Episode #1: Five Comms Strategies to Guarantee Your Most Successful ERP Launch Ever
The human factors that influence ERP adoption, alignment, and long-term value
Five Human Dynamics That Shape Your ERP ROI
ERP programmes rarely fail because of technology. They struggle because ERP changes how an organisation works — how decisions flow, who owns what, and which routines and power structures survive. Most programmes manage technical risk with precision and human risk with hope, even though it’s behaviour that decides whether the system is adopted, trusted and used as intended.
This episode breaks down the five Human Dynamics that determine whether your ERP investment delivers long-term value or slips quietly into rework, resistance and unrealised ROI.
ERP outcomes vary widely between organisations using the exact same technology. The difference is not the system — it’s the human dynamics underneath the change. Legacy attachment, local power, team energy, cognitive overload and expectation gaps shape testing quality, data discipline, alignment and adoption. This episode explains why these forces matter, why leaders often underestimate them, and how early attention to human dynamics protects both your programme and your ROI.
Why Human Dynamics Decide ERP Adoption
ERP is one of the most demanding forms of enterprise change. While it’s treated as a system rollout, the real impact is organisational: it reshapes processes, responsibilities, decision flows and transparency. When people hesitate, resist or revert to old behaviours, the technology alone cannot compensate.
The technical system may be stable — but adoption is behavioural, and behaviour responds to psychology, incentives, habits, identity and perceived loss. Ignoring that reality is why some programmes stabilise quickly while others need months of post–go-live triage.
Human Dynamics influence:
how well people prepare for testing
the quality of data they enter
whether local leaders support or slow the change
how users perceive the value of the new system
whether teams stick to global standards
and whether the programme’s credibility grows or erodes
If these dynamics aren’t managed intentionally, they shape the narrative, the behaviour and ultimately the results — regardless of how well the system was built.
Below are the five Human Dynamics discussed in the episode, and why they matter for every CIO and programme lead.
1. Legacy Attachment: Why Old Systems Don’t Die Easily
People don’t resist change; they resist losing the tools and routines they mastered. Legacy systems represent familiarity, confidence and speed. Replacing them feels risky, even if the new system is better.
Why leaders overlook it: Legacy attachment is emotional, not rational. Training alone does not resolve feelings of loss, nor does a business case change people’s sense of identity or competence.
Impact on adoption and ROI:
shadow processes re-emerge
inconsistent data entry
informal workarounds persist
testing quality declines
trust in the new system develops slowly
Ignoring legacy attachment means you compete not against the “old system”, but against the comfort and confidence people had within it.
2. Local Power & Culture: Where Global Designs Break
ERP affects autonomy. It standardises processes and reduces local variation — which can be perceived as a threat to influence or control. Local leaders respond accordingly.
Why leaders overlook it: Resistance rarely appears directly. It shows up as delayed responses, “localisation” requests, or minimal engagement in key moments.
Impact on adoption and ROI:
inconsistent implementation across countries
political friction
design deviations
fragmented adoption curves
higher rework after go-live
If local leaders don’t feel seen, heard and included early, the system becomes “HQ’s project”, not “our system”.
3. Team Energy & Credibility: The Emotional Pulse of the Programme
ERP programmes are long and demanding. When the core team burns out, the organisation senses it. Exhaustion shows up in communication tone, decision latency and inconsistent alignment.
Why leaders overlook it:
Energy is treated as an individual issue rather than a structural variable. But credibility, clarity and momentum all depend on it.
Impact on adoption and ROI:
weaker messaging
slower decision cycles
reduced organisational confidence
difficulty mobilising key users
higher error rates in later stages
The programme team’s emotional state leaks into the organisation. Managing energy is operational risk management.
4. Cognitive Overload: The Limit of Human Capacity
ERP transformations overwhelm people when they’re long, complex or abstract. Most employees cannot hold a multi-year transformation in their heads; they operate on near-term clarity.
Why leaders overlook it: They assume that more information equals more understanding. In reality, people grasp only what affects them soon and concretely.
Impact on adoption and ROI:
confusion and disengagement
poor testing focus
data quality issues
reliance on old systems
slower stabilisation
Simplicity, not detail, drives alignment.
5. Expectation Alignment: Trust Determines Adoption
Expectation gaps are one of the quietest risks in ERP. Overpromising to maintain momentum can create trust debt when the early weeks feel harder than expected.
Why leaders overlook it:
They want to motivate the organisation — but unintentionally set unrealistic mental models.
Impact on adoption and ROI:
loss of trust
negative narratives
increased support tickets
lower resilience to early issues
prolonged stabilisation
Clear, honest expectations help people brace for the post-go-live reality — and maintain confidence in the programme.
Key Takeaways (What IT Leaders Should Remember)
ERP outcomes depend on behaviours, not configurations.
Human Dynamics are observable and predictable — if addressed early.
Technical readiness doesn’t guarantee adoption; behavioural readiness does.
Programmes struggle when human risk is unmanaged, not when technology fails.
Leaders who treat human dynamics as a second risk surface protect data, testing, credibility and ROI.
About your host
Arne Kötting founded COSYN after years of seeing organisations struggle with the human side of tech change. He built the Change Playbook to codify what actually works based on 20 years of watching these patterns.
The Change Playbook is designed for IT program teams to confidently manage the human side of tech change in-house, without expensive consulting dependencies.
His conversational style cuts through complexity to reveal the fundamental principles that make tech change communication work - principles you can apply 1:1 to your own transformation challenges.
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