Change Management – Tips for the Successful Digitization of Your Company

Digitization is a perennial topic: 9 out of 10 companies are engaged with the subject, while fewer than 20% of companies have already completed the introduction of software to digitize their organization.

Source: German Social Collaboration Study 2019

What motivates companies to use business software

• Cost savings through process optimization

• Greater efficiency and time savings

• Better collaboration and internal knowledge building

• Improved corporate governance

• Higher customer satisfaction

• Transparency and consistency

The introduction of business software is a major and important step for many companies. The technical implementation follows well-defined processes, which make configuration, commissioning, and migration as straightforward as possible. Corporate digitization is not achieved with a software solution alone. To gain greater acceptance at all levels, professional change management is a key factor for success.

How successfully ERP software can be used depends crucially on employee acceptance. Companies therefore do well to accompany employees during the introduction and to take their requirements, wishes, and concerns seriously.

But why does resistance often arise?

Humans are creatures of habit, and the introduction of ERP software turns familiar processes upside down. In the process, existing structures are broken up, well-worn paths are questioned, and many interdependencies are made transparent. Such a change is seen by many as an innovative opportunity and by others as a threat. If companies engage with critics in advance and take fears and concerns into account, they have a good chance of a successful implementation.

What you can do to increase employee acceptance of your software

In particular, the managers of a company play an important role in the implementation process. They should lead by example and actively use the software themselves. For example, by spreading important information about it and actively participating in discussions and decisions.

”The higher the active involvement of managers in the social collaboration tools, the more the corporate culture improves from the employees’ perspective.”

Source: German Social Collaboration Study 2019

In addition, it is very important to give your employees the time to learn the software. Training sessions, manuals, events and good user support can be very helpful in this regard.