The new blueprint for workforce growth

The world is changing more rapidly than ever — markets are shifting, customer expectations are evolving and the pace of organisational change continues to accelerate. Traditional structures, static job roles and old models of managing talent no longer ensure organisations remain resilient and competitive.

Alex Fraser, Change & Transformation Director at The IN Group, and Graham Peck, Head of Learning at The IN Group, share their insights on how organisations can successfully navigate continuous change and build the capabilities needed to thrive.

Why do so many change initiatives fail?

You may have the best solution in the world but if people don’t adopt it then it becomes worthless. People often resist change, not because they are trying to be difficult, but because they’re concerned that they will not be able to succeed in the new world. Ultimately, there’s safety and comfort in routine, in knowing what to do and what to expect. Disrupting that sense of safety and control is perceived as an uncomfortable threat.

The statistics are stark: only 70% of change projects succeed. However, organisations are up to seven times more likely to achieve their goals if they proactively manage change.

What advice would you give organisations beginning their transformation journey?

Don’t just focus on the solution — put people at the heart of your plan. Build a compelling vision for the future and a supporting story about why change is needed. Understand what will really change and for whom, ensuring you have a clear plan in place for empowering individuals with the right skills and knowledge to be successful.

Remember, it’s never one-size-fits-all, and the devil is in the detail. If you are concerned about cultural readiness, conduct an assessment first to discover people’s communication preferences and the sort of support they find most valuable. Make sure your change management plan starts at the very beginning of your transformation and then continues throughout, right up until you are confident the change is embedded and has become part of business as usual. Building a new habit or routine can take up to 12 weeks; change won’t happen overnight.

Managing change well is no longer optional — it’s essential for keeping pace with rapid technological shifts, particularly as AI transforms how we work and the skills needed.

What do leaders need to do to successfully guide their teams through continuous change?

Strong, senior sponsorship and visible leadership alignment is crucial to ensuring successful organisational change. Ensure there is a strong shared vision, a case for change and supporting messaging that is consistently communicated by all.

Individuals deal with change differently and require different forms and levels of support. It is therefore critical for leaders to really know their people and flex their leadership style according to their needs. Champions and early adopters need to be nurtured and given an opportunity to flourish, whilst the cynics in the team need to be given a chance to debate the change but should also be given responsibility to help drive the change.

Four key success factors:

1. Leaders engaged and visibly advocating the change
2. Strong leadership alignment
3. Consistent simple messaging that answers ‘what is going to change for me?’ and ‘what’s in it for me?’
4. Flexing leadership styles to adapt to the needs of different individuals

How do you maintain trust and transparency during major organisational shifts?

Trust is key to successfully embedding change and repetition of the same message reinforces trust; people need to hear a message 5-7 times before it sticks. It’s also important to ensure communication comes from the right people, at the right time and in the right way.

Consider:

• Who has influence?
• Whose emails do people pay attention to?
• Which channels work best for employees?
• When will the business best absorb this information?

Use different channels and make sure there’s space for two-way communication and questions.

How can organisations embed ongoing skill development?

To facilitate ongoing skill development, learning must be embedded directly into the change approach. It shouldn’t be treated as a one-off intervention; it should be embedded into the organisation’s ethos.

When learning is needed to support a change process, tailor it to the nature and scale of the change, the number of people impacted, and whether those individuals need knowledge or practical capability. Early in the change process, learning should focus on building understanding and awareness, while later stages should prioritise skill development that supports adoption and behaviour change.

From a change perspective, the most effective learning is experiential rather than purely theoretical. Allowing employees to experiment allows them to practise new ways of working in a safe environment, make mistakes and test new tools or processes, which helps to build confidence, reduce anxiety and increase the likelihood of sustained adoption. When learning is practical, well-timed and supported by peers, people are more likely to take ownership of their development and actively engage with change. At an organisational level, allowing employees to take responsibility for their own development is reinforced through structured career and development conversations, ensuring learning aligns with both individual needs and change priorities. When organisations invest in developing capability in this way, employees become active contributors to change — strengthening adoption and turning change into an opportunity rather than a challenge.

Read the full Talent Trends 2026 article to explore what’s shaping the future of leadership and work.