ADKAR Model Explained: A Blueprint for Individual Change

Organizations don't change; people change. That is the fundamental philosophy behind the ADKAR model, developed by Jeff Hiatt of Prosci. While other models focus on high-level strategy, ADKAR strictly focuses on the journey of the individual employee.

The Five Building Blocks

ADKAR is an acronym that represents the five specific outcomes an individual must achieve for a change to be successful. If any one of these blocks is missing, the change will stall.

1. Awareness (of the need for change)

This is the "Why." Why is the change happening now? What happens if we don't change?
Common Barrier: Employees think the current way of working is just fine. They lack visibility into the market pressures or inefficiencies driving the decision.

2. Desire (to support the change)

This is the "WIIFM" (What's In It For Me). Awareness is logical; Desire is emotional. An employee might understand the business case (Awareness) but still refuse to participate because they fear job loss or added workload.
Strategy: Address personal motivators and remove barriers to engagement.

3. Knowledge (of how to change)

This includes training on new processes, tools, and skills.
Common Mistake: Organizations often jump straight to this step, sending employees to training classes before they have built Awareness or Desire. This leads to specialized resistance where employees attend training but don't learn.

4. Ability (to demonstrate skills and behaviors)

Knowledge is theoretical; Ability is practical execution. It is the difference between reading a book on golf and hitting a ball 200 yards.
Strategy: Provide coaching, access to subject matter experts, and time to practice in a safe environment.

5. Reinforcement (to make the change stick)

Once the change is in place, how do you ensure people don't revert to old habits? Reinforcement includes recognition, rewards, and corrective action.
Strategy: Celebrate early wins and audit compliance to ensure the new method becomes the standard method.

Using ADKAR as a Diagnostic Tool

ADKAR is incredibly useful for troubleshooting. If a project is stuck, talk to the employees.
- "I don't see why we are doing this" = Awareness Gap.
- "I understand why, but I'm not doing it" = Desire Gap.
- "I'm trying, but I can't get it right" = Ability Gap.
By pinpointing exactly where the blockage is, you can apply the right intervention rather than just sending out another generic email newsletter.