Periods of change can be difficult for most companies. Even if everyone agrees that change is necessary, the transition process can be confusing, disruptive, and frustrating for both team members and leaders.
Change management plans are a great place to start — but simply implementing a strategy isn’t always enough for an initiative to succeed. Lack of research, resistance to change, and poor communication can all cause a change management initiative to fall flat.
Working with a change management consulting firm is a great way to set yourself up for success, especially when facing massive market shifts or internal upheavals. Here’s everything you need to know about change management consulting firms, how they can support you, and how to choose the right partner for your upcoming transformation.
What Is a Change Management Consulting Firm?
Change management consulting firms help organizations identify transformation opportunities and assist in navigating and managing transition-related activities. This includes everything from restructuring and merging to implementing new technologies and digital transformation initiatives.
Change management consulting firms act as strategic partners for all different types of organizational change, but most commonly, firms are brought in to handle major strategic, structural, or technological changes.
Typical services offered by change management consulting firms include:
- Assessment and planning: Evaluating an organization’s current state compared to its desired state and developing a strategic plan to bridge the gap.
- Training and support: Providing education, training, and change management resources to employees and team members to introduce and onboard them to new processes or technologies.
- Change implementation: Assisting with change rollout and providing support throughout the implementation process.
- Leadership engagement and coaching: Supporting leaders and key stakeholders in understanding change requirements and addressing concerns or questions regarding team resistance to change.
- Communication strategies: Crafting messages to keep employees informed of changes and engaged throughout the change process.
10 Top Change Management Consulting Companies
Here are ten of the top change management consultancies.
1. KPMG
KPMG is a multinational professional services network offering three lines of services: financial audit, tax, and advisory. These include tax planning and compliance, risk management, and other various consulting services. KPMG provides expert guidance on optimizing operations, navigating changes, and complying with regulatory requirements.
2. McKinsey
McKinsey & Company uses data analysis and trends to provide management consulting services that focus on operational strategy and organization-wide transformation. McKinsey & Company typically offers high-level strategic advice to large organizations looking to undergo significant transformations, such as market shifts or complex digital changes.
3. Accenture
Accenture’s consulting services typically focus on technology and digital transformation. Accenture helps clients integrate new technologies and digital solutions, including providing support with strategy, implementation, and operations management.
4. Deloitte
Deloitte offers consulting services related to audit, tax, risk management, and advisory. It provides a wide range of services with deep expertise, including everything from technology implementation to regulatory compliance. Deloitte focuses on strategy, operations, technology, and human capital to offer comprehensive change solutions.
5. Bain & Company
Bain & Company’s focus is on strategy, operations, and organizational effectiveness related to growth, customer insights, and mergers and acquisitions. It offers a hands-on, collaborative approach, acting as a change partner rather than just a strategic or analytical resource.
6. Boston Consulting Group
Boston Consulting Group (BCG) delivers high-level strategic advice to improve or optimize competitive advantage and navigate complex or changing market dynamics. BCG uses data and in-depth analysis to make tailored change recommendations in areas like corporate strategy, digital transformation, and operational efficiency.
7. PwC
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) is another consultancy specializing in audit, tax, and advisory. It focuses primarily on aiding organizations in managing risks, meeting regulatory standards, and improving performance through operations, technology, and human capital changes.
8. EY
Ernst & Young (EY) also offers audit, tax, and advisory services, but with a strong emphasis on digital transformation and innovation. It provides change management services to companies looking to improve performance by introducing new technologies while still needing to abide by strict regulatory and compliance standards.
9. Protiviti
Protiviti specializes in internal risk management, audit, and performance improvement, including in compliance, IT security, financial reporting, and organizational change. It has a unique emphasis on improving internal controls and processes to address specific operational risks and inefficiencies.
10. IBM Consulting
IBM Consulting provides insights into how to use IBM technology and solutions to address digital transformation needs. IBM Consulting helps organizations leverage advanced technology solutions to improve IT infrastructure, including strategy development, technology implementation, and systems integration.
Global cybersecurity company Sophos invested in Salesforce CRM to stream client relationships and improve win rates. To facilitate this change and enable its employees, Sophos leveraged Whatfix to create interactive, on-demand training and self-help that provides moment of need support to its employees, in the flow of work.
Change management consulting firms FAQs
What are the key benefits of hiring change management consulting firms?
Hiring a change management consulting firm can support an organization through a difficult transformation or change period. Key benefits include:
- Expertise and experience: Consulting firms pull from deep experience in various fields and industries to recommend change for a wide range of challenges. Working with the right firm can help minimize mistakes, boost efficiency, and drive innovation in the most cost-effective, future-focused way.
- Objective perspective: Consulting firms have an outside, unbiased view of your organization and its challenges or opportunities. This helps identify underlying issues that may be easy for internal teams to overlook, allowing for more effective change management plans.
- Resource augmentation: Consulting firms boost your team’s resources without needing to make new hires. Working with a consulting firm can provide temporary skills and resources to help you through the transition process.
- Structured approach and proven methodologies: Consulting firms use proven frameworks and programs to work through challenges as efficiently as possible. Their deep experience means they know industry best practices and can help minimize risk and avoid common errors.
- Risk management and mitigation: Consulting firms have deep knowledge of risks and challenges associated with different types of change. Working with a consulting firm can help prepare for hurdles and develop contingency plans to minimize impact.
How do you select the right change management consulting firm?
Working with the right change management consulting firm is critical for success. Here are three steps to follow to select the right firm for your change process:
- Assess your needs. Clearly define what kind of support you need from a change management consulting firm. Consider the scope of change, the challenges you face, and what you want to achieve.
- Evaluate your needed expertise. Look at various firms’ consulting experience and how they approach addressing your specific challenges. Things like specialization, track record, and industry knowledge are all important considerations.
- Find alignment with your culture and values. Ensure a cultural fit by choosing a firm that aligns with your company’s values. Aligning on key values like sustainability or diversity and inclusion can lead to better collaboration and improve change outcomes.
A change management consulting firm can support big-picture ideas and overall change strategy, but when it comes to implementing changes, you need a supporting tool to help make change more impactful. A digital adoption platform like Whatfix helps your change management initiatives stick.
Whatfix helps you scale enterprise-wide changes, improve user engagement, and drive user adoption. The platform makes it effortless for users to switch from one tool to another via in-app contextual learning and self-service help modules. You can also track change management training progress and use user behavior analytics to continuously improve your implementation plans.
Learn more about how Whatfix can enable change management by scheduling a free demo with us today!
Thank you for subscribing!
Thank you for subscribing!