There are a number of models in management that aim to reduce resistance to change and control most organizational change processes. The Prosci ADKAR model is one of the best approaches introduced several years ago to support change in companies through the prism of its five major elements, namely awareness, desire, knowledge, ability, and reinforcement. The progress of the ADKAR model is evident today due to its evident advantages and the possibility to facilitate working processes. This model is developed from a study of 900 organizations across 59 countries over a 14-year period, carried out by the American research organization, Prosci. This model, developed by Jeff Hiatt, and first published in 2003, focuses on participatory approach of dealing with change. The model is simple to learn, makes sense, and focuses on the actions and outcomes required for change.
ADKAR, in contrast to most other change management models, focuses on the human aspect of change. It recognizes that for an organizational change to be successful, individuals must change in. Five building blocks of ADKAR model are;
- Awareness: It is the first building block of ADKAR model. The principle is to make every employee understand the need for change. The questions, Why, What, and When – regarding the process of change will be answered by this factor. Communication plays a key role in creating effective awareness.
- Desire: This is the second building block. Cultivation of desire among the employees to take part in the change and implement change in their regular work is a vital part of change management. Organizing communication and enhancing feedback system will motivate the stakeholders to accept the change.
- Knowledge: One of the most essential element that represents how to implement change is knowledge. This step focuses on providing knowledge on how to achieve change. Assessment of gap between current knowledge and required knowledge to implement change will help in deciding the depth and extend of training and coaching required.
- Ability: The fourth building block in this model is Ability. It is the potential to learn new skills in order to implement change and achieve desired outcome. Focusing on the above factors can eventually enhance the intellectual capability of employees. Providing with sufficient resources and time plays a vital role in enhancing the ability to successfully implement change.
- Reinforcement: It is the last step in this change model. It emphasizes on sustaining the implemented change. Celebrating milestones, recognition, rewards, positive feedbacks and sharing the success stories are important approaches in reinforcement of change. This will form a strong base for the future changes in an organization.
Applying the ADKAR model is characterized by multiple benefits, including the intention to help employees adapt to the process of change and fill in the need gaps in rearrangements. The essence of the chosen approach is to focus on personal knowledge and feelings because the success of any organizational change is usually determined by the way how individuals are ready to change. Thus, failures in work processes result in insufficient involvement, unnecessary distraction, and low productivity. Unpreparedness for the dynamic structure of potentially changeable activities can likewise cause problems during the implementation of any action.
There are several advantages for modern companies to prove the worth of using the ADKAR model. First, one should mention the awareness of the need for change, which is both part of the model and a condition for its implementation. This model introduces a framework according to which structured and tangible guidance for employees is offered to maximize the quality and speed of progress. This principle is the basis of many management methods, but a particular emphasis on awareness is enhanced by ADKAR users.
Second, knowledge of the correctness of the changes and the desire to participate in them is a cornerstone of the model. When the awareness and conveying of the meaning and need for change to employees is formalized, it increases the likelihood of people’s willingness to contribute and participate in a change process. Thus, the model is effective in promoting competence and cooperation between all participants in terms of their professional capabilities, problem-solving skills, and goal orientation.
Focusing the process of change on the feelings of the employee can fail if mismanaged or tasked in a crooked way, leading to problems with the change itself. The management or department responsible for changes in each case must correctly determine the methods of presenting the need for changes and their structure and monitor the reaction of each of the participants. Ignoring the complexity and multistep changes dramatically reduces its usefulness.
Moreover, a clear disadvantage is the linkage of change to the team and its mood. Due to force majeure, the mood of the team and participants of the change may not match the plan. In this case, the processes oriented to voluntary and certain kinds of planned activities can be disrupted by untimely intervention or inaction of persons, taken into account in the awareness of the need for such actions in advance.
Taking into consideration the offered pros of the ADKAR model, many organizations prefer to motivate their employees and implement change following these recommendations. One of the common rules of the model is to take each element separately and ensure that employees understand the offered activities and the environment. Thus, awareness is a critical aspect of change management, and the ADKAR model underlines the importance of communication as the way to explain the reasons for change and share the necessary amount of knowledge. Certain changes must be communicated to employees verbally or in writing, and persuasive arguments must be made, depending on the particular case. Individual work with each participant in the process is obligatory because collective feedback does not always result in collective action.
Another step is to empower employees and provide them with some guarantees to strengthen their desire to work and cooperate. Thus, monitoring the mood of employees and their attitudes toward their tasks is required. The critical factors of desire are employee satisfaction, performance measurement, and involvement. If employees show initiative or offer ideas, these must be implemented or reasonably rejected because frustration can manifest itself from ignorance.
Sharing information is the step to demonstrate how knowledge is promoted within the organization. Employee motivation does not make sense when people do not have enough experience and material on the basis of which they can develop their activities. The ADKAR model allows the avoidance of unnecessary failures and reminds leaders about knowledge sharing. Market research can identify specific arguments by which a team of professionals will be convinced of the need for change. Depending on the strategic importance and nature of the project, similar processes are more likely to occur. In a comparative analysis, there is every chance of increasing staff awareness of the need.
Finally, the ability to identify and manage barriers and accept reinforcement plays an important role in motivating employees during change. The professional network in the ADKAR model is a direct interaction between managers, employees responsible for the change, and leaders. All necessary tasks must be discussed and monitored in constant communication. If there is a need to ask questions or use additional resources, a solution must be developed within a short period, addressing the needs of all change participants.