Smart Grid and AMI – Change Management within the Utility

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Successful implementation of a Smart Grid and AMI certainly depends on the proper integration of new technologies with existing electric system infrastructure, but it also depends on the human dynamics that are essential to effective change management.

Awareness is a Critical Component

AMI-Smart Meter

Electric utilities should survey their employees understand their assumptions, knowledge, expectations, and receptivity to the notion of modifying their behaviors to increase energy efficiency and lower energy consumption. Such an assessment needs to be followed immediately by an aggressive communication strategy, taking care to present these concepts in terms easily understood by all groups of impacted and non-impacted employees alike. Applying this approach further, group settings should be established where advocates of these new technologies and applications can facilitate training and communication with all internal stakeholders.

Employee Concerns Regarding Change

Independent of the transformations related to Smart Grid and AMI-related technologies and the resulting changes in behavior, the electric utilities are keenly aware of the natural human tendency to resist change. Constant communication and outreach is one tactic that is essential to dealing with this dynamic, and obviously training and education plays a role as well. However, as important as the content of these programs is, the appropriate timing is even more critical. The sooner electric utility management starts the communication, training and education processes, the more likely their employees will embrace the new vision, and be ready, willing and able to do their jobs.

As with any change, the critical success factor is not establishing a thorough understanding of the technologies and the business case for change; rather it’s:

Answering the question, “What’s in it for me?”

Once the discussion gravitates to where the employees can see how this benefits them, they will take it upon themselves to learn about the new technologies and become the electric utility’s greatest advocate.

The Longer-Term View

An equally challenging hurdle to overcome in garnering the support and cooperation of the employees is the tendency of people to focus on current realities rather than future possibilities. After addressing the emotional elements around change, the logic needs to be developed and communicated. Since the more significant benefits of Smart Grid and AMI revolve around the longer term implications of:

Delayed construction of new generation, and
Dealing with carbon legislation and regulation, or
Other equally strategic and impact full, yet drawn out consequences,

It is hard to maintain a momentum for change. The key will be to learn from the examples of other technologies (e.g. cell phones, home personal computers, and portable email hand devices) and tailor the “lessons learned” to the socioeconomic realities of the electric utility industry.