Best Free Online Change Management Courses

1. Introduction to Change Management

Not sure what ‘change management’ is? Then start here. This introductory course takes you through the importance of leadership and communication to the different approaches to implementing change in an organisation.

2. Change Management - Guiding Principles and Practices 

Communication, awareness, accountability, problem-solving and innovation are the backbone of effective change management but can be challenging to implement. This course gives you a range of valuable tools to work with when tackling organisational change.

3. Organisational Change - Managing and Supporting Employees

One of the biggest challenges and opportunities while implementing change management is ensuring employees are on board with new developments. This informative course will help managers give their teams the support they need through planned and unplanned change.

Simply put, change management is the processes, systems and communications around altering an organisation's functions. Change can be planned, such as rolling out a new service or product line in response to innovations from competitors or implementing a new line management hierarchy in response to growth or movements in the C suite.

Change can also be unplanned, arguably more challenging to deal with. A major crisis such as a natural disaster, economic downturn or unforeseen movements in the marketplace can result in uneasy staff, interrupted services and loss of revenue. 

In both cases, management needs to plot a way forward, communicate clearly, set new goals and even implement logistical, practical amendments to how business is conducted.

Successful and sought-after change managers need a balanced mix of harder and softer skills to guide an organisation and its workers through profound and often complex changes. Even seemingly positive changes like changing a brand identity or rolling out a new booking system can bring about difficulties if staff feel unempowered, not consulted or under-informed.

If you would like this role, take as many free courses as you can in the following helpful skills:

• Project management
• Leadership
• Strategic planning 
• Communication 
• Problem-solving
• Coaching
• Active listening

In addition, change managers also need to be:

• Compassionate
• Empathetic
• Decisive
• Determined
• Good humoured
• Honest
• Tactful