The ADKAR Model of Change Management

Change happens at the individual level.

In order for a group or organization to change, all individuals within that group or organization must change. This means we need to understand how to affect individual change.

The ADKAR model is a framework for understanding and managing individual change.

ADKAR is an acronym that represents the five milestones an individual must achieve for change to be successful: awareness, desire, knowledge, ability and reinforcement.

This model helps leaders and change management teams to focus their activities on what will drive individual change and, as a result, create organizational results.

It provides clear goals and outcomes for change management activities.

The model can also be used to diagnose where obstacles in the change management process occur so they can be addressed.

Here is a brief description of each milestone and the actions that can initiate and support it:

1. Awareness of the need for change. I understand why the change is necessary.

Awareness is built through effective communication, effective sponsorship, coaching by managers and supervisors, and ready access to business information.

2. Desire to participate and support the change. I want to change.

Desire to change is influenced by the nature of the change and WIIFM, the organizational context for the change, an employee’s personal situation, and personal values and motivators.

Managers often tell employees what they need to do and when they need to do it, but they rarely tell them why it’s important. If we want employees to buy in to a change, they need to understand that there is a problem and be convinced or at least accept that the change is the necessary and appropriate solution.

3. Knowledge about how to change (and what the change looks like). I know how to change.

Knowledge is built through effective training and education programs, job aids, one-on-one coaching, and user groups and forums.

4. Ability to implement the change on a day-to-day basis. I can change.

Ability is fostered through the day-to-day involvement of managers, access to subject matter experts, hands-on exercises during training, adoption, and performance monitoring.

It’s important to keep in mind that employees often avoid or reject a change because they’re unsure that they’ll be successful at it. Managers need to reinforce the idea that mistakes will happen and that’s all right-no one expects perfection at the beginning.

5. Reinforcement to make the change stick. I have supports in place to maintain the change.

Reinforcement is built through celebrations and recognition, rewards, feedback from employees, audits and performance management systems, and accountability systems.

Since change involves learning new policies, procedures, and/or skills, it initially requires constant reinforcement to keep the change top of mind. It is the manager’s responsibility to prompt, remind, encourage, and recognize on a daily basis when employees implement the change. Otherwise, the employees are likely to fall back on old behaviors that they’re more comfortable with.

Question: How does this ADKAR model compare to the approach your organization uses to implement change?