Article

Tips for Managing 5 Types of Organizational Change

March 20, 2025

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Emily May

No business stays the same forever—change is inevitable. But change doesn’t happen in isolation. By understanding different types of change and how they may intertwine, you can navigate transitions strategically and drive lasting success.

This article explores five types of organizational change and tips for managing each effectively.

What Is Organizational Change?

Organizational change refers to the process of modifying an area or areas within an organization. Types of organizational change can include:

  • Technological change
  • Procedural change
  • Cultural change
  • Structural change
  • Transformational change


There are many reasons an organization implements changes. For example, responding to industry shifts, technological advancements, or low productivity could be factors. On the other hand, organizations may implement changes to support new leadership, products, or cultural initiatives. 

These changes help organizations achieve their goals and remain competitive. However, change management is both rewarding and challenging. Read our article on the 6 Change Management Principles and How to Use Them to learn more.

The Interdependent Nature of Change

Organizational change doesn’t happen in isolation. Every adjustment creates a ripple effect across teams, processes, and workflows. For example, adopting new technology doesn’t just affect software systems; it changes how employees work and collaborate.

A systems thinking approach helps leaders see these connections. This perspective ensures that change management strategies account for how all parts of an organization interact, reducing disruption and unintended consequences. Without this mindset, change efforts can become fragmented, leading to misalignment, sub-optimal results, and team resistance.

Tips for Managing 5 Types of Organizational Change

This section explores five types of organizational change with helpful tips for managing each.

1. Technological Change

A stylized brain labeled "AI" with connected icons representing different applications such as communication, creativity, problem-solving, and analytics, set against a dark blue digital background.

Businesses must continually adapt to new technology to stay competitive. Organizations upgrade their technology to improve efficiency and productivity within their teams. Additionally, technological changes create a positive and seamless experience for customers.

Technological changes come in all shapes and sizes. For instance, one organization may undergo an entire system overhaul, while another may encourage using project management AI tools.

Tips for Managing Technological Change

  • Align new technologies with company culture and workflows
  • Create employee feedback loops for early and continuous input
  • Provide training and ongoing technical support
  • Monitor impact on collaboration and productivity

2. Procedural Change

A procedural change involves altering processes and procedures. Organizations frequently introduce process changes to streamline workflows, enhance efficiency, and remain compliant. Procedural changes introduce new requirements on how employees complete tasks.

Tips for Managing Procedural Change

  • Communicate clear reasons and benefits of new procedures
  • Involve stakeholders in refining and maintaining new workflows
  • Support employees with procedural guidance
  • Monitor impact on teams and operations

3. Cultural Change

A hexagonal icon with two hands supporting three people, symbolizing leadership, teamwork, and organizational support, set against a blue background with a honeycomb pattern.

An organization will make cultural changes when modifying its work environment or values. What drives organizational cultural change? Factors can include mergers, leadership transitions, or efforts to promote a positive, inclusive, or more collaborative work environment. 

Tips for Managing Cultural Change

  • Establish core values and integrate them into all initiatives
  • Encourage leaders to demonstrate and reinforce core values
  • Reinforce new cultural norms through policies and practices
  • Solicit feedback through team forums, surveys, and check-ins

4. Structural Change

Structural organizational change occurs when an organization shifts its internal structure. Common reasons for structural changes include business growth, mergers and acquisitions, or new strategic priorities. Structural changes create new dynamics that may impact team formations, reporting relationships, or the overall business model.

Tips for Managing Structural Change

  • Clarify new roles, responsibilities, and expectations
  • Facilitate cross-functional collaboration and cohesion
  • Provide support for transitions with mentoring and feedback exchange
  • Evaluate and monitor new team dynamics

5. Transformational Change

A yellow gear enclosed by multidirectional arrows, symbolizing process improvement, adaptability, and continuous change, against a blue hexagonal-patterned background.

Transformational change impacts several or all areas of an organization. It may include technological, procedural, cultural, and structural changes. What causes these significant shifts? Transformational change often occurs after market disruptions or major internal or external business strategy modifications.

Further, the profound effects of these changes may initially cause employees to resist the transformation. However, leaders can help employees adjust with effective change management strategies and support.

Tips for Managing Transformational Change

  • Develop a shared vision with leadership and teams
  • Integrate all change initiatives into a unified strategy
  • Build resilience through communication and adaptability
  • Measure progress and identify areas for improvement

Conclusion

Organizational change takes many forms. Regardless of the type or scale of change, its impact extends to other areas of a business. Leaders should view change not as isolated events but as interconnected processes that shape teams, workflows, and culture.

Earning an organizational change management certification helps leaders drive change with confidence. ICAgile’s micro-credential course on Change Management is an excellent place to start. In a short time commitment of 2-4 hours, you’ll learn about change management models, how to apply them, and how to support people through change.

Explore the Leadership Essentials Collection to find related courses for emerging leaders.

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TAGGED AS:
Leading Change, Organizational Enablement, Adaptive Strategy, Adaptive Org Design, Agility in Leadership, Leading with Agility, Systems Coaching

About the author

Emily May | ICAgile, Marketing Specialist
Emily May is a Marketing Specialist at ICAgile, where she helps educate learners on their agile journey through content. With an eclectic background in communications supporting small business marketing efforts, she hopes to inspire readers to initiate more empathy, productivity, and creativity in the workplace for improved internal and external outcomes.

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