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What Is the ADKAR Model?
The ADKAR Model is a structured change management framework designed to help individuals successfully navigate and adopt change. ADKAR stands for Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement—the five essential stages people go through during a change process. This model helps organizations manage change at the individual level by building understanding, motivation, capability, and long-term commitment to new behaviors or systems.
What Are The 5 Stages of the ADKAR Model?
The ADKAR Model includes five key stages that individuals move through when adapting to organizational change: Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement. These stages guide employees from understanding the need for change to sustaining it long-term.
- Awareness: This stage focuses on helping individuals understand why the change is necessary. Communicating the reasons for change and the risks of not acting is critical to reduce resistance.
- Desire: Once people understand the need for change, they must personally want to be part of it. This stage builds motivation by addressing concerns, showing benefits, and securing buy-in.
- Knowledge: Employees are then given the information, training, and tools they need to know how to change. This step ensures they understand what is expected and how to implement new processes or behaviors.
- Ability: With knowledge in place, the next step is enabling individuals to put it into practice. This involves building the necessary skills and removing obstacles that could hinder successful execution.
- Reinforcement: To make the change stick, it must be reinforced. Ongoing support, recognition, and monitoring help prevent backsliding and encourage long-term adoption.
The ADKAR Model aligns each stage with a phase of the change journey—from preparing employees (current state), supporting them through the shift (transition state), to sustaining the change (future state).