In this blog series, we are presenting five key findings of our CPH Change 2021 survey. This is the third finding about how the pandemic impacted change initiatives.
Finding 3
The pandemic has had a different impact on the change initiatives. For some, it has been a lever for change management, while for others, the pandemic has been an obstacle.
29% of the survey participants experienced that their change initiatives were halted, postponed, or reduced in some way, 24% experienced no impact, whereas 21% experienced increased innovation and creativity in their change initiatives.
It is also interesting to note that 15% of the participants experienced a greater focus on change and/or change management in general due to COVID-19.
Winston Churchill is quoted for saying “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” Whether or not he did, the takeaway from the survey is that organizations have reacted very differently to the pandemic. This can be due to the pandemic’s impact on the industry, general uncertainty, or the like, but it can also be due to the fact that companies react to the change itself in different ways.
About the participants
86 of the 350 CPH Change participants provided input for the survey. That is 25% of the participants.
Most of the respondents are experienced change managers. 76% have worked with changes and change management for more than 5 years.
The survey participants are mainly change managers, consultants, and project managers, working in or for large organizations. 62% of the survey participants are working in organizations with more than 1,000 employees.
They are widely spread over industries, with the majority operating within consulting, finance, and banking. The three CPH Change Award finalists represent municipal government (Faaborg Midtfyn Municipality), utilities (HOFOR – Greater Copenhagen Utilities), and energy (Ørsted).