In the ADKAR model, what does reinforcement help to ensure?

In the ADKAR model, reinforcement plays a crucial role in ensuring lasting change sustainability. The model emphasizes the importance of guiding individuals through the change process, which involves building awareness, desire, knowledge, ability, and reinforcement. Once individuals have completed training and have developed new skills or behaviors, reinforcement helps to consolidate these changes and integrate them into everyday practice.

This reinforcement can take various forms, such as ongoing support, recognition of efforts, feedback, and the alignment of organizational systems and processes with the desired change. By providing adequate reinforcement, organizations can ensure that new behaviors are not only adopted initially but are maintained over the long term, preventing regression to old habits and solidifying the new practices as the norm.

For instance, when employees receive recognition for their achievements and leaders consistently support the desired changes, it motivates individuals to continue using the newly acquired skills, thus embedding the change into the culture of the organization and ensuring that it endures over time.