Organizations across every industry are exploring the potential of artificial intelligence and undertaking major business transformations. Teams are dedicating significant time and resources to evolving operating models, redesigning processes and deploying new platforms. The goal is to modernize operations and create new business value. Yet, as these new ways of working are introduced into the daily flow of business, realizing the expected benefits can sometimes take longer than planned.
Industry data highlights this shared challenge. A 2024 study by the RAND Corporation found that many enterprise AI initiatives, often cited at more than 80%, face challenges reaching full production deployment.
When well-planned initiatives experience these delays, it is rarely due to the technology alone. AI adoption is as much an organizational challenge as it is a technology challenge. The same holds true for any significant transformation. In CGI's latest CGI Voice of Our Clients research, more than half of the executives interviewed identified change management as one of the top constraints to achieving their business priorities.
Any major transformation is fundamentally about people. While organizational change management (OCM) is sometimes viewed simply as a training activity or a communications exercise, our experience working alongside clients suggests a different perspective. When organizations integrate an end-to-end OCM strategy into the early stages of a project, it becomes a strategic enabler of adoption, helping organizations build alignment, readiness and confidence throughout the transformation.
Recognizing the human element in major transformations
When significant changes are introduced, a period of adjustment is a natural human response. Employees are already managing complex daily responsibilities, and adapting to a new organizational structure, redesigned workflow or AI-enabled tool can initially feel like an additional demand rather than an improvement.
A recent Gartner HR Practice survey reinforces the importance of the social dimension of adoption: 37% of employees are hesitant to use AI tools, even when they are readily available, if they do not see their peers using them. Embracing change in the workplace is rarely an individual experience. If a change strategy relies solely on broad corporate announcements, it can be difficult to connect with the day-to-day realities of individual teams.
Many organizations are also experiencing change fatigue as they adapt to an ongoing pace of transformation. Embedding change management into the initiative from the beginning helps organizations demonstrate how new processes and tools support employees, improve day-to-day work and contribute to broader business objectives.
An iterative, people-centric approach to change
At CGI, we partner with clients to implement an iterative, people-centric framework designed to build change capacity from day one. Rather than waiting for resistance to emerge during implementation, we use targeted change accelerators to connect the organization's vision with adoption from the outset.
For example, we help organizations develop a cultural blueprint to identify human and organizational needs across the transformation. By establishing a dedicated Change Management Office (CMO), we improve coordination across program teams while building sustainable change capabilities across a portfolio of initiatives. By emphasizing empathetic leadership, active listening and measurable adoption metrics, we help organizations ensure their people and processes evolve together and support long-term business outcomes.
Change management in action: Enabling a global modernization journey
To see how this strategic approach can accelerate transformation, consider a recent collaboration with a global leader in high-tech training and simulation for the civil aviation, defense and healthcare sectors.
The organization was embarking on a large-scale, highly complex modernization initiative. It needed to transform global operations, replace legacy systems and create a collaborative foundation for advanced data analytics and AI. Its highly specialized workforce was accustomed to established ways of working, making thoughtful change management essential to minimizing disruption while supporting long-term adoption.
Rather than viewing the rollout purely as an operational milestone, the organization’s leadership partnered with CGI to place the employee experience at the center of the transformation.
Working together to understand the daily impact
Instead of designing a change strategy from afar, our approach relied on close collaboration. We worked with teams across different global regions, engaging stakeholders to better understand their localized workflows. By mapping a "day in the life" of employees, we were able to understand how the new operating models and tools would intersect with their daily responsibilities. This helped ensure the implementation addressed practical business needs while supporting adoption.
Fostering a joint Change Management Office and ambassador network
Recognizing the social nature of adoption, the strategy empowered employees to play an active role in the transformation. Together, we established a joint Change Management Office to connect global and local stakeholders. Through this structure, we developed a network of internal change ambassadors—respected frontline team members who gained early access to new processes and systems. Their feedback helped refine the implementation while encouraging adoption among their peers.
Sharing transparent and relevant communications
Broad corporate communications were complemented with tailored, role-specific messaging focused on the practical benefits of the transformation. By communicating openly about both the expected benefits and the learning journey ahead, the organization fostered trust, encouraged engagement and supported successful adoption.
The results of this collaborative approach extended beyond a successful project launch. By demonstrating how new ways of working could improve employees' day-to-day experience, the organization established a stronger foundation for future innovation. Employees felt informed, supported and prepared, helping build an organizational culture ready to embrace future AI initiatives.
Empowering teams through global expertise and local understanding
Supporting organizations through complex transformations requires both deep expertise and local accountability. CGI brings insights derived from nearly five decades of experience, supported by more than 300 dedicated change management consultants worldwide.
Because we work in proximity to our clients, we combine global experience with a deep understanding of local realities. Our teams hold certifications from leading organizations, including Prosci and the Association of Change Management Professionals (ACMP), helping clients benefit from proven methodologies tailored to their business context.
Integrating change management into the core of a transformation strategy helps organizations reduce implementation risk, accelerate adoption and realize greater value from their investments. Equipping teams to confidently embrace new ways of working positions organizations to achieve more sustainable transformation outcomes.
We invite you to connect with CGI's Canadian change management experts to explore how we can help your organization strengthen adoption and support your next major transformation or AI initiative.
