As organisations enter the new year, many are refreshing strategies and refining goals amid a rapidly changing landscape.
About 80% of companies consider change part of their long-term vision and 100% of C-suite executives anticipate workforce transformation – yet only 30% feel confident in their ability to manage change.
African organisations have faced an increasingly volatile political, economic, and social landscape for the past decade. This environment will become more turbulent, requiring more sophisticated tools to turn the fear of change into growth opportunities for organisations and their people.
Individually we often enter a new year with a new mindset, setting intentions and resolutions for personal growth. The familiar fizzle of these resolutions leads to disappointment and, over time, a defeated return to square one.
This cycle repeats until we grasp the importance of concrete, measurable steps to see our plans through and ensure change sticks. The same lesson is true for your business.
Change, reinvented
Accenture’s latest report titled Change Reinvented provides a blueprint for lasting change with actionable steps and innovative approaches detailed in the Change Capability Quotient (CCQ).
The CCQ enables organisations to embrace change as a core capability, transforming them into agile, resilient entities. By embedding change into their culture and aligning it with purpose and values, leaders can inspire their teams and drive meaningful transformation.
It applies a goal-oriented approach to organisational transformation, making change more measurable, actionable, and aligned with outcomes. Most importantly, it’s people-centric, informed by the understanding that talent is the backbone of your organisation and a valuable source of insight into its operations.
Organisations with a high CCQ consistently outperform their competitors, achieving stronger financial performance, better employee outcomes, and faster, more successful transformations. So how do they do it? They’ve laid a solid foundation for success across all six capabilities outlined in the CCQ.
Solid foundations
Effective change efforts are built on two core pillars, each detailing key capabilities. The first pillar focuses on foundational capabilities that drive success. The second pillar, Innovations, builds on these foundations, offering a comprehensive strategy to guide organisations toward successful transformation.
First, let’s tackle the foundations: linking change to purpose, clearly defining value, and creating new experiences. Leading organisations inspire employees by communicating a clear purpose and vision for change, fostering open dialogue with two-way communication, and addressing concerns to build an inclusive culture.
They set clear goals and align them with individual growth aspirations, measuring progress, and prioritising investments in people and technology to drive value.
By embracing modern technologies and fostering continuous learning through upskilling and mentorship, these organisations enhance employee experiences, encourage ownership of change, and create a culture of growth where individuals feel supported and empowered to drive transformation.
Digital innovations
The second pillar, Innovations, unpacks how behavioural science and AI, data-driven insights, and growing networks of influencers transform how organisations manage change. Generative AI and advanced analytics enable organisations to measure outcomes like engagement and programme effectiveness, fostering psychological safety, resilience, and continuous improvement.
By leveraging these tools, leaders can better understand people’s motivations, identify barriers, and create personalised strategies that guide individuals toward positive actions. These innovations move beyond collecting data to driving meaningful, outcome-focused transformation.
Building networks of trusted influencers—both internal and external—amplifies the impact of change initiatives. Respected employees can function as champions, fostering collaboration and inspiring trust, while external partnerships with stakeholders like customers and suppliers encourage innovation and break down silos.
A new ecosystem
Foundations and innovations work together to form an ecosystem that fosters growth and positive change in the workforce. Strong leadership is crucial to ensure that this ecosystem thrives. Executives must have a sharp vision for the future and ensure that this shapes their strategy.
They must serve as role models, foster the right mindsets, embrace new behaviours, and leverage formal and informal networks to drive cultural alignment. Success lies in building the capabilities and characteristics needed to navigate barriers and articulate an unobstructed vision for the future.
Change is not just about streamlining organisational processes and leveraging innovative technologies to increase profit. Lasting change comes from using real-time data to drive a holistic approach, centring employees in these processes and supporting their individual growth, learning and overall well-being.
It means unlocking new ways of creating better employee experiences and integrating these into the fabric of your organisational structure.
A new year means embracing the possibility of continuous change. The CCQ takes your organisation from insight to action, equipping your organisation with the tools to successfully navigate a rapidly changing world.
Vanisha Balgobind is talent and organisation lead for Accenture, Africa.
