ERP go-live is a hectic time. You may think you’re busy during implementation, but go-live will give a whole new meaning to “busy.” In fact, you might become so frazzled that you let your organizational change management plan fall by the wayside.
Big mistake. Huge!
Before you find yourself in this situation, make a plan (no, a vow) to prioritize these four organizational change management (OCM) activities, at minimum, after go-live.
OCM Activities That are Essential After Go-Live
1. Continue Communicating
Once your ERP system is up and running, you might think your employees will be able to just take off. After all, they’ve been trained on the software, and they have all the knowledge they need to get started.
This may be true, but it isn’t a green light to leave them to their own devices. If something goes wrong and there’s no way for them to communicate the issue, they may stop following the new processes.
Here are a few ways to keep communication flowing:
- Establishing direct lines of communication
- Creating problem escalation channels
- Developing user feedback processes
It’s also important to reiterate the benefits that the ERP system is expected to provide. In other words, make “what’s in it for me?” abundantly clear.
We also recommend focusing on two-way communication. It isn’t enough to simply encourage your employees to email their feedback about the new system. There should also be steps in place for team members to review that feedback and make adjustments.
ERP Training Plan Success Story
We helped this manufacturer implement an ERP training strategy to increase user adoption of its new ERP system.
2. Monitor System Usage
You might have just implemented one of the top ERP systems, but it won’t do your organization any good if your employees aren’t properly using it.
Once you go live, there should be measures in place to help you track system usage and identify pain points your workers might be experiencing.
Usage problems aren’t always obvious, though. You might not even know they’re occurring, especially if you aren’t continuing your communication efforts.
If you’re wondering where your company stands in terms of adoption, here are a few metrics to track:
- What percentage of our employees are actively using the new system?
- What percentage are doing so proficiently?
- What percentage are doing so with objections or workarounds?
You can collect and track this data in a variety of ways, including user feedback surveys, one-on-one meetings, and more.
3. Identify Post Go-Live Resistance to Change
Even if employees initially thought they were comfortable with the software, they could change their minds once they’re required to use it on a daily basis.
They could react in one of two ways. Some employees will use the new system but begrudgingly. Others will flat-out refuse to change, and revert to their old ways, even if those processes have been proven inefficient.
Internal sabotage is a common reason for ERP failure. By keeping OCM a top priority, you can identify change resistance before it spreads across departments.
4. Don’t Forget About Follow-Up Training
End-user training is an essential component of any ERP implementation – and it shouldn’t stop at go-live. Follow-up training allows you to reinforce core concepts and refresh employees’ memories regarding critical workflows.
Once employees can see firsthand how the system works, they might have additional questions or issues. They may also want to learn how to use features or functions they didn’t know about.
By providing ongoing training, you can help employees continue to efficiently perform their jobs for years to come.
What’s Your Plan for Post-Live OCM?
No matter how tempting it is, don’t cut back your change management focus after go-live.
Instead, define your post-live OCM plan early in the project. This will ensure that your OCM team, your executives, and your department managers continue to support employees during this critical time.
Our organizational change management consultants can help you develop a plan for sustaining employee buy-in. Request a free consultation below.
