There’s an old saying that goes “the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry”, whether the cause of this is internally or from matters beyond your control is trivial. For business people in the modern workplace having one ‘best-laid plan’ simply isn’t enough, the magnitude of international political changes over the last year has created an environment where having even four or five plans of action isn’t satisfactory in the face of change.

With the current business atmosphere tense amidst both Brexit and an Executive level tug-of-war between President Trump and the US population, now more than ever the ability to act as a fluid organisation that can proactively create game plans prior to reacting to outside pressures is a valuable asset.

Indeed, possessing some level of change management training knowledge is increasingly becoming a necessity to survive. No matter the size of your business, or where you’re based, chances are you will be affected in one way or another by upcoming policy changes. To some, change management training is looked upon as a waste of time and resources, a distraction from the task at hand but others recognise its importance and are stressing its need.

For a large number of businesses, big and small, people are too wrapped up in their day to day tasks to look at the bigger picture. Having the ability to instinctively react to abrupt decisions which can impact companies overnight is crucial in surviving these tumultuous years ahead. For the cost of a few training sessions, future proofing a business with the skills gained is priceless. No matter what obstacles may spring up there will be a path around it, it’s just that some people struggle to traverse this new, possibly unknown, trail.

Realistically there hasn’t been a stable financial bubble for over a decade, prior to the 2007/08 market crash. Yet, dependent on your political viewpoints, the next four years could be set to cause more havoc than ever.

With domestic policy at the forefront of Prime Minister May’s plans ahead of Brexit, UK businesses operating completely insularly may stand to profit, however, if like many others you rely on importing and exporting across Europe, time will tell just how much an impact the process will inflict.

How can you take steps to increase your business’s ability to react to unforeseen changes at short notice:

• Begin preparation for a number of outcomes - if there’s uncertainty surrounding your market consider the possible outcomes and prepare for each appropriately
• Look around and talk to your network - In times of doubt lean on your business network for assistance, share knowledge and grow together
• Streamline internal communication lines - When the time comes to act fast, having a smooth internal chain of communication allows for quicker reactions
• Practice - Run simulations for ‘worst-case scenarios’ for your business, think of how you would react and how you can prepare for a real emergency
• When faced with the unavoidable, prepare to persevere - If you reach an impasse during the above simulations, consider ways to drastically change your approach in an effort to weather the storm.

Time will tell just how this process will impact businesses in the UK and abroad but one thing is for certain, whatever actions they take in whatever form they may be, change management training is a must-have for companies at all levels in order to stay ahead of the game and move to the top of the market.