Building a resilient, adaptable organisation

The world is changing at an incredible pace. If we consider the speed of advancement across all known history, compared to the last 100 years, it’s fair to say we’re in a period of unprecedented transformation.

For businesses that have been around for decades, and even for those new to the scene, the need to be able to adapt to change is crucial.

However, managing change – particularly in a small to medium enterprise – isn’t as easy as it sounds. Whether driven by a merger or acquisition, the adoption of new technologies such as AI, or a shift in project scope, any major transition carries risk.

So how do we balance the risk of inaction with the risk introduced by progress? Only by becoming a resilient, adaptable organisation.

The pillars that hold change together

It doesn’t matter whether you’re in manufacturing, technology, government services, or any other sector. All organisations must address the same core considerations to maintain performance during and after periods of change.

These considerations are:

• People
• Culture
• Systems 

When resilience and adaptability are built into each pillar, the organisation becomes stronger overall. Why? Because all businesses rely on these pillars to function, both in times of change and business as usual.  

If we fail to consider people during a change, we risk that they’ll become ineffective or disgruntled, which will impact the organisation’s capability to deliver. Not only does this impact the bottom line, but it also damages culture.

When we fail to consider culture, we risk destroying everything we’ve worked hard to build. For example, you may have a trusting and resilient culture with great retention. But if change is introduced without protecting the culture, staff may become uncertain about what is happening. Communication and trust can break down, and they lose a sense of agency in what you’re trying to achieve. Instead of acting as a supportive force for innovation, they can become unsettled and turn inwards, which runs counter to adaptability and resilience.  

Similarly, when we don’t consider systems in times of change, we risk:

• workflows becoming disrupted
• system workarounds multiplying
• change fatigue setting in
• poor adoption

These risks may not surface right away, but later on and at scale. Failing to involve users in the change journey can render even the most impressive systems useless due to poor adoption.  

One of the biggest misconceptions is believing these risks can be managed at the end of a change. Leaders imagine they can implement a system or move forward with a merger and fix people, culture and systems later. However, by the time you try to bring them along the journey is over – and they’ve been left behind. Trying to backtrack wastes time and money, and risks reputational damage as staff and customers grow increasingly confused about what has just happened.

Making best practice change management work

Great change management centres on one principle: the change is happening with me. This applies equally to people, culture, and systems.

People should feel:

• informed and empowered
• supported by a continual learning approach
• encouraged to innovate

People need to understand how the change benefits them personally including their role, workload, learning and future opportunities, not just why the change matters for the organisation. This ensures they remain confident in their role and abilities, and maintain connection with their organisation as it evolves.

As an example, RSM’s Copilot adoption program shows how change works well when people, culture and systems are supported together. The program builds staff capability through practical learning and reinforces a culture of adaptation. It also introduces new technology in a structured, future‑focused way. With the benefit of this approach we have seen a high level of uptake and highly positive feedback from staff using Copilot. 

When we consider culture in best practice change management, we want to promote:

• a growth mindset
• collaboration and feedback
• trust

Maintaining open communication channels and seeing feedback as a gift (not a criticism) helps to make sure people feel heard and change efforts stay on track.

Lastly, best practice change management for systems means future proofing them as much as possible. This requires forward-looking strategies that account for where your business could be in 5-10 years, and the different ways in which your people may be working. By onboarding new systems with flexibility and connectivity in mind, you’ll be better positioned for long term success. 
A simple but effective way to maintain resilience and adaptability, both during change and in day-to-day operations, is to take time out to review what you’re doing and how. Once or twice every six months, hold a retrospective to reflect on what’s working and what could improve.

Embedding continual improvement and lessons learned into the culture ensures you stay ahead of the curve.

Getting change management right with proper guidance

Change management specialists are experts in building adaptable, resilient organisations. Engaging them early enables a proactive approach, making change management a core part of the process and embedding it across every aspect of the transition.

Of course, it doesn’t mean everything will be perfect. But it does mean everything is considered. You have time to think through who is affected by change, at what level, and when. That way, everyone is included, rather than being treated as an afterthought.

RSM’s change management specialists have helped organisations of all shapes and sizes to effectively navigate periods of change, such as:

• Mergers and acquisitions – integrating teams, systems, and processes smoothly
• Adoption of digital solutions – implementing new technologies and upskilling staff
• Changes to project scope – adapting resources, timelines, and expectations
• Forward strategies – aligning plans, priorities, and strategic intent

We focus on the three pillars – people, culture, and systems – and work with you to map where you are now, where you want to be, and what the journey looks like. Our approach combines methodologies such as stakeholder meetings, workshops, staff engagement, communication strategies, questionnaires, and more.

Once objectives are clear, we keep re-engaging throughout the process to hear concerns, identify communication needs, and demonstrate genuine care in guiding people along the journey. Approaches can adapt as we learn, while you stay focussed on moving the business forward.

By approaching change as a learning opportunity, you can strengthen your people, culture and systems – which is ultimately the key to building a resilient and adaptable organisation.

For more information on RSM’s change management services, including digital solutions, please contact the team at your local RSM office.