Too often, organisational change feels imposed from above - decisions made behind closed doors, communicated with little consultation or clear communication - leaving employees feeling not just disconnected but disregarded.
It’s no surprise, then, that only 12% of organisational transformation projects fully achieve their stated goals.
Transformation doesn’t happen in isolation, it succeeds or fails based on the people delivering it and the culture that sustains it. For change to stick, employees need to see where they fit in, understand the impact and feel part of the journey. In other words, change needs to be human. That means recognising that employees aren’t cogs in a machine - they’re individuals with distinct needs, perspectives and experiences.
"When people can see themselves reflected in the change, when their perspectives are heard and their questions answered, it builds empathy, engagement and a genuine connection to what’s ahead."
Chris Wilson, Scriberia
Successful change isn’t just about new structures or strategies - it’s about how those things land with the people expected to make them work. When people can see themselves reflected in the change, when their perspectives are heard and their questions answered, it builds empathy, engagement and a genuine connection to what’s ahead. This is humanising change.
Future states are, by their nature, hard to grasp. It’s hard to connect people with realities that do not yet exist. It’s difficult to explain how new technologies will simplify workflows, how processes will evolve or how teams will collaborate in new ways, especially when your default communication toolkit relies on dry PowerPoints and strategy documents. If you want people to embrace change, they need to see themselves in it, and get a sense for how they will feel when the vision becomes reality.
Visual storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to make that happen. It's the bridge that connects the strategy to the people it’s designed to support - creating clarity, ownership and engagement. Here’s how it can help change the game:
A successful change story isn’t told to employees - it’s built with them. The process of creating visuals, from rough drafts to finalised imagery, provides opportunities to involve stakeholders in shaping the narrative. This creates a sense of ownership and removes the hierarchical distance that so often derails transformations.
One of our government clients fully embraced this collaborative approach, using visuals to engage stakeholders at every stage. By treating leadership as a voice around the table, not the voice, they broke down barriers, fostered alignment and ensured real ownership of the change. Ultimately, charts, slides and documents don’t drive transformation. People do. And when people feel heard, see their role clearly and connect emotionally with the journey, change becomes real.
Think back. When was the last time an endless list of bullet points truly inspired you? Visual stories - whether animations, vision maps or illustrations - take strategies from static to dynamic. They achieve what slides and charts can’t, speaking to people’s intellect and their emotions.
“We realised a visual approach would be a much more powerful way to get everyone onboard and talk them through all the complex intersections of issues and show them how they fit into it all.”
Felix Holman, Head of Programmes, World Animal Protection
Take the example of World Animal Protection. Faced with communicating their ambitious 10-year global strategy, they recognised that visuals could align and inspire their stakeholders far better than words alone.
As their Head of Programmes, Felix Holman, explains, “We realised a visual approach would be a much more powerful way to get everyone onboard and talk them through all the complex intersections of issues and show them how they fit into it all.”
By mapping their vision visually, they crafted a tool for long-term alignment and engagement. You can read their story here.
Change feels distant when it’s buried in complexity. Employees need a clear, human story they can relate to - one that cuts through corporate jargon and makes the strategy real.
Visual storytelling removes barriers, breaking down complex ideas into tangible, digestible narratives. When people can see and understand the road ahead, they’re more likely to embrace it.
If you want your transformation to succeed, make it human. Make it visual.
Source: Bain & Company