We’ve covered how to get your executives on board with your intelligent automation journey, but now it’s time to focus on another non-negotiable contributor to your initiative’s success: your employees.

The importance of employee buy-in in change management is simple. Your staff has a unique view of your organization and what it takes to run smoothly, down to the nitty-gritty of each business process. They’re also the ones who will be adopting any changes you make.

But getting their support is never smooth sailing. Some may fear that new tech will make their jobs obsolete, that they lack the necessary skills to support it, or wonder how your plans will disrupt their daily routines.

Considering all these potential reactions, it’s vital to educate your employees on why change is needed at all. And let’s be frank, they also need to know why it’s worth their time and buy-in at all.

To help them get there, here are 4 strategies that’ll help you get your employees’ support for your intelligent automation initiative.

How to Get Employee Buy-In

4 Change Management Strategies to Get Employee Buy-In in for Your Intelligent Automation Initiative

1. Present Your Strategy with Their Perspective in Mind

Your employees are used to the day-to-day of their jobs. The way you’re doing things now is normal to them, and they may not see the problems these methods are causing. As a result, it’ll be helpful to show them the bigger picture and the strategy you’ve planned to address it all, and do present this information to them early on. Important topics to cover include:

  • Highlight the specific problems that are making change urgent and any relevant data. When possible, make sure the examples you’re sharing tie directly into the roles of the employees you’re talking to.
  • Outline the changes you’re planning to make as a result of those problems, and be specific about how they’re affect the staff in question.
  • Break down trends in your industry and show where your company stands to improve against your competitors.
  • Share success stories of past digital transformation projects your company or competitors have undergone, showing the benefits they produced.
  • Data that illustrates the benefits your plan will target, like customer retention and time saved. Be sure to point out that this time saved can offer them extra perks like going home on time or getting to reallocate the saved time to more enjoyable work.
  • Your strategy’s timeline divided into realistic phases.
  • A rundown of the training program you plan to roll out (more on that very soon!)

2. Give Employees an Active Role in the Change

It’s easier to feel positive and invested in an initiative if you’re an active stakeholder in it from the start. So, after you’ve presented your strategy to your employees, ask them for feedback using a structured feedback system that allows employees to remain anonymous if they choose. Then, be sure to follow up on each response.

This way, your employees will understand that you aren’t just asking for feedback as a formality and that you respect their deep knowledge of the processes at hand. And don’t just ask for feedback at this singular phase, plan to seek it at meaningful intervals, like between specific stages or after a set interval of time.

3. Provide Comprehensive Training

You know the benefits and the urgency of business intelligence and digital-first approaches, but you can’t assume your staff is on the same page. People don’t want a new tool or process dropped in their lap with the expectation that they’ll know how to use it.

To help your staff feel prepared, you’ll need to build a comprehensive training plan. As you’re putting it together, you’ll want to consider:

  • Providing resources like workshops, tutorials in the form of videos and written PDFs, and help desks. Offering this wide variety of training options can help your staff learn faster and even have a more enjoyable training experience, no matter what their ideal learning style is.
  • Selecting employees to be solution advocates. This staff will learn how to use the new system early and lead by example, assisting their peers with any questions they might have ad spreading the positive word about the new solution and the benefits they’ve already seen from it. This can help foster a culture of adoption and change positivity while encouraging collaboration.

Make sure the training is ongoing and accessible, so employees feel supported throughout the transition. If it’s a short one-off training session, it’ll be difficult for many employees to retain all the information. This will also help alleviate any fears or resistance they may have towards the new technology.

4. Foster a Culture of Continuous Improvement

Encourage a culture where continuous improvement is valued and celebrated. Make it clear that in order for your business to continue to rise above the competition, you need to be constantly improving. Additionally, explain how your proposed change will continue to improve past efforts, not erase or replace them. It may be worth mentioning large-scale changes your company has undertaken in the past. Even if an employee wasn’t present for these chapters of company history, the simple reminder that companies need to continuously improve their operations to thrive can sometimes be enough to bring some comfort. Discussing intelligent automation initiatives through the lens of continuous improvement also supports a culture of continuous improvement, which embraces innovation and change.

Check Employee Buy-In Off Your Change Management Checklist

Getting employee buy-in for your intelligent automation initiative is crucial for its success. By emphasizing why digital matters, providing comprehensive training, getting employee feedback, highlighting success stories, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement, you can create a supportive environment where your staff feels valued and motivated to embrace the change. Remember, your employees are your greatest asset, and their buy-in is essential for a successful intelligent automation journey.

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About Kara

As a Naviant Content Writer since 2019, Kara is passionate about helping organizations unleash the power of technology to solve their business challenges. In her weekly articles, Kara breaks down the latest research, trends, and tips in the digital transformation world, specializing in intelligent automation, the cloud, AP & HR automation, artificial intelligence, change management, and more. She is also a Copywriter for the American Marketing Association-Madison, where she contributes bimonthly articles that interview industry experts and highlight the latest marketing trends. When she’s not writing, Kara is working on her latest art project, scoping out new music, or out for a run.