What Changes Next? Research Results

What are the biggest changes in store and how can we position ourselves to succeed? 

Prosci has research in its core, first conducting change management research in 1998. You may have noticed that over the last year our research engine has been put into high gear - first with the Applications of PCT Model study, then the Top Contributors to Change Success in a Post Pandemic World study, and finally with the Best Practices in Change Management 12th Edition (and 25 year anniversary) benchmarking report. 

I have been spending a good bit of time recently in each of these studies in support of client engagements, conference presentations, podcast preparation, and product development. In this newsletter, I want to bring together the 'headline' responses for these three research questions we asked (in two different studies) about what comes next.  

1. BPCM 12th Edition: "What are the top three industry-specific changes your organization sees coming on the horizon?"
2. Top Contributors to Change Success in a Post-Pandemic World: "What additional "top contributors to success" are emerging and growing in importance for post-pandemic change?"
3. BPCM 12th Edition: "What are the top trends, in the discipline of change management, that you see developing over the next five years?"

These are future-oriented projections made by informed change professionals. And, while we know things can always change and no one but Dr. Strange knows what the future actually holds, having foresight into what might be on the horizon puts you in a better position to anticipate or respond to change. As a change practitioner or leader, as you read you might ask yourself: 

• Which of these "what changes next?" findings resonate with my experience?
• Where do these findings diverge from my experience?
• How might I take better next steps today to prepare for future change success with this additional information? 

Top Expected Changes

2,668 respondents contributed to Prosci's 12th edition of Best Practices in Change Management, celebrating 25 years of research on how to improve adoption and usage to improve project outcomes through change management. One long-standing question we asked in the study was: "What are the top three industry-specific changes your organization sees coming on the horizon?" Here are the top 12 changes identified by participants.  

1. Technology and digital transformation
2. Regulatory changes and compliance
3. Environmental sustainability and climate change
4. Talent retention and turnover
5. Cultural and organizational change
6. Customer expectations
7. Healthcare and medical advancements
8. Mergers and acquisitions
9. Budget constraints
10. Economic changes
11. Remote work and hybrid work environments
12. Security and risk management

Note: In the Interactive Insights Report - an innovative, interactive interface that lets you explore the data as the researcher - you can filter the list by organization size, industry, region, and more. to see what emerging trends are unique for your context.

Emergent Contributors to Success

1,421 change professionals shared insights and experience about how the contributors to change success will be different after the global pandemic. For the standing top seven contributors from Prosci's research, they provided unique challenges and adaptations. Then, participants answered: What additional "top contributors to success" are emerging and growing in importance for post-pandemic change? Below are the ten additional, emergent contributors to future change success that surfaced in their responses. 

1. Involvement / Engagement
2. Communications Adaptations
3. Change Management Evolutions
4. Flexibility / Agility
5. Digital / Technology
6. Hybrid Workplace
7. Leadership
8. Collaboration / Connection
9. Success Measurement
10. Portfolio / Saturation

Trends in the Discipline of Change Management

Since the 2013 benchmarking study, participants have answered the question: What are the top trends, in the discipline of change management, that you see developing over the next five years? Some trends have moved up and down the list for years, while others are new entrants. The global pandemic, remote work, and an increased emphasis on wellness are predicted to continue, reflected in the top trend of more emphasis on the human side of change, and perhaps in organizations generally. 

1. More emphasis on the human side of change 
2. Alignment of change management to the strategy and culture of the organization 
3. Agile change management practices 
4. Increased awareness and understanding of the importance of change management 
5. Use of technology to support change management  
6. Increased integration of change management with project management 
7. Building change capability and capacity 

What's Next, For You?

There you have "what changes next?" from a research perspective drawing on the insights of thousands of change professionals in two recent studies. In the full research reports (available to anyone with a Research Hub subscription), you'll find in-depth descriptions and explanations to what was summarized here. But, at a headline level, these three research questions and the subsequent analysis paint a picture of what lies ahead for organizations implementing change, the factors that will contribute to those changes delivering expected outcomes, and how the discipline of change management will continue to evolve to meet the needs of leaders and organizations. 

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Tim Creasey, Chief Innovation Officer at Prosci, is a researcher and thought leader on managing the people side of change. His work forms the foundation of the largest body of knowledge in the world on change management. He has spoken to hundreds of thousands of people across the globe, helping them to see how successful change is unlockable when we prepare, equip, and support people through change.