Why you Should Incorporate Change Management into your Digital Transformation Project
In today’s article, Orla Shaughnessy, Prosci Certified Change Practitioner and Business Analyst at Storm, explores how organisations can benefit from incorporating a change management and adoption strategy into their digital transformation project.
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In order to stay competitive, organisations across industries are investing heavily in new technologies like AI, automation, and cloud business solutions. However, what many companies fail to realise is technology alone doesn’t deliver transformation. People are at the heart of digital transformation. Focusing on the people side of business change, change management can be the difference between a smooth rollout and a costly failure. Incorporating structured change management into your digital transformation project ensures that your people - the end users, leaders, and stakeholders are ready, willing, and able to embrace the new way of working.
Below we discuss the top 7 benefits of integrating change management into your digital transformation project.
1. Higher Adoption Rates and Enhanced ROI
The success of a new system or process depends largely on whether people actually use it. Without proper communication, training, and support, employees may cling to old processes or develop workarounds that undermine the transformation. Change management provides a clear adoption strategy, ensuring employees understand why the change matters, how it benefits them, and what is expected, leading to quicker uptake and a faster return on technology investment.
2. Reduced Change Resistance
Every change, even a positive one, sparks uncertainty. Left unmanaged, this can escalate into resistance that delays timelines, creates conflict, or reduces productivity.
With a change management plan in place that includes active listening, feedback loops, and visible leadership support, businesses can address concerns early, minimise change resistance, and maintain operational stability during the transition.
3. On Time and On Budget Project Delivery
Effective change management correlates directly with the likelihood of a project to be delivered on schedule and on budget. Data from Prosci has shown that projects can be up to five times more likely to be delivered on or ahead of schedule when they incorporate excellent change management. Additionally, excellent change management means your project is nearly 1.5 times more likely to stay on or under budget than with poor change management.
4. Enhanced Employee Engagement
When employees feel consulted, informed, and supported, they’re far more likely to view change as an opportunity rather than a threat. Change management creates structured ways to involve teams, celebrate milestones, and recognise contributions, all of which helps boost engagement and morale, and build a culture that’s resilient and adaptable when it comes to future change.
5. Stronger Leadership Commitment
Leaders play a critical role in modelling new behaviours and championing the transformation. Change management equips them with the messaging, tools, and confidence they need to communicate effectively, inspire trust, and keep momentum alive throughout a digital transformation project.
6. Better Alignment Between Technology and Business Goals
Change management helps bridge the gap between technical implementation and business objectives by aligning stakeholders, clarifying priorities, and ensuring the project delivers outcomes that matter most to the organisation.
7. Sustainable Long-Term Change
Without reinforcement, even well-implemented changes can erode over time. Change management doesn’t stop at solution go-live. It includes post-launch support, performance tracking, and continuous improvement practices to make sure new ways of working stick and project objectives are met. In fact, projects that have excellent change management can be up to 7 times more likely to meet or exceed project goals, according to Prosci.
Digital transformation is as much about people as it is about technology. Without a strategy for managing the human side of change, even the most advanced tools can fail to deliver their promised value. By embedding change management into your digital transformation project from the beginning, you not only protect your investment, but you also help unlock its full potential.
If you’d like to learn more about change management, get in touch with a member of our team today.
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