Change management is a field in its own right. It applies wherever ways of working change, with or without a new workplace. Below are six areas of application.
All situations are illustrative. They are not client cases and do not describe real organisations.
Which route fits?
- My question is about the workplaceGo to Workplace
- My question is about changed ways of workingGo to the change approach
- BothGo to the integrated Workplace method
A guide, not a score. You can also open any route directly.
- 1Illustrative example
Workplace
- Reason
- A move to a new building or new hybrid working agreements.
- Why it matters
- The change is spatial, but the effect depends on how people organise their days, book space and get help when something does not work. Teams often need different agreements, so local variation is expected.
- What changes in the work
- How spaces are used, how teams coordinate presence and how facility services support the work.
- Who decides and takes part
- Leadership and facilities decide on the concept; teams and service staff help shape local agreements.
- Main uncertainty
- Whether real tasks can be done well in the new setting.
- Fitting support
- Team agreements, rehearsal of real tasks and aftercare after the move.
- Possible measure
- Task performance and perceived usability, not only occupancy figures.
- 2Illustrative example
HR
- Reason
- A new onboarding or performance process.
- Why it matters
- No building changes here. The work that changes is a sequence of conversations, forms and decisions. A process that looks clear on paper can still fail when managers see it as extra administration.
- What changes in the work
- Who is responsible for which step, the quality of conversations between managers and employees, and the support around them.
- Who decides and takes part
- HR and management decide on the process; managers and employees test it in practice.
- Main uncertainty
- Whether managers have the time and skills to hold good conversations.
- Fitting support
- Rehearsal for managers, clear guidance and a contact point for questions.
- Possible measure
- Lead time and quality of execution, for example whether agreed conversations actually took place well.
- Existing workshops and methods
- W04 Behaviour and barrier diagnosisW10 Leadership and manager rehearsalW15 Adoption and outcome review
- Adapt locally
- Replace the workplace examples and spatial fields with process steps, roles and conversation moments.
- 3Illustrative example
Technology and AI
- Reason
- A new digital tool, possibly using AI, is introduced into daily work.
- Why it matters
- Use figures say little on their own. People may log in daily and still redo much of the output by hand. The question is whether the work as a whole improves and who stays accountable for outcomes.
- What changes in the work
- The division of tasks between people and the tool, access, required skills and how outcomes are checked.
- Who decides and takes part
- IT and the business owner decide; users and reviewers help test.
- Main uncertainty
- Whether output quality holds up and who catches errors.
- Fitting support
- A pilot with real tasks, training on checking outcomes and clear escalation.
- Possible measure
- Quality and the amount of rework needed, not only logins.
- Existing workshops and methods
- W03 Work system and change impactsW09 Pilot and learning designW15 Adoption and outcome review
- Adapt locally
- Replace spatial examples with tasks, data access and review steps; add fields for checking outcomes.
- 4Illustrative example
Organisation design
- Reason
- Changed decision rights or new collaboration between departments.
- Why it matters
- A new chart changes little until people know who may decide and where to go when work gets stuck. Old informal routes often stay attractive because they are familiar and fast.
- What changes in the work
- Handovers between teams, who is authorised to decide what, and how issues are escalated.
- Who decides and takes part
- Senior management decides on the structure; department heads and staff work out the handovers.
- Main uncertainty
- Whether new authority is actually used or old routes persist.
- Fitting support
- Mapping the work across departments, explicit agreements and a review after the first months.
- Possible measure
- Decision lead time and recurring bottlenecks.
- Existing workshops and methods
- W01 Change mandate and outcomesW02 Stakeholders and participationW03 Work system and change impactsRoles, Responsibilities, Resources and Timescales
- Adapt locally
- Replace workplace outcomes with decision and handover outcomes.
- 5Illustrative example
Service and operations
- Reason
- A new service model, for example a different way of handling customer requests.
- Why it matters
- Customers notice the change directly, so problems become visible quickly. Supplier agreements and staffing often limit what teams can adjust themselves, which makes clear escalation important.
- What changes in the work
- Customer contact, daily routines and agreements with suppliers.
- Who decides and takes part
- Operations management decides; front-line staff and suppliers help design the routines.
- Main uncertainty
- Whether quality holds without overloading staff, especially in the first weeks when old and new routines run side by side.
- Fitting support
- Champions in teams, a listening routine and quick fixes to friction.
- Possible measure
- Resolution quality and workload. Faster handling alone is not enough if more requests come back or staff carry the extra load.
- Existing workshops and methods
- W11 Champions, dialogue and communicationW14 Aftercare and listening clinicW16 Embedding and ownership transfer
- Adapt locally
- Replace building and space references with service channels and supplier agreements.
- 6Illustrative example
Policy and sustainability
- Reason
- New operational agreements, for example on energy use or travel.
- Why it matters
- Policy often sets a direction without saying which daily actions change, or who provides the time and means. Without that translation, compliance stays formal and the intended result stays out of reach.
- What changes in the work
- Whether the agreements can be carried out, the resources available and the daily actions involved.
- Who decides and takes part
- Management sets the policy; teams and facilities translate it into daily practice.
- Main uncertainty
- Whether the policy is workable in ordinary days, not only on paper.
- Fitting support
- A barrier diagnosis, practical aids and named owners.
- Possible measure
- Whether execution is feasible and the intended operational result is reached.
- Existing workshops and methods
- W04 Behaviour and barrier diagnosisW05 Readiness and capacityW16 Embedding and ownership transfer
- Adapt locally
- Replace workplace practices with the specific daily actions the policy requires.
The existing workshops were written for workplace change and have pilot status, not validated. They are not complete sector-specific playbooks for HR, AI or other areas. Outside the workplace, adapt examples, fields and outcome measures locally, as noted per block.