5 Effective Change Management Strategies for HVAC Companies

Change is constant in the HVAC industry. With evolving technology and regulations, there’s always something new to adapt to. And while staying current is key, change can still throw your team off balance.

It’s natural for them to resist disruptions to their routine. However, a clear change management plan can make transitions smoother and reduce pushback.

What is Change Management?

Change management is how you plan, implement, and monitor changes in your business. You’ve likely been doing it already, even if you’re just now learning the term. It happens with any change, big or small, that you implement in your business.

According to McKinsey, though, 70% of change programs fail due to employee pushback and lack of management support. It’s not enough to just cross your fingers and hope everything goes well. You need a strategic change management process, built using available resources.

Ways to Effectively Navigate Change

The good news is that once you have a change management process, you can reuse and adapt it.

Here are some strategies to help you get started.

1. Have a Game Plan Ready

You don’t want to tackle any change without a game plan. A change management study found that 59% of participants who took a structured approach had good or excellent levels of effectiveness, compared to 26% of those who did not have a structured plan in place. Planning will not only help you execute the change but will help get your team on board as well.

As you’re planning, consider these questions:

• Why is the change needed?
• Who and what is the change going to affect?
• How is it going to affect them?
• What is the timeline to implement the change?
• How will you measure success?
• What issues or resistance could come from this change?
• How can you address potential issues or resistance?

Answering these questions will help you anticipate your team’s response to changes and keep you on track when implementing and monitoring changes.

2. Identify Change Champions

Change champions are people who will be excited about the change — this should include every leader in your company. Before bringing change to the entire team, get buy-in from your leadership team.

But change champions don’t have to, and shouldn’t, include only leaders. Think about techs or office staff who have positive attitudes and have handled previous changes well. Or rope in the individuals who requested or will benefit the most from the change. These people will have the most influence getting the rest of the team excited and accustomed to the changes.

Once you’ve identified your change champions, fill in on the game plan. Answer their questions, and get input on what issues or pushback they foresee. Their feedback and support will help you identify any potential holes in your game plan.

3. Communicate Your “Why”

Throughout life, there is one question you can never escape: “Why?”

Your employees will want to know at least these two things about the change:

1. Why is the change happening?
2. What’s in it for me?

The answer to the second question may not always be obvious. For example, finding a direct benefit for your staff with regulation changes, such as the upcoming A2L transition, is difficult. Sure, you could go into the refrigerants being better for the environment, but that doesn’t impact your team as immediately as the change does. Instead, focus on increased profits from replacing old units with new, compliant units. How will these profits benefit your employees?

It’s easier to define the benefits of internal process changes. Hiring seasonal staff may mean your techs can go on vacation with their families over the summer instead of having blackout dates. Introducing new partners to your business, such as partnerships with other tradespeople, real estate agents, or lenders, can mean more jobs and profits, resulting in more hours and benefits for your employees.

4. Share Your Wins, Big or Small

Change is most effective when it goes unnoticed. You want things to run smoothly with little interruption. While this is ideal, it’s not often a reality. And if change really does go unnoticed, your employees may be left thinking, “What was the point?”

As you implement changes, whatever they may be, celebrate any wins, big or small. Ask employees to share when new tools make their job easier or more efficient in the field. Recognize employees who closed jobs or increased tickets by offering financing. Sharing these wins helps your employees see the benefits of the change and can motivate them to continue using the new process.

5. Stay on Top of Training

After implementing change, it’s important to continue staff training. According to “The Forgetting Curve,” if new skills aren’t reinforced, the average person will forget 75% of it within six days. Breaking a habit can take at least 10 weeks, so without reinforcement, your employees may revert to their old ways.

Training doesn’t have to be all on your shoulders, though. You have a business to run, after all. Instead, consider outsourcing your training. Bring in experts to train your techs on the new A2L refrigerants. If you’re using new technology, see if the company will provide training for you. And if you offer financing, contact your lender to see if they offer training options. All FTL Finance contractors have two dedicated team members to train your staff on our products and offer continued support.

Change doesn’t have to be scary. Having a game plan ready, getting your team on board, celebrating wins, and staying on top of training can make adjusting to new processes easier.