Change Management as a Service

What is “Change Management as a Service”? Everything You Need to Know

“Change Management as a Service” is the process where a Change Management COE and or an Organizational Change Mgt Group provides change management to business units and functions across an organization using a repeatable and consistent approach that is based on best change management practices.  

Individual change managers (individual contributors) provide change management as part of their job but this is not technically considered providing “Change Management as a Service”. More explanations below. 

“Change Management as a Service” is the structure and process whereby the Change Mgt COE or Change Group has a charter and process for the following:

1. Business groups and functions within the organization will be required to submit an official request for change management help/support
   1. This can be via an official request form or via meetings with stakeholders/management within these groups.
2. The Change Management COE or group will review the request and based on various criteria (severity of impact, magnitude of impact, etc.)  will decide if they will provide full-service or partial service change management services.
3. An agreement is then made with the business group or function requesting change management help. This agreement includes
   1. What services and offerings will be provided by the Change CoE or group
   2. For how long
   3. What change methodology will be applied
   4. The change success metrics/KPIs that will be used
   5. and more
4. The CoE then plans, implements, and tracks the success of their change management activities for that group
5. At the end of the program/project, the Change CoE transitions out of the program

Why do Change Management CoEs need a Change Management as a Service Approach?

Business units, and teams across the organization need to view the CoE / Change Group as a stand-alone entity which has its own defined processes and framework.

The expectation needs to be set that people (e.g., business leaders within groups) can’t just reach out and say we need change management support asap for this and that, and expect the CoE to drop everything they are doing to cater just to the needs of that business unit . That will lead to failure of the CoE as you and your direct report will be pulled in every direction.

To mitigate the above expectations, as part of launching your CoE, you will need to create your charter and a defined process for BUs and teams to request change management support for their programs. Stakeholders and BUs have to go through the “I need change management” request funnel, and then you can determine which groups should have full change management support, which ones will have partial support, and which ones need self-service.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Ogbe Airiodion
Sr. Change Management Lead