone will provide an answer to whatever need has been identified.
It’s important to recognize that technology is a tool that exists to serve people and to help them do their jobs more effectively. If employees feel that new software or hardware will make them more productive—that it has been implemented in response to their needs—then they are more likely to take full advantage of what it has to offer. Conversely, if they believe the new system makes sense only to management or the IT department, and that the new processes will make their lives harder, they will create under-the-table workarounds that ultimately run counter to the potential efficiencies offered by the implementation.
Employee buy-in is key to the success of any technology project. Without it, the gains are few or nonexistent; with it, the organization can truly fly.
MS: Why do some businesses fail to achieve employee buy-in during new technology implementations?
SA: Most business leaders understand that employees must embrace the new systems in order for them to reach their full potential. Frequently, however, the effort to gain employee buy-in comes too late, often during the somewhat misnamed “user-acceptance testing” stage, when employees are shown a new set of processes and systems and are essentially asked to “get used” to them. Efforts to gain buy-in should begin much earlier.
Looking at the chronological life of an implementation, there are several reasons these projects fail to gain acceptance:
- The new technology doesn’t address a clear business need. Too often, technology projects are driven from the top down or from IT departments, without a clear rationale for how the new system will help front-line users do their jobs more efficiently. This doesn’t mean that business managers shouldn’t initiate projects, or that IT departments shouldn’t suggest technology solutions that will lead to business improvements. It simply means that end users should also be brought into the loop so that they understand the objectives of the new system—whether to meet a specific need related to their job function or to help the company improve as a whole.
As an aside, companies that have historically sought input from their employees have a decided advantage in this arena. If you haven’t established an employee-feedback process in your organization, it’s never too late to start. Doing so will have a direct, positive effect on current operations, and will position you for success when the time comes to implement new technology.
- The project may have a sponsor, but it lacks a champion. Employees need to see that senior management is invested in the success of the initiative. This requires more than simply acting as a cheerleader, reviewing a status report or signing vendor checks. It means being in touch with key aspects of the project throughout its life span, including purpose, timeframe, effect on users, and so on.
This not only gives employees the assurance that their concerns have been heard and are being addressed, but it minimizes delays and reduces the likelihood of future problems. No matter how well planned, every technology implementation hits inevitable bumps. When problems arise, a fully informed and invested project sponsor is more likely to make good decisions that balance the needs of all parties involved. What’s more, a thorough understanding of the project or the issue will allow the project sponsor to see through stakeholder biases and resolve conflicts more effectively.
- Project sponsors fail to get input from key stakeholders and user groups. In many cases, there is a direct correlation between the scope of a project and its potential positive effects. It may sound obvious, but the bigger the project, the greater the number of employees that may be affected by it. Likewise, the more people who are affected by a project, the more likely it is that conflicts will arise among stakeholders.
When user groups are at odds within an organization, people often become highly invested in “being right,” as opposed to “doing the right thing.” In any key decision, it should not be a question of who wins, but how the business as a whole will benefit from the outcome. Again, this is where a project champion is invaluable. When stakeholders have the assurance that the project sponsor is fully engaged with the project at every level, and is able to approach conflicts with minimal bias, they are more likely to support the final decisions, even if they have to give something up in the process.
- Project sponsors fail to communicate, communicate, communicate. Again, it sounds so obvious, but it’s stunning how often project leaders and sponsors fail to keep employees informed.
Most people dislike change, especially when they don’t know what’s happening and why. Project leaders can go a long way toward overcoming this resistance by simply communicating with their employees. Tell them what’s happening. Tell them why it’s happening. Tell them when it’s happening. Set smaller milestones and demonstrate that they can be achieved.
Although everyone should be kept informed on some level, it’s also important to target these communications appropriately. Just as there are certain people who are more likely to embrace technology outside the business world (the first to buy the newest cell phone, download music off the Internet, etc.), there are members of your organization who are more likely to adopt—and adapt to—your new systems. Identify these individuals, get them involved in the project and watch how they act as a positive influence on their colleagues.
MS: Any final thoughts?
SA: A new technology solution may not always seem like a win-win situation from the individual employee’s perspective. For this reason, a purely top-down approach will never be as successful as one that seeks employee buy-in at every level and at every phase of the project. It’s part science…part art…part culture. Keep all three in mind, and you’ll find that your technology implementation projects run more smoothly and have a longer-lasting, positive impact on your business.
For more information on Trillium Solutions Group, contact Steve Adelstein at sadelstein@trilliumsg.com or visit http://www.trilliumsg.com/.
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