As the world rapidly evolves in response to changing business landscapes, companies must also adapt to address new challenges, technologies, and business requirements. Embracing change—whether through new technologies, team restructuring, or cultural shifts—is essential for success. Effective change management is the key to ensuring that this success is sustainable over the long term.
One of the most effective models for managing change is Lewin’s Change Model, developed by psychologist Kurt Lewin in the 1940s. This model offers a simple yet powerful framework for defining and implementing organizational change. Let’s take a closer look at the three main stages of Lewin’s Change Model: unfreeze, change, and refreeze.
Step 1: Unfreeze
The first stage of Lewin’s Change Model is “Unfreeze.” This phase involves preparing the organization for change by disrupting the current state and creating openness to new ways of working. The goal is to foster an environment where employees are willing to embrace change rather than resist it.
For example, a company is transitioning its documentation process from Google Docs to ClickHelp. While the new platform offers better structure, version control, and user access, some technical writers may feel uncertain or resistant, especially if they’ve used Google Docs for years. In this situation, it’s important to involve someone experienced with documentation platforms and change management to explain the benefits, provide relatable success stories, and answer concerns. Writers should be invited to share input and even pilot early usage of ClickHelp, fostering engagement and ownership of the change.
Key Actions in the Unfreeze Phase:
- Create and Raise Awareness. Make all the stakeholders aware of the change being needed. This is done by making them aware through facts, observation, and examples that form the foundation of the rationale behind why the existing state of things is no longer effective and efficient. As in the example with ClickHelp, management should explain the limitations of Google Docs in documentation control, scalability, or collaboration—and how ClickHelp can streamline workflow, enhance publishing capabilities, and improve content reuse. Transparency is extremely crucial and needed; it is only when the employees are aware of the reason behind the change that they will embrace it.
- Establish a Sense of Urgency. Help employees recognize the risks of maintaining the status quo. Share industry trends, competitive pressures, or internal inefficiencies that justify the need for transformation. This urgency can drive motivation and encourage active participation in the change process.
- Engage Stakeholders. Involve employees in the change process from the beginning. Provide an opportunity for discussion and feedback to enable them to be heard and respected. It also helps to know which of your stakeholders have the influence to raise support for the change. If you can focus more of your effort on getting their buy-in, it makes a big difference as you can rely on them to advocate for your transformation and also give you genuine feedback from the ground. Involvement not only gives a sense of ownership but also generates many ideas that will make the change strategy more effective.
- Assess Readiness. Assess the readiness of the company and the existing culture to embrace change. Early identification of sources of resistance enables leaders to work around problems and thus transition more smoothly. You need to address the concerns that have already been raised.
In the example above, some writers may fear that ClickHelp adds complexity or that it will slow them down. Managers must address questions like: Will there be training? Will documentation become easier or more demanding? Will they lose flexibility or gain better control? For example, management can clarify that structured templates in ClickHelp reduce repetitive work, improve consistency, and allow reuse of content modules—saving time long term. Listening to concerns and offering practical answers helps reduce resistance and prepares the team to move forward.
In general, by successful unfreezing of the status quo, organizations can reduce resistance and prepare workers for the impending change, clearing the way for successful implementation.
Step 2: Change
Once the organization is prepared for change, the next step is the “Change” phase—this is when the actual transformation takes place. It’s essential that this stage is executed properly to ensure that new processes, behaviors, or systems are effectively implemented. The main activities during this phase include:
- Install New Habits: Install the new procedures, tools, or workflows required for the transformation. For instance, during the switch from Google Docs to ClickHelp, organize hands-on training sessions, walkthroughs, and sandbox environments where writers can test out ClickHelp’s features without pressure. Let them migrate sample documents, explore templates, and simulate their usual writing process in the new environment. This builds familiarity and reduces friction.
- Provide Support: Provide support and help to the employees during the transition. It may be in the form of access to mentors, training, or you may even open question-and-answer sessions to address issues. It can also reduce anxiety and improve morale among employees during the transition.
- Track Progress: Monitor the implementation process consistently. Regularly tracking results and collecting feedback helps identify issues early and make timely adjustments. Use key performance indicators (KPIs) to provide meaningful insights into the success of the change.
- Communicate on a Regular Basis: Maintain open and frequent communication throughout the change process. Share updates on progress, achievements, and challenges to keep employees informed and engaged. Clear communication helps sustain commitment and alignment across the organization.
This phase is important because it involves not only the technical aspects of change but also the emotional and psychological shifts that employees must make. Identifying and addressing both dimensions is essential for successful and lasting change.
Stage 3: Refreeze
The final phase of Lewin’s Change Model is “Refreeze.” This step involves solidifying the changes introduced in the previous phase so they become the new standard within the organization. The following are some effective strategies for successful refreezing:
- Support New Behaviors: Recognize and reward employees who adopt and reinforce the changes. Acknowledge the contributions of those who help consolidate the new behaviors and encourage others to follow their example. Incentives, reward programs, and verbal praise can motivate staff to fully embrace the new practices.
- Embed Changes into Culture: Integrate the changes into the organization’s culture and daily routines. This may involve revising policies, procedures, and performance metrics to support the new ways of working. Aligning these changes with the company’s core values helps increase acceptance and sustainability.
- Continuous Improvement: Foster a culture of ongoing learning and development. Change should not be viewed as a one-time event, but as a continuous process. Encourage regular feedback and remain open to further adjustments, as the business environment continues to evolve. This mindset makes the organization more resilient and ready for future change.
- Measure Long-term Effect: Once changes are in place, evaluate their long-term impact on the business. Ongoing assessment provides insight for further optimization and helps prevent the benefits of change from diminishing over time.
Through effective refreezing, the organizations are able to freeze in the changes, and employees are able to learn how to adopt the new way of doing things. Employee acceptance is key in the development of the culture of resilience and adaptability needed in business today, where nothing is static.
Lewin’s Change Model In Change Management Context
Lewin’s Change Model is one of the foundational frameworks in the field of change management. Its structured and accessible approach makes it highly compatible with a variety of methodologies and frameworks that organizations can use to facilitate smooth and effective transitions. Below is an overview of how Lewin’s model fits within the broader landscape of change management:
- Synthesis with Other Models: Lewin’s model can be integrated with other change frameworks such as Kotter’s 8-Step Process or the ADKAR model. These approaches build upon Lewin’s core concepts while offering greater detail in terms of employee engagement and implementation strategies.
- Prioritizing Human Behavior: A key strength of Lewin’s model is its emphasis on understanding human behavior during the change process. This aligns with modern change management practices, which prioritize employee engagement, open communication, and empowerment. Change is both a human and a procedural challenge.
- Cyclical Model of Improvement: The Unfreeze–Change–Refreeze cycle reminds organizations that change is an ongoing process, not a one-time event. This mindset is essential in today’s fast-paced business environment, where continuous improvement and adaptability are critical for long-term success.
- Cultural Alignment: Lewin’s model highlights the importance of aligning change initiatives with organizational culture. Change management is not only about adopting new practices but also about embedding these changes into the cultural fabric of the organization. Cultural alignment reduces resistance and fosters openness to future changes.
- Practical Application: Many organizations use Lewin’s model as a practical tool for planning and executing change programs. Its structured approach allows leaders to map out the steps needed to secure employee buy-in and ensure lasting change.
In summary, Lewin’s Change Model remains a powerful foundation for organizations aiming to implement successful change. By applying its principles alongside modern practices, leaders can strengthen their change efforts and build more resilient, adaptive organizations.
DevOps and Change Management Integration
DevOps is an evolutionary process that unites software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops) to foster collaboration, productivity, and the continuous delivery of high-quality software. At its core, DevOps is about eliminating bottlenecks and roadblocks, empowering individuals through automation to deliver products to users faster. As more organizations adopt DevOps principles, the integration of change management becomes essential to ensure smooth transitions with minimal disruption. This is where DevOps and change management intersect:
- Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD): DevOps heavily emphasizes CI/CD pipelines that automate code integration and deployment to production. However, structured change management is necessary to minimize the risks associated with rapid deployments. Changes must be thoroughly tested and approved—ideally through peer reviews—before being released to end-users.
- Communication and Collaboration: DevOps thrives on close collaboration between operations and development teams. Effective communication and feedback mechanisms are vital components of change management, helping teams solve problems, learn quickly, and stay aligned throughout the change process.
- Agile Methodologies: Agile principles, which emphasize responsiveness and flexibility, align well with both DevOps and change management. Integrating change management strategies into Agile frameworks helps teams manage evolving requirements, deliver value more effectively, and assess the broader impact of changes on the organization.
- Monitoring and Feedback: Continuous monitoring of applications and infrastructure is a core DevOps practice, offering valuable insights into the performance and impact of changes. Change management processes can leverage this data to evaluate the effectiveness of changes, identify opportunities for improvement, and strengthen future implementations. True DevOps is about doing things carefully and consistently—automating processes not to bypass diligence, but to ensure repeatability and avoid human error.
- Cultural Transition: Adopting DevOps requires a cultural shift toward experimentation, continuous learning, and resilience. Change management plays a key role in guiding this cultural transition, reducing resistance, and helping teams embrace new approaches. DevOps culture does not mean giving engineers free rein to push changes recklessly. Instead, success lies in building reliable controls and approval steps. By investing in automated testing, clear accountability, and well-designed approval workflows, change management becomes less burdensome and more effective—an indicator of organizational maturity.
- Risk Management: While change always carries risk, change management models provide structured ways to identify, assess, and respond to those risks. DevOps should prioritize risk mitigation to protect business continuity, stakeholder trust, and revenue streams. Secure, practical implementation of changes is just as important as speed.
In short, the convergence of change management and DevOps is essential for maximizing the benefits of both disciplines. Aligning these practices enables organizations to improve collaboration, increase agility, and continually enhance software development and delivery outcomes.
Conclusion
Lewin’s Change Model offers a simple yet powerful framework for managing organizational change. Applying the three phases—Unfreeze, Change, and Refreeze—enables managers not only to streamline processes but also to foster a sustainable culture of change.
In practical terms, for example, transitioning a documentation team from Google Docs to ClickHelp requires more than just introducing a new tool. It demands thoughtful preparation (Unfreeze), hands-on implementation with support (Change), and reinforcement until the new tool becomes second nature (Refreeze). A structured approach like Lewin’s helps ensure the team is ready, equipped, and committed—making innovations stick and positioning the organization for long-term success in a changing environment.
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FAQ
What is Lewin’s Change Model?
Lewin’s Change Model is a simple framework for managing organizational change. It consists of three stages: Unfreeze, Change, and Refreeze. These stages guide organizations through preparing for, implementing, and solidifying change within their culture and processes.
What are the key activities in the Unfreeze stage of Lewin’s Change Model?
In the Unfreeze stage, the goal is to prepare the organization for change. Key activities include:
– Raising awareness of the need for change.
– Communicating the benefits of the new tool (e.g., ClickHelp) over the old method (e.g., Google Docs).
– Establishing a sense of urgency for the change.
– Engaging stakeholders by gathering feedback and addressing concerns.
Why is it important to “Refreeze” the changes?
The Refreeze stage solidifies the new processes, making them permanent parts of the organization’s culture. It ensures that the changes are not just temporary and that employees continue to adapt and thrive with the new system. Refreezing involves reinforcing new behaviors, embedding changes into the culture, and measuring long-term impacts to ensure that the transition is successful and sustainable.
Can Lewin’s Change Model be combined with other change management frameworks?
Yes, Lewin’s Change Model can be combined with other frameworks like Kotter’s 8-Step Process or the ADKAR model to provide more specificity in implementation and employee engagement. The foundational principles of Lewin’s model remain applicable in any change context, offering a flexible approach.
How does Lewin’s model help organizations thrive in a changing environment?
By following the Unfreeze, Change, and Refreeze stages, organizations can ensure a smooth transition, minimize resistance, and create a culture that embraces continuous change. This helps organizations adapt to new technologies, tools, and processes, positioning them for long-term success.
