How can we engage resistant departments early in an ERP rollout?

[DavidL]

I'm leading the implementation of a new enterprise software platform across our organization, and while the technical rollout is on schedule, I'm encountering significant passive resistance from several key departments who are comfortable with the old, inefficient processes. My communication plan hasn't been enough to overcome the fear of change and perceived loss of control. For change management practitioners, what strategies have you found most effective for engaging these resistant groups early on, co-creating solutions to address their specific pain points, and building genuine buy-in rather than just compliance?

[Ella77]

You’re not alone—resistance is the most common first obstacle. Start small with a cross‑functional sponsor group, map who gains what, and run quick co‑creation workshops to surface concrete improvements. Let department leads help design the new process rather than just sign off on it.

[Aria.L]

A practical approach is to pair change management with service design: build future‑state journey maps for each affected dept, then run 2–3 day workshops where users sketch the new flows, artifacts, and KPIs. Create a network of champions in each area who’ll train colleagues and gather feedback. Tie incentives to adoption milestones and provide hands‑on training and quick-reference guides.

[Andrew.R]

Communication matters more than you think. Move from one‑way updates to ongoing, two‑way dialogue. Use discovery sessions to surface what users fear about losing control or efficiency, then frame the change in terms of concrete gains (fewer repetitive tasks, faster approvals, better data visibility). Maintain a living change charter and a visible feedback loop so people see their input shaping the rollout.

[Addison.W]

Which departments are showing the strongest pushback and why? If you’re up for it, I’d tailor a plan, but a useful pattern is to establish a lightweight steering council, empower change champions, and run short pilots in real work streams. Avoid top‑down mandates; let pilots demonstrate value and let that momentum carry buy‑in.

[MatthewFM]

Governance matters. Create a multi‑user steering group with reps from each affected unit, ensure you have a robust training program, and align the new processes with existing performance metrics so improvements are rewarded. Focus on early wins—the faster you show concrete benefits, the easier the other groups will come along.

[ZacharyKW]

6‑week rollout sketch (high level): 1) map stakeholders and pains, 2) run 1–2 day co‑design sessions, 3) pilot with one workflow, 4) collect feedback and adjust, 5) train “super users” and publish quick guides, 6) scale to other teams with a formal adoption plan. If you want, tell me which departments resist most and I’ll draft a targeted plan.