On Tuesday I wrote about why redesigns fail on the way to the floor.
Here’s the other half: what makes a new way of working stick once it gets there.
A great design and a solid training program are a start, not the finish.
In the first weeks, people are nervous. They’re learning a new system, working in unfamiliar software, and letting go of a routine they knew by heart. The first time something doesn’t work, the old way looks very tempting.
What keeps them going is knowing someone has their back.
From week one to week six, that means a lot of hand-holding, and I mean that as a good thing:
- Be on the floor, not just on a calendar invite. Be there on every shift, early and late.
- Answer the same question for the fifth time like it's the first.
- Fix problems fast, the same day if you can. One unsolved glitch can undo a week of trust.
- Check in with the people who are quiet, not only the ones who speak up.
- Roll out on a timeline people can keep up with, and keep showing up after go-live.
When staff know they're covered, and that someone will answer their question and fix their issue, they stay with the new system. When they feel alone with it, they go back to what they know.
In R³, this is the Reinvent part: the new way doesn't take hold because of the design. It takes hold because people felt supported while they learned it.
Being present at the start is what makes the process stick.
When you went through a big change at work, what made you trust the new way?
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This piece first appeared as a post on LinkedIn.