If you’ve worked in government for any amount of time, you know one thing is true: change is hard.
It’s not just that new policies and mandates seem to come faster than ever—it’s that they require agencies to do more with less, often without the time or tools needed to adapt.
Whether it’s staff burnout, technology overload, or process fatigue, the truth is: government workers are overwhelmed. That’s why, even when a new system or approach promises to help, many workers understandably meet it with hesitation or outright resistance.
But here’s the reality: change is happening, with or without us. The key is figuring out how to embrace the right kind of change—the kind that empowers your workforce, not overburden it.
Why Government Change Is So Challenging
Government workers aren’t resistant to change because they don’t care. Quite the opposite—they care deeply. They’ve built their careers on helping people. But over the years, they’ve been let down by new initiatives that didn’t stick or systems that made their jobs harder, not easier.
Some common roadblocks we hear from agencies include:
- “We don’t have time to learn something new.”
- “We’ve tried tools like this before—they never work the way we need.”
- “Leadership wants this, but it doesn’t help me in the field.”
It’s no wonder that fear and skepticism creep in. But what if the change actually gave workers more time, not less?
What If Technology Could Give You Time Back?
Let’s reframe the conversation. At Northwoods, we’ve helped agencies across the country uncover what’s really possible when technology is designed with workers, for workers.
Agencies that use our solutions have seen:
- Up to 2 hours per day returned to caseworkers through automation
- Nearly 40% improvement in investigation timelines
- 50% less time spent creating case assessments and summaries
- 30%+ improvement in employee turnover
These aren’t just efficiency stats. They represent real time given back to workers to do the human parts of the job—talking to families, building relationships, and driving outcomes.
How to Embrace Change That Works for You
The key isn’t just introducing technology—it’s adopting it the right way. That’s why agencies need more than a vendor; they need a partner in change management.
At Northwoods, we don’t drop off a system and walk away. Our services are built around supporting adoption and guiding change. We:
- Embed ourselves into your workflows to ensure a seamless fit
- Build tools that workers actually want to use in the field
- Offer ongoing training and support to keep adoption high
- Collaborate with your teams through every phase of implementation
We help agencies take the leap with confidence, because we’ve seen what’s possible on the other side.
What You Can Do Today
If your agency is staring down yet another system change, policy shift, or technology rollout, start here:
- Acknowledge that change is hard—and talk about it openly.
- Ask your team what they need to feel supported during change.
- Look for partners who prioritize adoption and outcomes, not just implementation.
- Focus on the “why”—how this change will help your people and your community.
Read More About Change
- Our change management guide for human services covers best practices and proven strategies to help agencies embrace organizational change and ease the journey when adopting new technology. Putting people at the center of every phase of the project is one of the keys to success.
- “How to Create a Powerful Organizational Change Management Storyline” is Gartner’s framework for creating an effective behavior change journey that includes four key components.
- In this blog post, “Your Change Management Checklist: 8 Critical Elements for Transformation Success,” Prosci breaks down the crucial elements that seperate successful transformations from costly failures.
- Our change management guide for human services covers best practices and proven strategies to help agencies embrace organizational change and ease the journey when adopting new technology. Putting people at the center of every phase of the project is one of the keys to success.
Change Is Coming. Let’s Make It Worth It.
The agencies thriving in today’s environment aren’t avoiding change—they’re adapting with purpose. They’re choosing tools and partners that work with them, not against them.
Technology should be a tool to empower your workforce—not exhaust it. The right changes will make your agency more effective, your staff more satisfied, and your community better served.
And that’s the kind of change worth pursuing.
