Benefits tech adoption: The dos and don’ts of change management

The insurance landscape is in a state of rapid change. Benefits brokers are experiencing a transformation that we can all agree is long overdue. While this evolution is exciting for all stakeholders — brokers, carriers and policyholders — there is also the potential for fear of change and pushback.

Adopting new technology and making changes to existing operations can be painful and must be managed with strategy and proper direction. You can change technologies very quickly in the right circumstances, but altering the way employees think about their roles, the business, and culture doesn’t happen overnight. The time required to transform hearts and minds must be built into your change management plan.

3 principles of change management

Change management combines behavioral and social sciences, information technology, and business solutions to lead individuals and teams through organizational change. By valuing staff and understanding what change will mean to them, employers and their advisors can create a culture that embraces change and avoid failed change efforts. We build our change management strategy around three core principles:

People

The people who make up your organization are potentially the most crucial element for change management success. In the case of automating benefits workflows, employees must understand how the agency’s operation is impacting customer experience and buy into the necessity to improve it. Once you have buy-in, you will need to closely monitor employee engagement at each stage of the process to address resistance, while also creating a shared sense of urgency for change. Continuously and openly communicate with the entire organization to foster listening and provide a sounding board for issues and concerns. To show staff that you are creating a receptive and transparent environment, include them in the planning process from the beginning to clearly define goals, roles and processes.

Process

Processes detail how work gets done and provide a plan for how you will introduce and systemize your technology strategy. Since benefits has been historically unautomated, a team’s manual processes might be deeply rooted in their daily workflows. Putting together and documenting a robust implementation, onboarding and education strategy, with the help of a  technology provider, will help field any potential risks to success. And of course, processes should always be evaluated and updated based on best practices and the lessons learned along the way.

Technology

Technology investments should encompass all aspects of a business, from empowering staff to connecting with customers and carriers. It must integrate with existing applications to deliver a consistent user experience and create a single view of the business. Otherwise, you run the risk of separate, disparate systems creating multiple data sources that require more data entry, leading to a whole host of issues, like unproductivity and E&O. Technology must also be flexible and scalable enough to support growth, whether it’s organic or not.

Dos and don’ts of navigating change

Now that we’ve laid the foundation for a successful change management strategy, let’s build on these principles with tactical ways to create change in your client’s organization. While this isn’t an exhaustive list of the methods my team uses to help customers adopt technology, it provides a few ways to incorporate the principles of change management into your process so you can better strategize initiatives that deliver value.

 Do begin with the result in mind. First, determine what you want the agency to look like, or your “desired outcome,” and create a plan to achieve it. Explain it well enough for the staff to be able to visualize this better place and feel how it will positively impact their day-to-day processes.

Don’t be too resolute. While you need a clear vision to keep everyone moving in the same direction, you will need to allow for modifications along the way.

Do define technology requirements. Identify areas of deficiency in an agency’s benefits process, considering how current technology is being used. Then begin to imagine how technology can transform workflows for the better.

Don’t forget the needs of both staff and customers. Sometimes what works for customers may not always work for staff and vice versa. Make sure to invest in technology that meets the expectations of both customers and staff in today’s digital age.

Do identify and manage key stakeholders. The people who will be most affected by the proposed changes will become either the strongest resisters or your most powerful change champions.

Don’t be afraid to include them from the beginning. Make sure key stakeholders feel heard and part of the process by involving them in the creation of your desired outcome.

Do define metrics and milestones for success. To know if your change management efforts are successful, you will need to define the keys to success and use the necessary tools for tracking progress.

Don’t keep the progress to yourself. Your wins are everybody’s wins! Schedule milestones so employees can see and celebrate. This will also motivate people to keep going as they see their efforts are working.

Do find internal champions. The people within a business who have embraced change and found success will unlock success in others. Document their use cases and achievements so they can serve as an example to others within the company.

Don’t let your staff learn individually. Encourage internal champions to spread their success with their peers. With their hands-on help, others in the agency will be more optimistic about the road ahead.

Do encourage feedback. Remember that communication isn’t one way. Key stakeholders will often have insights that you don’t, so it’s important to encourage continuous dialogue that can help others and the overall plan.

Don’t settle. As you lead the organization through change, new and unexpected challenges will arise. No change program goes completely as planned. If you can adjust and move forward, you will have undertaken a successful change management initiative.

Change management can be one of the scariest parts of technology adoption, oftentimes hindering organizations from innovating and leading to more challenges. But successful change management can empower and motivate employees when executed correctly. With the help of a multi-step process and high-quality leadership who demonstrate their commitment to success, organizations will reap the rewards of innovative technology that drives future growth.

Trevor Bunker is chief customer officer at Applied Systems.