9OCTOBER 2020iscrucial. Organizational Change Management is often discussed, but rarely applied where top-to-bottom enthusiasm gives a sense of ownership across the entire enterprise. When evaluating any innovation, it is our responsibility as leaders to foster this experience. Early identification of impacts and early/often communication of the importance of change is crucial for employees to be part of the journey. A top concern will be the direct impact to their jobs.In other words, helping employees figure out the "how" is really crucial to getting them to embrace the "why."West Bend employs dedicated individuals with experience ranges from days to decades.Even before our text platform went live, our claims leadership worked closely with frontline management and pilot users, communicating frequently and celebrating success stories. Only slight resistance emerged. Bycontinuing to highlight positive customer feedback and lack of negative impact to workflow, we were able to provethe benefits that exist for the customer, claims handler, and company, thereby closing the gap and making the transition a success.We are encouraged that the pace of advancement continues to accelerate within this traditionally stable industry. New technologies are becoming increasingly important to grow or simply maintain market share.Within the insurance industry, especiallyclaims departments, we roll out new processes and tools several times a year. This means the roles and responsibilities of a claims adjuster will update within a matter of months. Some changes will be small and focused, while others will be large and disruptive. No matter the size, leadership's efforts to successfully bring these initiatives to fruition are increasingly important. Equally vital is the need to realize internal buy in with employees in order to create positive experiences with customers externally.West Bend's associates are the reason for the prosperity and perpetuity of our 126-year-old company.Any initiative would be a failure without their trust and dedication. As you work to implement that next innovation, improve your odds of success by making your employees a priority in the process. Robert Maksimuk
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