Blog Posts

Event Recap: Sharing & Selling the Value of Change

3 minute read

In a business environment defined by constant transformation, the ability to communicate and demonstrate the value of change management has never been more important. Organizations are investing heavily in new technologies, operating models, and employee initiatives, yet success depends less on the change itself and more on how people adopt and embrace it.

At the recent ACMP Midwest event, “Sharing & Selling the Value of Change,” change leaders came together to discuss how to define, measure, and communicate the impact of change management. The session, sponsored by Catena Solutions, highlighted not only the measurable outcomes of change management but also the cultural and human elements that drive long-term success.

Meet the Panelists

The discussion was facilitated by Paul Owen, Practice Director, Human Capital at Catena Solutions, who brings expertise in human capital transformation and organizational change management.

Joining him on the panel were:

• Renee Giacalone: Renee is an experienced leader in change management and project leadership across Fortune 500 companies including Kellogg and McDonald’s.
• Ladan Saeid: Ladan has extensive expertise in organizational transformation and HR change initiatives across industries such as food and beverage, life sciences, and technology.
• Alex Rippberger: Alex leads enterprise change efforts in logistics and supply chain, with prior experience driving SAP transformations and healthcare technology implementations.
• Mary Harden: Mary specializes in program management, change management, and complex global initiatives, with success executing many high-profile strategic initiatives.

Together, this group brought diverse perspectives and real-world lessons from the front lines of transformation.

Defining Value in Change Management

The conversation moved beyond a narrow focus on ROI. While metrics such as utilization, proficiency, and time-to-adoption remain important, the real value of change is broader. It includes building cultural resilience, creating organizational agility, and ensuring employees feel supported during times of disruption.

However, the definition of “value” can change based on the stakeholders and personal impact. Value could be the relationships you’re building or the vibe of the project—these soft measures can be just as important as hard measures.

Another way to think about value is through change capacity, which is the combination of capability (systems, skills, and structures) and agility (the speed and flexibility to respond to disruption). Organizations that intentionally build this capacity give themselves a competitive edge by adapting faster, responding smarter, and strengthening long-term resilience.

Making the Case for Investment

Selling the need for change management investment often comes down to clear illustrations of risks and benefits. Leaders may be compelled by data that compares outcomes of projects with strong change management against those with little or none. These contrasts highlight not only financial risks like costly delays or rework but also the human costs of disengagement, low morale, or high turnover.

Equally important is storytelling. Visuals, data-driven “money slides,” and real-world case studies help leaders understand that failing to invest in change management often leads to doing the work twice, at double the cost and with deeper frustration across the organization.

Determining Impact

Measurement is a practical yet critical tool for proving value. The most effective approach blends leading indicators such as adoption, employee sentiment, and sponsor engagement with lagging indicators like ROI, retention, and performance results.

For example, high employee retention during an acquisition, strong adoption of digital tools, or improvements in customer satisfaction scores can all serve as proof points. Sometimes, even simple measures such as stakeholder feedback, as simple as “that change was handled really well,” carries significant weight with executives.

Additionally, change management measures should align with the intended benefits of the transformation they support. For example, if a technology implementation aims to reduce time spent on a business process, the measurements should reflect that goal and demonstrate how change management contributes to achieving it more effectively.

Practical Advice for Measuring Change

For those looking to measure the impact of change management for the first time, the panelists had this advice:

• Keep it simple. Start with a few key metrics instead of trying to track everything.
• Start early. Build measurement strategies into projects from the beginning.
• Stay aligned. Tie metrics directly to project goals so the value is clear.
• Think beyond go-live. Some of the most meaningful results happen after implementation, when employees are adapting in real time.
• Secure leadership support. A measurement strategy must be understood and endorsed by leaders to gain traction.

The Bigger Picture

The discussion reinforced an essential truth: The value of change management can’t be reduced to numbers alone. It’s about accelerating adoption, protecting engagement, and building the agility to thrive through uncertainty. Organizations that define, measure, and communicate this broader value not only achieve stronger project outcomes, but they also lay the foundation for long-term transformation.

Learn more about how Catena Solutions supports change management initiatives here.