{"id":61094,"date":"2026-01-07T08:00:03","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T13:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/clarkstonconsulting.com\/?p=61094"},"modified":"2026-02-05T16:52:53","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T21:52:53","slug":"2026-ocm-trends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/clarkstonconsulting.com\/insights\/2026-ocm-trends\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 Organizational Change Management (OCM) Trends"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"2026<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Download the full 2026 OCM Trends Report here<\/span><\/a>. <\/strong><\/h2>\n

This free trends report outlines industry perspectives and expert advice from our team of change management consultants. You can view an excerpt of the report below, and if you\u2019d like to discuss any of the trends or other challenges in the OCM space, connect with our team today<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Key OCM Trends<\/strong><\/h2>\n

It\u2019s clear that the shifts taking place across industries are reshaping how organizations approach change. The growing recognition of OCM as a strategic priority, the need to strengthen individual readiness, and the push for training methods that endure over time all signal that organizations are preparing for a future where change is constant.\u00a0<\/span>At the same time, the adoption of data-driven decision-making, AI-related training, and modern development tools shows a commitment to staying current in an evolving landscape.<\/span><\/p>\n

Clarkston’s change management<\/a> consultants have highlighted the top OCM trends that businesses should consider and keep top-of-mind throughout the year:<\/p>\n

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  1. Enacting an Overall OCM Strategy<\/li>\n
  2. A Focus on Data-Driven Change<\/li>\n
  3. Change Enablement vs. Change Management<\/li>\n
  4. Change Management for Data and AI Initiatives<\/li>\n
  5. Sustainable Training<\/li>\n
  6. Modern Training Tools<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    Trend 1:<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n
    Enacting an Overall OCM Strategy\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

    Businesses\u00a0are focusing on creating an overall OCM strategy for their business rather than handling change on a\u00a0case-by-case\u00a0basis.\u00a0<\/span>Historically<\/span><\/a>, OCM\u00a0has\u00a0often\u00a0been\u00a0considered something that strictly\u00a0impacts\u00a0specific projects or initiatives. While OCM\u00a0may be considered in those\u00a0spaces,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0not often\u00a0considered at a program or organization level. Rather than\u00a0focusing\u00a0on specific areas to manage change within,\u00a0we’re\u00a0seeing that\u00a0businesses\u00a0are considering an overall strategy and goals that\u00a0<\/span>align with their vision<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    According to data collected in 2023, only\u00a0<\/span>12% of organizations<\/span><\/a>\u00a0report that they have been able to sustain their transformation goals for more than three years.\u00a0In a world where things are constantly changing and evolving, having\u00a0an\u00a0overarching change\u00a0management strategy allows businesses to adapt to change more easily, especially in cases where change\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0always be\u00a0anticipated.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Creating a comprehensive OCM\u00a0<\/span>strategy and goals<\/span><\/a>\u00a0that provide guidance on what steps your\u00a0company\u00a0should take when a change occurs allows businesses to move through a change while\u00a0<\/span>staying aligned with their vision<\/span><\/a>, empower\u00a0their employees to feel confident with the change, and successfully navigate\u00a0that\u00a0change.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    When creating this strategy, consider what your\u00a0long-term\u00a0goals for the organization are.\u00a0This\u00a0approach should have an outlined structure for how the organization would like to go through change with\u00a0<\/span>transparency at the forefront<\/span><\/a>. To have\u00a0<\/span>buy-in from employees<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0imperative that the goals of a change are clear with benefits outlined for all impacted. As\u00a0part of this\u00a0OCM\u00a0strategy, it may be helpful to have a template for going through change that can be adapted as\u00a0new changes\u00a0and processes come up.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Trend 2:<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n
    A Focus on Data-Driven Change\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

    When we\u00a0think\u00a0about changes to organizations, businesses\u00a0typically focus\u00a0on gathering and using data to\u00a0identify\u00a0their\u00a0change\u00a0readiness, adoption, and resistance to change throughout\u00a0the\u00a0lifecycle\u00a0of\u00a0that\u00a0change.\u00a0However, without\u00a0<\/span>tracking certain metrics<\/span><\/a>\u00a0such as adoption rates, employee engagement, and\u00a0<\/span>change resistance<\/span><\/a>, it becomes difficult to understand how to best implement\u00a0new changes\u00a0within\u00a0your specific\u00a0organization.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Every organization functions differently and is\u00a0<\/span>comprised of different people<\/span><\/a>\u00a0with different personalities, learning styles,\u00a0skill sets,\u00a0and\u00a0hesitations. When we\u00a0can\u00a0collect both qualitative and quantitative data to\u00a0better\u00a0understand\u00a0employees, we are\u00a0then\u00a0better able to implement change and ensure\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0successful\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0specific audience in mind.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    The\u00a0<\/span>process of collecting data<\/span><\/a>\u00a0in regard to change should start before change occurs and continue after the change has happened. Before a change occurs, collect data to understand where employee skillsets are currently and\u00a0how employees are feeling\u00a0in anticipation of\u00a0change. Understanding these elements allows businesses to understand what obstacles may be faced before going through a change and what specific learnings need to be had by a group to\u00a0understand that\u00a0change.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    From this, organizations\u00a0can successfully mitigate resistance and negativity before it occurs\u00a0and\u00a0understand trends in how employees perceive and adopt\u00a0change.\u00a0By collecting data throughout a change,\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0able to understand how employees\u2019 skills and resistance\u00a0evolve\u00a0over time\u00a0in order\u00a0to\u00a0make changes to tactics,\u00a0such as which tools and methods are used in training,\u00a0in real time to be more effective for the specific user audience.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    After going through a change, the more information collected\u00a0during the process, the more confident organizations can be in their approach to change going forward.\u00a0When we understand what methods of implementing change were most successful, what\u00a0roadblocks\u00a0may be faced,\u00a0and how long it takes for a specific audience to feel confident with the change, we can more accurately tailor our approach in future change situations and\u00a0more accurately predict\u00a0how long this process takes for the organization.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Continue reading by downloading the full report below.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

    Download the Full 2026 OCM Trends Report Here<\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n

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