Change Communications Plan

What it is

A Change Communications Plan is a structured approach to managing communication throughout major organisational transformation. It maps the change journey, identifies key messages for each phase, defines audiences and channels, and plans ongoing engagement and feedback.

This template acknowledges that large change needs more than one announcement. It requires phased communication, different messages for different audiences, space for questions and concerns, and repeated reinforcement. It also recognises that change communications must be two-way – gathering feedback, addressing concerns, and adjusting approach based on what you learn.

This template works because it treats communication as a strategic element of change management, not an afterthought. It coordinates timing, content, and channels to build understanding and reduce resistance.

When to use it

Use this template when:

• Making changes affecting more than 20% of the organisation
• Changes require learning new systems, processes, or ways of working
• Changes will face predictable resistance or anxiety (redundancy, restructuring, relocation)
• Changes will be implemented over weeks or months (not a single announcement)
• Different audiences (leadership, managers, affected staff, unaffected staff) need different messaging
• You need to coordinate communication across multiple teams or functions

Don’t use this template for:

• Single announcements (use All-Staff Update Format instead)
• Urgent crisis communication (use crisis protocols)
• Routine operational changes or minor updates
• Information that doesn’t require behaviour or mindset change
• Changes affecting only a single team or small group

Inputs needed

Before creating your plan, gather:

• What exactly is changing (scope, scale, timeline)
• Who is affected and how differently
• Known concerns or resistance points
• What success looks like (metrics or outcomes)
• Who owns the change and who’s communicating
• Budget/resources available for communication activities
• Phases or milestones of implementation
• Current baseline (what’s people’s starting understanding or sentiment?)

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The template

Executive summary

Change headline: [One sentence: what’s changing]

Scope: [Who’s affected: numbers, teams, locations]

Timeline: [When announced, when implemented, key milestones]

Primary objective of communications: [What do we want people to understand/do/believe differently as a result of this change?]

Communication budget/resources: [People, time, tools available]

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Stakeholder analysis

Create a matrix of key audiences and their concerns, information needs, and preferred channels.

Audience	Size	Key concerns	Information need	Preferred channel	Comms lead
[Affected teams]	[number]	[What they worry about]	[What they need to know]	[Email/meeting/video]	[name]
[Unaffected teams]	[number]	[Their concerns]	[What they need to know]	[Channel]	[name]
[Leadership team]	[number]	[Their concerns]	[Context/strategy]	[Channel]	[name]
[Managers of affected staff]	[number]	[Their concerns]	[How to lead/support]	[Channel]	[name]

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Change narrative

What’s changing? [Clear description of the change – what’s different]

Why are we making this change? [Business drivers, external factors, strategic rationale]

What’s NOT changing? [Reassurance: what stays the same]

How will this benefit [audience]? [For each major audience: what’s in it for them? What improves?]

What happens if we don’t change? [Business case: consequences of staying the same]

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Key messages by phase

Break your communication plan into phases (e.g., Announcement, Implementation, Embedding, Review). For each phase, define key messages.

Phase 1: Announcement [Dates]

Objective: Build awareness, explain the why, reduce anxiety through clarity

Primary message: [Core message]

Supporting messages:

• [Message 1: what’s changing, why]
• [Message 2: timeline and phases]
• [Message 3: how it affects different groups]
• [Message 4: what support is available]

Channels and format:

• Leadership announcement [format] at [date/time]
• All-staff update [format] at [date/time]
• Manager briefing [format] at [date/time]

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Phase 2: Implementation [Dates]

Objective: Keep momentum, answer emerging questions, provide support

Primary message: [Core message – we’re progressing, here’s progress]

Supporting messages:

• [Message 1: progress updates and milestones reached]
• [Message 2: how to access support/training]
• [Message 3: address common concerns or misconceptions from phase 1]

Channels and format:

• Weekly update emails to affected staff
• Manager huddles [frequency]
• Training or support sessions [schedule]

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Phase 3: Embedding [Dates]

Objective: Reinforce new ways of working, celebrate success, address remaining concerns

Primary message: [New way of working is here, you’re doing well]

Supporting messages:

• [Message 1: celebrating early wins]
• [Message 2: addressing what’s harder than expected]
• [Message 3: next steps or phase 2 of change]

Channels and format:

• Update communications [frequency]
• Feedback collection [method]
• Celebrations or recognition [format]

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Phase 4: Review [Dates]

Objective: Demonstrate impact, close feedback loops, plan adjustments

Primary message: [Here’s what changed, here’s what we learned]

Supporting messages:

• [Message 1: impact/outcomes data]
• [Message 2: what worked well]
• [Message 3: what we’re adjusting]
• [Message 4: what’s next]

Channels and format:

• Review communication [format]
• All-staff forum [format] to share learning
• Adjustment communications [format]

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Communication plan calendar

Create a detailed calendar mapping all communication activities across phases.

Date	Audience	Topic	Format	Owner	Status
[Date]	[Audience]	[Topic]	Email/meeting/video	[Owner]	[Scheduled/Draft]
[Date]	[Audience]	[Topic]	[Format]	[Owner]	[Status]

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Supporting activities and resources

Training/learning: What training or resources do people need to succeed with the change?

• [Training topic 1]: [Format, date, target audience]
• [Training topic 2]: [Format, date, target audience]

Support mechanisms: How will people get help during the change?

• [Support channel 1]: [How to access, availability]
• [Support channel 2]: [How to access, availability]

Feedback collection: How will you gather feedback and concerns?

• [Feedback method 1]: [When, how to participate]
• [Feedback method 2]: [When, how to participate]

Celebration/recognition: How will you celebrate progress and wins?

• [Recognition activity 1]: [What, when, who]

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Risks and mitigation

Identify predictable risks in change adoption and your communication response.

Risk	Likelihood	Impact	Mitigation	Owner
[Risk 1: e.g., people fear redundancy]	[High/medium/low]	[High/medium/low]	[How comms will address: messages, channels, timing]	[Owner]
[Risk 2]	[likelihood]	[Impact]	[Mitigation]	[Owner]
[Risk 3]	[likelihood]	[Impact]	[Mitigation]	[Owner]

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Success metrics

How will you know if communication was effective?

• Awareness metric: [e.g., 90% of staff understand what’s changing by day 30] – measure via [survey/pulse]
• Understanding metric: [e.g., 75% can explain why change is needed] – measure via [survey/quiz/discussion]
• Engagement metric: [e.g., attendance at training sessions, participation in feedback] – measure via [tracking]
• Adoption metric: [e.g., people using new systems/processes correctly, behaviour change] – measure via [data]
• Sentiment metric: [e.g., shift from anxiety to confidence] – measure via [pulse surveys, feedback]

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Governance and escalation

Communication planning team:

• [Role]: [Name] – responsible for [area]
• [Role]: [Name] – responsible for [area]

Decision-making: [How are comms decisions made? Who approves messages?]

Escalation: [What issues need escalating? To whom?]

Review cadence: [When does the team review progress and adjust? Monthly? Weekly?]

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AI prompt

Base prompt

I need to create a comprehensive Change Communications Plan for this transformation:

Change: [What's changing]
Scope: [Who's affected, how many, which teams]
Timeline: [When announced, implementation dates, key milestones]
Why: [Business drivers]

Affected audiences: [List them – affected staff, managers, unaffected staff, leadership, customers, etc.]
Known concerns: [What are people worried about?]
Support available: [Training, resources, manager support, etc.]

Please create a Change Communications Plan including:
1. Executive summary
2. Stakeholder analysis table (audiences, concerns, information needs, preferred channels)
3. Change narrative (what's changing, why, what stays the same, benefits by audience)
4. Key messages by phase (Announcement, Implementation, Embedding, Review)
5. Communication calendar (key communication activities and timing)
6. Supporting activities (training, support mechanisms, feedback collection)
7. Risks and mitigation strategies
8. Success metrics
9. Governance structure

Use British English. Make messages realistic, acknowledge concerns directly rather than glossing over them. Include both formal communications and ongoing dialogue opportunities.

Prompt variations

Variation 1: Restructuring and redundancy communications

We're announcing a significant restructure involving redundancies: [describe scope].
Timeline: [announcement date, consultation period, implementation].
Which teams are affected: [list teams, rough impact numbers].
Roles being created: [if any].
Likely staff reactions: [concerns about job security, uncertainty, etc.].

Create a change comms plan that balances clarity about impact with sensitivity. Include messaging for unaffected staff (who feel guilty or uncertain about their role). Address the "what happens next" for redundant staff. Create space for questions without over-promising.

Variation 2: System or process transformation

We're implementing a major system/process change: [describe change].
Teams affected: [who].
Learning curve: [how significant].
What breaks if people don't adopt: [business impact].
Change resistance we anticipate: [what won't people like].

Create a plan that emphasises the why, provides real support (training, champions), celebrates early wins, and addresses scepticism head-on. Include messaging specifically for "early adopters", "late adopters", and "resisters".

Variation 3: Merger or acquisition communications

We're merging with/acquiring [company name]: [describe scope and timeline].
Combined size: [numbers].
What's changing: [which teams combine, which systems change, locations affected].
What we're promising in terms of culture, roles, location: [what staff want to hear].
Likely fears: [job security, cultural change, leadership changes, location].

Create a plan that addresses uncertainty, provides clear information about roles and structure as soon as possible, and creates narrative continuity (we're becoming something good). Include specific messaging for existing staff, acquired staff, and customers.

Variation 4: Location or working model change

We're changing how/where people work: [describe change].
Scale: [how many affected].
Mandatory vs. optional: [is this required or choice].
Support for affected staff: [relocation packages, flexibility, etc.].
Concerns we anticipate: [what will worry people].

Create a plan that gives people clarity about what's required vs. optional, how the organisation is supporting them, and what the new norm will feel like. Address practical concerns (cost, commute, family) alongside organisational messaging.

Variation 5: Cultural or strategic shift

We're initiating a cultural/strategic shift: [describe change].
What will be different: [how people work, what's valued, how success is measured].
Why now: [business driver].
How people will experience it: [changes to systems, expectations, behaviours].
Who might resist: [which groups, why].

Create a plan that makes the abstract concrete (show what "more customer-centric" or "flatter hierarchy" actually means in practice). Include peer champions. Create space for trying, failing, learning. Address both the "what" and the "how we'll change mindsets".

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Human review checklist

• Stakeholder analysis is specific: Audiences are clearly identified with concrete concerns and information needs, not generic groups
• Key messages vary by phase: Each phase has different objectives and different messages; not repeating same content across all phases
• Timeline is clear and realistic: Each phase has specific dates; timeline shows enough communication frequency to keep momentum
• Risks are concrete and addressed: Risks are specific to this change, not generic; mitigation strategies are realistic and assigned to owners
• Different audiences have appropriate messaging: Affected staff, unaffected staff, managers, and leadership get distinct messages tailored to what they need to know
• Support mechanisms are detailed: Plan specifies how people will learn new systems, access help, and get questions answered (not vague “support will be available”)
• Feedback collection is built in: Plan includes specific times and methods for gathering feedback and addressing concerns (not one-way communication)
• Success metrics are measurable: Metrics are specific and measurable, not vague (“high engagement”; instead “75% of affected staff complete training by [date]”)
• Escalation and decision-making are clear: Plan identifies who makes communication decisions, how conflicts are resolved, and what issues need escalating
• Communication calendar is actionable: Calendar is specific enough that someone can execute from it (dates, owners, formats, audiences)

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Example output

Change: Transition to agile delivery model across all product and service teams

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Executive summary

We’re shifting how product and service teams work: from waterfall/traditional project delivery to agile methodology. This affects 45 people across product, engineering, design, and customer success. Implementation begins 15 March with a 6-week transition period. Communication goal: help staff understand why agile, how their role changes, and how we’ll support their learning.

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Stakeholder analysis

Audience	Size	Key concerns	Need	Channel
Engineering/Product teams (affected)	30	Will I be able to learn? Will standups be inefficient?	Clear explanation of new ways of working, training, what success looks like	Meetings, training, ongoing huddles
Customer Success (process changes)	8	How does this affect customer communication? Will we move faster or slower?	Clarity on how new process affects customer interaction, timing	Meetings, documentation
Leadership	5	Will delivery speed up? Will quality be maintained?	Business case, metrics, progress updates	Updates, steering group
Unaffected teams	40	Why are they changing and not us? Will this affect our work?	Brief context so they understand, clarity on what’s not changing	All-staff update, manager cascade

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Change narrative

What’s changing: Teams will move from traditional project phases (plan fully, then build, then test) to iterative cycles. Work is broken into 2-week sprints with daily coordination. Progress is visible and feedback is integrated continuously.

Why: Current approach takes 4-6 months from idea to customer feedback. Agile reduces that to 2-3 weeks. Markets move faster than our current process allows. Competitors using agile are shipping features faster and learning from customer feedback sooner. We risk becoming slow to market.

What stays the same: Quality standards don’t drop. Customer focus doesn’t change. Roles still exist (product managers, engineers, designers); responsibilities just shift. We’re still the same company with the same values.

How this benefits you: Engineers get feedback faster and see impact sooner. Product managers collaborate more closely with delivery teams rather than throwing specs over the wall. Designers see ideas in use quickly and iterate. Customers get what they’re asking for faster.

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Phase 1: Announcement and case-building [1-7 February]

Objective: Build awareness of why agile, reduce fear through clarity, position change as opportunity

Key messages:

• We’re moving to agile delivery because markets move faster than our current 4-6 month cycle allows
• This affects product and service teams’ daily work, not company direction or values
• Agile isn’t perfect; it has different tradeoffs than what we do now
• We’re investing in training and support because this is a significant change to how you work

Communications:

• Leadership briefing meeting (31 Jan, 1 hour): CEO explains business case
• All-staff update (4 Feb): Company-wide announcement of why we’re moving to agile
• Affected team deep-dive (5 Feb, 2 hours): Product, engineering, design teams get detailed explanation, see examples of agile in practice
• Manager cascade brief distributed (4 Feb): Managers prepared to answer team questions

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Phase 2: Implementation and learning [8 February – 25 March]

Objective: Support transition, celebrate early wins, surface and address concerns

Key messages:

• This is new; mistakes are expected and learning is built in
• Your feedback shapes how we do this; we’re not rigidly following a playbook
• Here’s what’s working, here’s what we’re adjusting

Communications:

• Weekly email updates (Fridays) to affected teams with progress, tips, common questions answered
• “Agile Q&A” open office hours (Wednesdays, 3pm) where anyone can ask questions
• Manager huddles (fortnightly) to discuss what’s working, concerns, how to support teams
• Mid-point pulse survey (17 Feb): Quick check on confidence, concerns, support needed

Training/support:

• Agile fundamentals workshop (4-5 hours) for all affected staff
• Role-specific sessions: “Agile for Product Managers” (2 hours), “Daily standups that don’t suck” (1.5 hours), “Agile design practices” (2 hours)
• Dedicated Agile Coach available for questions and support (full-time)

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Phase 3: Embedding [26 March – 30 April]

Objective: Normalise new way of working, address what’s harder than expected, celebrate progress

Key messages:

• You’ve done this transition; here’s what’s improved
• Here’s what we’re still learning and adjusting

Communications:

• Fortnightly progress updates to all staff (what’s shipped, how we’re measuring success)
• Team retrospectives (built into process): teams identify what’s working, what to adjust
• Leadership updates on business metrics: cycle time, quality, team satisfaction

Support:

• Agile coach available (transitioning to part-time role)
• Peer support: identify agile champions in each team to help others

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Phase 4: Review and optimisation [May onwards]

Objective: Demonstrate impact, close feedback loops, plan next steps

Key messages:

• Here’s what changed and by how much
• Where we’re excelling, where we’re still learning
• Our next focus areas

Communications:

• 6-week review: formal review of impact (cycle time, quality, team satisfaction, customer feedback)
• All-staff presentation (May) showing before/after metrics
• Adjusted agile practices (May onwards) based on learning

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Communication calendar

Date	Audience	Topic	Format	Owner
31 Jan	Leadership (5)	Business case for agile	Meeting, 1 hour	CTO
4 Feb	All staff	Agile transition announcement	Email + optional video	Comms lead
4 Feb	Managers	Cascade brief	Email + optional huddle	Comms lead
5 Feb	Affected teams (45)	Deep dive on what’s changing	Meeting, 2 hours	Agile coach + Product lead
4-5 Feb (during workday)	Affected staff	Agile fundamentals workshop	2-day workshop, rotating cohorts	Agile coach + external trainer
Every Friday from 8 Feb	Affected teams	Weekly update email	Email, 5 min read	Agile coach
Every Wednesday from 10 Feb	Anyone (open)	Agile Q&A office hours	Virtual, 1 hour	Agile coach
17 Feb	Affected teams	Quick pulse survey	Online survey, 5 min	Comms lead
Every 2 weeks from 18 Feb	Managers (affected teams)	Manager huddle	Virtual, 45 min	Agile coach
19 Feb	All staff	Update on transition progress	Email, 3 min read	Comms lead
Ongoing through March	Affected teams	Role-specific training (product managers, engineers, designers)	Workshops, 1.5-2 hours each	Trainers + Agile coach
26 March	Affected teams	Transition phase ends; embedding phase begins	Comms (email + all-hands message)	Comms lead
2 April	All staff	Progress update: what’s improved	Email + optional video	Product lead
30 April	All staff	6-week review results and insights	Presentation + discussion	CTO + Agile coach
5 May	All staff	Adjusted agile practices going forward	Documentation + team briefings	Agile coach

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Risks and mitigation

Risk	Likelihood	Impact	Mitigation
Team productivity dips during transition (people learning new process)	High	High	Warn teams this will happen. Have clear support plan. Measure productivity at 6 weeks not 2 weeks. Celebrate small wins.
Some people don’t adopt agile; continue old patterns	Medium	Medium	Peer pressure and normalisation help. Agile coach observes sprints, gently corrects. Celebrate teams doing it well.
Quality issues due to faster iteration	Low	High	Define “quality gates” in process. Code review doesn’t reduce; it happens faster. First few sprints have tighter QA.
Key people leave because change is unsettling	Low	High	Early communication and support. One-to-ones with key people during transition. Clear career paths in agile environment.
Customers confused by new delivery rhythm	Low	Medium	Product teams brief key customers in advance. Set expectations about 2-week cycles. Communicate clearly about what’s different from their perspective.

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Related templates

• All-Staff Update Format – For the initial change announcement
• Manager Cascade Notes – To support managers in cascading change to their teams
• Town Hall Q&A Preparation – For large group Q&A sessions during change
• Feedback Collection Template – For gathering and responding to staff feedback

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Tips for success

Communicate the why, not just the what People accept change better when they understand the business driver. “Markets move faster than our process allows” is compelling. “We’re going agile because it’s trendy” is not. Invest time in helping people understand why.

Vary your communications by audience Affected staff need detailed, operational information. Unaffected staff need enough context to understand what’s not changing. Leadership needs updates on metrics. Don’t send the same message to everyone.

Build feedback collection into your plan Don’t wait until the end to learn what’s working and what’s not. Create regular feedback points (pulse surveys, listening sessions, retrospectives) so you can adjust course and show people you’re listening.

Create visible quick wins In transformations, early momentum matters. Look for opportunities to show something tangible changed in the first 3-4 weeks. This builds confidence and reduces anxiety about the bigger change.

Address scepticism directly If you know people will wonder “Will this actually speed things up?” or “Is this making our life harder?”, address it head-on. “We’re measuring cycle time and quality – if either drops in month 2, we’ll adjust” is better than hoping scepticism doesn’t surface.

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Common pitfalls

Under-communicating in the early phase Leaders often communicate the change once and assume understanding. Large change requires multiple communication touches across different channels, with time for questions and processing. Plan for over-communication, not under.

Not creating space for questions and concerns One-way announcements don’t build trust. Build in structured time for Q&A, feedback collection, and dialogue. Show people you’re listening and adjusting based on what you hear.

Treating all audiences the same A product manager experiences this change very differently from a designer or customer success person. Generic messaging feels irrelevant. Speak to what each audience actually needs to know and how they’re affected.

Losing momentum in the middle Changes need sustained communication. It’s easy to communicate the announcement (exciting) and the final outcome (celebratory) while losing communication discipline in the messy middle. Plan for sustained, consistent messaging through the implementation phase.

Not measuring impact If you don’t measure whether communication worked – awareness, understanding, sentiment, adoption – you can’t adjust and you can’t prove the value of the effort. Build measurement into your plan from the start.