As humans, we tend to resist change and rolling out an entirely new ERP system is nothing less than a frightening monster for your employees. In fact, announcing a new ERP system can trigger a rippling effect across any company. In addition, scarcity of knowledge among employees pertaining to the soon to be rolled out ERP system can play a huge spoilsport.
For a successful implementation and adoption, it is imperative for employees to get hands-on experience of the tool well in advance. Winning employee support is the crux for a successful ERP adoption. Further, ensuring that everyone is equally enthusiastic about the system works toward company-wide rewards.
A word of caution: Pessimistic and unenthusiastic users could turn the implementation a total disaster.
Nevertheless, there are some simple tricks to help keep your employees excited and on the edge for a new ERP system roll out.
Be clear and transparent about the advantages
Foremost, be clear when explaining the big change to your employees for a company-wide adoption of the new ERP system. Here, it counts to enlighten the employees about the system’s ability to enhance and simplify complex business processes, how it will save time and how it can boost productivity and efficiency for them.
A smart tip here is to leverage company’s internal communication mediums. Create a buzzword by sending newsletters to your staff, post regular updates/news on company’s official blog and shoot frequent emails about the soon to be rolled-out system. The aim here should be spreading a wave of excitement and positivity among your employees. ERP should appear as a welcoming change and not as a frightening one.
Accentuate on individual’s role and responsibility towards the system rather than flabbergasting about far-flung benefits. Once the crew understands the personal actual benefit of the system on a personal front, implementation as well as training turns cakewalk.
Without fail, plan and devise project goals during the early stages of system rollout. Transparent and well-explained objectives help the team to acknowledge the project’s long-term goal.
Work towards early engagement
We all know that change is quite grueling to accept especially when forced onto. Try to clear that air of resistance and engage every department right from the start. Jot down their routine struggles, limitations and all the reasons that lead to inefficiencies as well as ways to fix these. Going the traditional way might just work here! Yes, why not have a suggestions box wherein employees can drop in their comments incognito. It will help accentuate their involvement in the decision-making process.
Training, the crux of ERP success
Make sure to expose your employees to the system at an early stage. This helps them to get a first-hand experience pertaining to the look and feel of the system. Involving employees from the initial stages also helps to nurture the required excitement. Post this, it is time to pick ‘key users’ from each department, who can be further trained to help educate their teams effectively. Avoid information overdose. For this, limit the training sessions and try to make them as interactive as possible. You certainly would not want these sessions to be mind-numbing.
Conclusion
It is quintessential to promote and encourage a positive attitude towards the system across your organization for a seamless transition and company-wide adoption. Yes, employees will be apprehensive and nervous with the new system, and a smart way to tackle this is to keep them involved and well informed right from the start. Last but not the least, inspire your employees to be enthusiastic about the benefits the system will bestow upon them so that they actually welcome it wholeheartedly rather than turning their back to it!
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