📘️ Overview
Use the Change Management Risks section in each initiative to identify, assess, and manage risks that could prevent stakeholders from adopting the change. These are not delivery risks (e.g. missing deadlines), but people-side risks (e.g. resistance, poor communication, low leadership support).
This section works hand-in-hand with the Impact Assessment:
- Impact Assessment = Who is affected, and how
- Risk Assessment = What might get in the way of their adoption
Both are essential: the impact tells you where to focus, and the risk tells you what to watch out for.
❓FAQs
Q: How is this different from a project risk?
A: Project risks relate to the delivery (time, scope, budget). Change management risks are about whether people will actually adopt and sustain the change.
Q: Don’t we already cover this in the impact assessment?
A: The impact assessment identifies the scope of disruption. The risk assessment identifies potential barriers to adoption — such as lack of trust, confusion, or disengagement — even when the change itself is well understood.
Q: Do I need to include a risk rating?
A: Yes – rating each risk by Likelihood and Impact helps prioritize which ones need mitigation.
Q: What happens after I enter the risks?
A: You can track them over time, assign owners, and ensure mitigation actions are in place.
🧠 Example Change Risks
Risk Description | Likelihood | Impact | Notes |
Lack of senior leader sponsorship | High | High | May result in lack of visibility or urgency |
Staff overwhelmed by other changes | Medium | High | Competing initiatives may reduce attention |
Frontline staff not understanding “what’s in it for me” | High | Medium | May lead to passive resistance |
Misperceptions about tool usage (e.g. fear of micromanagement) | High | Medium | Needs targeted messaging and trust-building |
🧵 Why It Matters – A Quick Story
In one organization, a new digital reporting tool was introduced, replacing manual spreadsheets. The impact assessment correctly identified that frontline staff would need to adopt the new tool and receive training. However, the change risk assessment was skipped.
As a result, they missed a key behavioral barrier: staff believed the tool was being used to micromanage performance. Adoption lagged for months, despite a solid training plan.
Had the risk assessment been completed, this trust issue would have been flagged early, leading to targeted messaging and reassurance — and ultimately, smoother adoption.
⌛️ How Much Time Should I Spend on Risk Assessment?
Your effort should align with the Change Effort Assessment score in ChangePlan. Use the guide below to plan accordingly:
Change Effort Score | Typical Characteristics | Suggested Time | Typical # of Risks | Notes |
Low | Few groups, minimal disruption | 30–45 mins | 3–5 | Often done solo or with 1 stakeholder |
Low-Medium | Some process/behavior change | 1–2 hours | 5–7 | Includes consultation with key sponsors or leads |
Medium-High | Cross-functional impact, visible change | 2–4 hours | 7–10 | May require group workshop or multiple interviews |
High | Org-wide, cultural or structural shift | 4+ hours over 1–2 weeks | 10–15+ | Risk assessment should be iterative and tracked monthly |
✅ Pro Tip
Use the Risk Owner field to make sure someone is actively monitoring each risk. If a risk turns into a real issue, you’ll already be one step ahead.