Our free change management templates can help you strategically implement and streamline your organizational changes by improving targeting, preparation, and communication.
Change management is inherently challenging. In fact, on average, 59% of value is lost between the change idea and execution. Mishandling can lead to confusion, decreased productivity, and even employee turnover.
To avoid these pitfalls, using change management plan templates provides a clear roadmap through the transitions.
In this guide, you’ll gain access to multiple free change management templates and understand when you need to use each one:
Key Takeaways:
Here’s a quick rundown of what’s offered in this blog:
- Change management is the process of handling organizational changes, such as new practices and restructuring.
- Using change management templates can bring a streamlined, consistent approach that your team becomes familiar with.
- Our free change management templates can help you with diagnostics, readiness, KPIs, roadmaps, communication, and feedback to minimize disruption and improve clarity.
- Templates can cut planning time from weeks to days, aiding consistency across your organization.
- Software like Workjamajig is a better solution for large-scale changes, thanks to its automated, real-time dashboards and collaboration benefits.
What is Change Management?
Change management is the systematic process of handling transitions and organizational changes.
Its methods guide people through changes, such as new practices, team restructuring, new software, and workflow shifts.
While it is largely used at the organizational change level, it can also be highly effective at the individual level for personal transitions.
Why Use a Change Management Template?
Only 43% of employees say their organization is good at managing change. This is caused by the difficulties leaders have in providing a clear and communicative plan for the proposed changes.
If your changes feel chaotic, then a change management template can provide a standardized framework to guide you through them efficiently.
They Streamline Planning
Change management templates can act as checklists for key elements of changes, such as objectives, stakeholder shifts, risks, and timelines.
They can cut down initial change planning from weeks to days, as the thought process is laid out before you.
Ensures Consistency
Our change management templates provide a standardized approach to change, helping you minimize confusion and errors when making changes across multiple roles and departments.
When used over time, you’ll build knowledge within your team as to how changes look and work.
Clearer Communication Plans
Communication is often overlooked in organizational change. By using a dedicated template, you can quickly identify who needs to be notified, what communication channels need adjusting, and increase change awareness.
This will reduce rumours and any sense of panic and stress that often comes with change.
Improve Risk Mitigation
Using our change management templates, including risk assessment tools, can help you proactively spot and address barriers, leading to smoother rollouts.
Our Free Change Management Templates for Each Step
We invite you to download our free change management plan templates to optimize your strategy and decision-making.
Each one is designed to target a specific area of change, from communication strategies to change impact assessments. They are available in Google Sheets and Docs and can be imported into Microsoft Excel and Word.
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Types of Change Management Templates |
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Name of Template |
When to Use the Template: |
| Change Management Diagnostic template |
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| Change Readiness template |
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| Change KPI template |
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| Change Implementation Roadmap template |
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| Change Communication Plan template |
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| Change Management Feedback template |
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1. Change Management Diagnostic Tool
Before embarking on any change initiative, you need to have a clear understanding of which part of your organization to target.
This will ensure that your efforts are focused and yield the most positive impact. By clearly identifying your area of focus, you can allocate your resources more efficiently and effectively.
When to Use:
One useful change management framework that can assist in this process is the McKinsey 7S model.
It provides a comprehensive approach to assessing various elements within your organization and helps you identify areas that require attention.
By using a questionnaire to gather feedback from employees across different levels and departments of the organization, you can gain valuable insights and ensure that your change efforts are targeted toward the right areas.
For example, an agency could use it to determine what structural areas employees find difficult. With this feedback, leaders could assess where changes could be made
Download:
Click here to download your Change Management Diagnostic Tool template.
2. Change Readiness Assessment Template
The next crucial step is assessing your organization's readiness for this change.
By evaluating your organization's change readiness, you can ensure your efforts align with its current capabilities and culture, increasing the chances of successful change implementation.
This step is essential because it allows you to gauge your organization's level of preparedness and make necessary adjustments before initiating any changes.
When to Use:
In this template, you can outline the key factors to consider when assessing change readiness. They revolve around three general categories:
- Alignment
- Company capacity
- Employee attitudes
Information needed to fill this up can be gathered in different ways, such as company employee surveys, research and observation, or interviews. We recommended combining quantitative and qualitative methods to get the best results.
By filling this out, you can get an overview of which areas may need to be rectified and which areas are good to go.
For example, if your agency is planning a remote work policy shift, you could use this template to help identify what areas need adjustments first.
Download:
Click below to download your Change Readiness Assessment template.
3. Change Management KPI Template
When embarking on a change management campaign, it’s critical to have a clear vision of what success means to you and your team. It gives you direction and purpose and helps you communicate your goals effectively.
The best way to do this is through Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), which can track progress using clearly defined metrics.
When to Use:
Our KPI template outlines potential KPIs around budget, timeline, quality, customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, or creativity.
KPIs will vary depending on the nature of the change you are implementing. For instance, if you are introducing a new process, a measurable indicator of success could be the percentage of your team that can perform the new tasks seamlessly.
By setting measurable targets, you can motivate your team to embrace change and work toward the desired outcomes.
For example, if your agency were adopting new AI tools, you could set metrics such as time from brief to concept, employee satisfaction, and gross profit margin per month.
Download:
Click below to download your Change Management KPI template.
4. Change Implementation Roadmaps Template
Once you’ve established your image of success, you can begin planning how you want to go about achieving it.
Using a change implementation roadmap outlines the steps and milestones that need to be achieved along the way, providing a clear path forward.
When to Use:
Our Change Implementation Roadmap template can be used to track the progress of your change management initiative and your milestones.
By consistently monitoring your roadmap and tracking your progress, you can navigate any obstacles or challenges that may arise and successfully bring about the desired change.
For example, if your agency is recognized, then you can set weekly milestones, such as announcements or reassignments, with buffers where necessary.
Download:
Click below to download your Change Implementation Roadmap template.
5. Change Management Communication Plan Template
Creating a comprehensive change management communication plan allows you to consolidate the message you want to share. It ensures that everyone is on the same page and understands the goals and objectives of the change.
By clearly defining who delivers messages, you can ensure they come from a trusted source and carry the necessary credibility.
You can also identify the frequency of communication, which can help reinforce your messaging and keep everyone informed and engaged throughout the change process.
Finally, the way you deliver the message is essential for capturing your audience's attention and interest. Whether it's through newsletters, meetings, emails, or other communication channels, choosing the right method can make all the difference in effectively conveying your message and driving successful change.
For example, if you’re adopting a new project management software, this template could help you identify what message needs to be shared, by whom, and if it’s been completed.
When to Use:
In this communication plan template, you can identify your change management plan milestones and the key messages you want to deliver to key stakeholders.
It also provides fields to record the content you want to create to disseminate the key message, who will deliver it, the channel, the link to the material, and the status of the work.
Download:
Click below to download your Change Management Communication Plan template.
6. Change Management Feedback Gathering Template
Changes can be disruptive and potentially very stressful if not communicated clearly.
As you execute your action plans, you should prioritize the well-being and the opinions of the people involved.
Regular check-ins can help ensure everyone is on track and receiving the support and guidance they need. You can achieve this in various ways, including company surveys, personal interviews, and focus group discussions.
When to Use:
Using our Change Management Feedback Gathering template can allow you to proactively address any concerns or obstacles that may arise during change. These check-ins also provide an opportunity to celebrate achievements and recognize your team's hard work.
Download:
Click below to download your Change Management Feedback Gathering template.
Using Templates vs Using Software for Change Management
When dealing with ongoing, scaled, or ongoing changes, it may be best to consider using software:
When templates are better
- During early-stage or one-off changes.
- For cost-free experimentation.
- For brainstorming or evaluating change ideas, rather than implementing them.
When software is better
- When you’re changing multiple initiatives and need a single source of truth.
- You’d like to have visual tools and real-time dashboards to show and track changes and dependencies.
- You need automation, instead of manually updating documents or sheets.
- You need real-time collaboration and reporting so employees can see progress, risks, and KPIs quickly and under the same hood.
Recap:
The Change management process can cause disruption, anxiety, and misalignment throughout your team if you don’t plan for a smooth transition.
But by going through the key steps for change, you can provide a clear vision of what change is, including key milestones, communication plans, KPIs, and feedback from your team members.
How Workamajig Can Optimize Your Change Management Process
Using the free change management templates provided in this article can serve as a great starting point for managing change effectively. But for complex, frequent, or long-term changes, you may want to consider using project management software.
Workamajig streamlines change management by integrating project tools to provide a smoother, clearer transition.
For example, within Workamajig, the system integrates data and information tracking at all levels. Real-time dashboards display live data in visual tools that show the overall health of a project. So if timelines or roles within a team change, everyone can see it within their own dashboard, and communication routes adjust automatically.
It also uses tools such as Gantt charts, project timelines, resource tracking maps, and a customizable project dashboard to visualize change phases, helping prevent delays and clearly identify dependencies. All in real time.
In short, Workamajig keeps team members aligned, with real-time adjustments reflected in visualized tools.
We welcome you to contact us today for a free demo to see how Workamajig can revolutionize your project management.
FAQs:
What are the 5 C's of change management?
The 5 C’s of change management are: communication, commitment, culture, capability, and clarity. Following them throughout the change can help keep the change priorities on track.
What is the 20-50-30 rule for change management?
The 20-30-50 rule suggests that resource allocation should be spread across three phases of change management:
- 20% on Phase 1 (Preparation).
- 50% on Phase 2 (Management change)
- 30% on Phase 3 (Sustaining changes).
What’s the difference between change management and change control?
Change control focuses on formal approvals for project scope or baseline changes, while change management is focused on people and the adoption of new practices.
Why do organizations need change management?
Change management can help smooth out the transitions to new practices and structures. It minimizes resistance and disruptions.
What change management templates should I use?
We recommended using all the change management plan templates included in this article. They will help you diagnose which areas need the most focus, how ready your team is for change, the KPIs required for success, the roadmap to successful change, and how to communicate it.
What is a change log?
A change log is a chronological record of all approved changes to a project. It can be used to track changes throughout the project lifecycle and prevent scope creep by serving as a single source of truth.
What is a change request form?
A change request form is a standardized tool for formally proposing, evaluating, and tracking changes to a project.
When should I use a change management plan template?
We recommend using a change management plan template before implementing any new significant changes in your organization. For example, when adopting a new software, organizational structure, policy, or any notable change in practices.