The only thing that doesn’t change is change itself. While this may be for better or of inferior quality, when it comes to getting new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software, it is a huge change for your companionship and employees. As with other changes in life, some will love it, some will like it, some won’t care, and some will resist it. It is most important to address those that are against the vary as they can plant seeds of doubt in others and cause troubles during the implementation and adoption. Here are a few ways to anticipate and address resistance to a new ERP.
Acceptance starts at the top. This assumes all management from the CEO, COO, CFO, etc. are all in agreement and on board. From there, you can delegate down to area managers to keep the team upbeat and see any resistance. Having strong leadership that is also willing to work hard and then see the benefits of the new ERP will go a long way down the corporate ladder.
From the day you set in motion looking at a new ERP to the day it is fully functioning, it is important to communicate companywide each phase in the process. Be sure to make employees who may not be final verdict makers be included as they will often be the ones via the software. The less of a shock they get by updates, the better. They will often be more open to changes and willing to get used to when they are up to speed.
Simply put, expect at hand to be resistance at some point. Whether it be to a change in the company’s processes, in individual’s responsibilities, or change within the software. What is important is to address the issue based on the cause for resistance. The more rapidly you can do it the better; nipping it in the bud will cause far less issues later than letting it fester indefinitely.
There are many reasons why an member of staff may not want a new ERP software, but let’s look at three of the most common reasons.