5 steps to take to achieve success with implementing a new software system with your frontline staff

Implementing a new software system is an organizational change, and change is hard. Here are 5 steps to take to achieve success with implementing a new software system with your frontline staff.

When you assess the user base, most of your users will be frontline staff. Empower them to be part of the process when you are selecting a new software solution for your organization. Survey them to see what is important to them in a new system, and invite some key influencers to be a part of product demonstrations that would typically only involve key leadership team Medication Adminstration members. This practice helps frontline staff feel that they and/or their peers were a part of the process from the beginning, helping with buy-in later on.

Once you’ve selected the system, pump it up! Talk about how it is going to make people’s jobs easier, not add more work. Craft internal marketing efforts so that people are ready and excited for the upcoming change, and they know when and how it will be implemented.

If you ask a frontline staff how they get their information and who has great influence over them, chances are it will be a mid-level manager or another frontline staff who shines as a leader in their department or site. Target these groups and mold them into cheerleaders for the software effort, so they can influence frontline staff in a positive way. Formalize these influencers with a workgroup, special recognition, and let staff know they can turn to them for help along the way.

Your leadership team should be your biggest champions. If there is a Director who is weary or who complains about the change, it can bring down their whole team. Make sure your leadership team knows the expectation and importance of communicating positively about and throughout the change with their colleagues and their teams.

Identify 2 or 3 things that frontline staff do that are tedious, and start with introducing how they can be done much easier with a new software system. This will keep them wanting more!