The new system went live on schedule. Three months later, half the team is still using spreadsheets.
The company paid for the system. It also still pays for the old process, because both are running at the same time.
Why people go back to the old way
Launch training usually teaches which buttons to click. It does not change the weekly routine. After go-live, four things pull people back:
- The old way still works. Nobody has said it must stop.
- The boss still asks for the old format. If a manager wants the report in a spreadsheet, the spreadsheet survives.
- The system is slower at first. A busy week makes the familiar way tempting.
- Nobody checks. If no one looks at who is using the system, no one notices who is not.
What it costs
The company runs two processes at once. The system’s data is incomplete, so leaders cannot trust the numbers. And the benefits promised in the business case never arrive.
Five practices managers can use
- Set a switch-off date for the old method and announce it. After that date, the old way is not accepted.
- Accept updates and reports only from the system. Use the system’s numbers in the weekly meeting. If it is not in the system, it did not happen.
- Ask one question each week: “What slowed you down in the system this week?” Pass the answers to the person who owns the system so problems get fixed fast.
- Name one confident user in each team who can help others. People ask a colleague faster than they ask a help desk.
- Track one adoption number. For example, the share of orders or cases recorded in the system. Write down the number before go-live, then check it weekly.
The boss makes the difference
These practices work only if the manager’s own boss asks about them. A short weekly check-in, asking what the manager did to move the team onto the system, is often enough.
Improving the use of a new system is one of the business priorities we build a 90-day pilot around at POC Management Execution. A pilot is a small trial with one group of managers, run before a change goes company-wide.
A system is adopted when managers stop accepting the old way.
In your last system launch, what did managers still accept after go-live that they should have stopped accepting?
If you are planning a launch, or fixing one that stalled, message me and we can brainstorm it together.
Further reading on jordanimutan.com:
• Why Comparing Three Supplier Quotes Takes Two Days, and How to Fix It: https://jordanimutan.com/2026/10/15/why-comparing-three-supplier-quotes-takes-two-days-and-how-to-fix-it/
• Turn Capability Into Consistent Execution: https://jordanimutan.com/turn-capability-into-consistent-execution/
#ChangeManagement #SystemAdoption #ManagerEffectiveness #HRLeadership #WorkplaceExecution
