If you’ve ever worked somewhere going through organisational change, you’ve probably experienced this:
Leadership announces a “new direction.”
Everyone nods politely in the meeting.
A few people ask questions.
Someone says, “This is really exciting.”
Then afterwards everyone quietly messages each other:
“Wait… what is actually happening?”
Because here’s the thing about workplace change:
Just because information has been communicated doesn’t mean people have processed it, accepted it, or know what to do with it.
This is where the ADKAR model can actually be incredibly helpful — not because it magically removes the discomfort of change, but because it gives leaders a practical way to understand how humans move through change rather than expecting everyone to instantly adapt because there was a PowerPoint presentation about it.
So what is the ADKAR model?
The ADKAR model is a change management framework developed by Prosci, and it focuses on the individual experience of change.
Because organisations don’t actually change.
People do.
And if the people within the organisation don’t understand, support, or feel capable of navigating the change, even the best strategic plan can completely unravel.
ADKAR stands for:
- Awareness
- Desire
- Knowledge
- Ability
- Reinforcement
Each stage represents something people need in order to successfully move through change.
And honestly? A lot of workplace frustration happens when organisations accidentally skip half the steps.
A — Awareness
People need to understand:
Why is this change happening?
Not just:
“Because leadership said so.”
When people don’t understand the reason behind change, uncertainty grows quickly. Humans are generally much more adaptable when they can make sense of what’s happening.
This doesn’t mean leaders need to over-explain or justify every decision endlessly. But transparency matters.
Without awareness, staff often fill the gaps themselves, which can lead to:
- rumours
- anxiety
- resistance
- mistrust
- worst-case-scenario thinking
And honestly, in the absence of information, our brains are rarely calm and rational little creatures.
D — Desire
This is the part organisations often underestimate.
Just because people understand the change doesn’t mean they automatically want to engage with it.
Desire is about buy-in.
People are far more likely to support change when they:
- feel included
- understand the benefits
- feel psychologically safe
- trust leadership
- believe their concerns are being heard
You can’t force genuine engagement through motivational emails and “exciting opportunity” language alone.
(And staff can absolutely tell the difference between authentic communication and corporate enthusiasm written entirely by committee.)
Sometimes resistance to change isn’t people being “difficult.” Sometimes it’s fear, overwhelm, grief, exhaustion, or uncertainty showing up sideways.
K — Knowledge
This is where practical support becomes critical.
Once people understand the change and are willing to engage with it, they then need to know:
How do I actually do this?
This includes:
- training
- clear expectations
- resources
- processes
- role clarity
- opportunities to ask questions
A surprisingly common workplace issue is assuming that because someone attended training, they now fully understand and can confidently implement the change.
Meanwhile the staff member is sitting there thinking:
“I understood approximately 12% of that and I’m too scared to ask again.”
Knowledge takes repetition, clarity, and support.
A — Ability
This is where theory meets reality.
Because understanding something conceptually and being able to confidently do it are two very different things.
Ability develops through:
- practice
- coaching
- feedback
- time
- troubleshooting
- support when mistakes happen
And honestly, this is often where workplaces become impatient.
People need adjustment periods. They need opportunities to learn without feeling like every mistake is evidence they’re failing.
If organisations expect instant perfection during change, people often stop asking questions altogether — which usually creates bigger problems later.
R — Reinforcement
This is the step almost everyone forgets.
Change is not successful just because it was launched.
People need ongoing reinforcement so the change actually sticks long-term.
That can include:
- continued support
- recognition
- follow-up conversations
- leadership consistency
- reviewing what’s working and what isn’t
- adjusting processes where needed
Otherwise workplaces often fall into the classic cycle of:
- Launch new initiative
- Everyone panics
- No follow-up occurs
- Staff quietly return to old systems
- Leadership wonders why “people resist change”
Reinforcement helps create sustainability rather than temporary compliance.
Why the ADKAR model matters
What makes the ADKAR model useful is that it reminds us that change is not just operational — it’s deeply human.
People need:
- information
- emotional safety
- practical support
- time
- clarity
- repetition
- reassurance
And importantly, different people move through change at different speeds.
Some staff are immediately on board.
Some need time.
Some need more support.
Some need to physically try something before they feel confident.
Some need approximately seventeen follow-up questions and a colour-coded checklist.
All of that is normal.
The takeaway
One of the biggest mistakes workplaces make during change is assuming:
“We communicated it, therefore people should now be able to do it.”
But successful change is rarely that simple.
The ADKAR model is helpful because it encourages leaders to slow down and ask:
- Do people understand why this is happening?
- Do they feel safe enough to engage with it?
- Do they know what to do?
- Do they feel capable of doing it?
- Are we continuing to support the change after implementation?
Because sustainable change doesn’t happen through pressure alone.
It happens when people feel informed, supported, capable, and included throughout the process.