April 26, 2024
Focus On Bottom-Up Buy-In to Implement Change
Change is inevitable, but successful adoption depends on bottom-up buy-in. In this Senior Living Minute, Matt Reiners explains why getting frontline teams engaged early is the key to implementing new technology and initiatives in senior living. Instead of decisions being pushed down from leadership, teams should be included in early conversations to understand why the change matters, how it benefits them, and how it improves residents’ quality of life. When people feel heard and empowered, change is embraced—not resisted.
Transcript: Focus on Bottom-Up Buy-In to Implement Change
There are three guarantees in life: death, taxes, and change. Change is something we need to embrace, anticipate, and prepare for.
Adopting new technology or processes can be difficult—especially when only one person at the home office is excited about it. Leadership might see the big picture, but when the initiative gets pushed down to the community, frontline staff often think, “Great, just another thing corporate wants us to do.” Without their buy-in, it becomes nearly impossible to get residents engaged.
One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned is that if someone at the home office is excited about a new solution, they should first have a conversation with the community before implementation begins. That discussion should focus on:
- Why this change matters
- How it benefits staff and makes their jobs easier
- How it enhances the quality of life for residents
Meeting people where they are and involving them early ensures they feel heard, valued, and motivated—leading to successful, lasting change.