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How to Use Brochures to Support Change Adoption

Use brochures as a simple, portable change aid to explain why a change is happening, what it means for each audience, what action to take, and where to get help. Best for busy or offline employees, as part of a broader communication plan.

Introduction: why this action matters for adoption

Distributing brochures during a change is not about “getting the message out.” It is a small, practical adoption intervention that gives impacted people a clear, portable reference for what is changing, why it matters, what they need to do next, and where to get help. In change management terms, a brochure can support Awareness, Knowledge, and Reinforcement, but it will not create full adoption by itself because organizational change still depends on individual behavior change [Prosci]. (prosci.com)

Brochures are most valuable when they reduce confusion at moments when people are busy, uncertain, offline, or hearing inconsistent messages. They work best as part of a planned communication and engagement sequence, not as a replacement for sponsor messages, manager conversations, training, or feedback loops [Prosci, 2024]. (prosci.com)

What this action is and when to use it

This action means preparing approved, concise, visually clear change information and putting it directly into the hands of impacted groups through physical handouts, printable one-pagers, digital PDFs, intranet downloads, QR-linked cards, or shift-pack materials. Use it when people need a quick reference: before a go-live, during a process cutover, after a town hall, in manager huddles, at training sessions, or at physical work sites where employees may not routinely use email.

Use brochures when the change has a clear behavior people must adopt, such as using a new system, following a new process, attending training, or preparing for a policy change. Do not use them as the only channel for complex, controversial, or high-resistance changes. Research and practice guidance both point toward multi-channel communication and opportunities for dialogue during change [Prosci, 2024; Ellis et al., 2023]. (prosci.com)

Preparation: inputs, stakeholders, materials, timing, and decisions needed

Start with the change impact assessment, audience segments, key dates, desired adoption behaviors, approved messages, support model, and known resistance points. The brochure should answer the questions employees are likely to ask first: Why is this happening? What changes for my role? What do I need to do by when? Where do I get help? Prosci recommends sequencing change communication so people first understand the “why” and then the personal impact [Prosci, 2024]. (prosci.com)

Involve the sponsor, change lead, communications partner, HR or employee relations where relevant, legal/compliance if the message has policy implications, accessibility reviewers, and representative managers from the impacted group. Managers matter because they interpret the change locally; Gallup’s research also shows managers account for a large share of variance in team engagement [Gallup, 2015]. (news.gallup.com)

Design for clarity. The CDC Clear Communication Index emphasizes audience focus, plain language, meaningful visuals, and clear calls to action [CDC]. If the brochure is digital, make it accessible; Section508.gov notes that PDFs are often less accessible and less mobile-friendly than HTML, so provide accessible HTML or a remediated PDF when possible [Section508.gov, 2025]. (cdc.gov)

Step-by-step facilitation guide

  1. Define the adoption job. Write one sentence describing the behavior the brochure should support, such as “warehouse team members complete scheduling training before July 15” or “people managers use the new approval workflow from go-live.” Link the brochure to an adoption outcome, not just an information need [GCS, 2024]. (communications.gov.uk)

  2. Segment the audience. Separate groups by role, location, shift, language, digital access, and degree of impact. A sponsor may need a strategic summary, while impacted employees need “what changes for me” and “what do I do next.” CIPD highlights planning, tailoring, line manager roles, and multi-directional dialogue in employee communication [CIPD, 2025]. (cipd.org)

  3. Draft the brochure around five elements. Use a short headline, a one-paragraph reason for the change, the practical impact, the required action, and a help route. Avoid project jargon, acronyms, and long background sections. Add a QR code or short URL to detailed guidance, training, FAQs, or a support channel.

  4. Review and test. Ask three to five people from the impacted audience to explain what they think the brochure is asking them to do. Revise any section they misread. This is practical guidance grounded in CDC’s broader principle that materials should be audience-centered and easy to understand [CDC]. (cdc.gov)

  5. Equip the senders. Give people managers a short talk track and the brochure in advance. For high-resistance groups, ask managers to distribute it in a huddle and invite questions rather than leaving copies on desks. Prosci emphasizes preferred senders and feedback loops during change communication [Prosci, 2024]. (prosci.com)

  6. Distribute at the right moment. Early in the change, use a brochure to explain the case for change. Before go-live, use it as a readiness guide. At go-live, use it as a quick reference. After go-live, update it with top issues, tips, and support reminders.

  7. Close the loop. Track questions, QR scans, help requests, training sign-ups, and manager feedback. Replace outdated versions quickly and mark each version with a date and owner.

Example: how this could be applied in a real change initiative

A retail organization is introducing a new workforce scheduling system. Many employees work shifts and do not regularly check email. The change manager creates a one-page brochure for store employees explaining why scheduling is changing, what employees must do before go-live, how to download the app, and where to get help. A different manager version includes a huddle script and escalation path.

Two weeks before go-live, store managers distribute the brochure in shift huddles and ask employees to scan a QR code to register for a 15-minute demo. During go-live week, the brochure is reissued as a quick-start card near time clocks. After go-live, the change team updates the digital version with the top three support questions. This uses the brochure as a tangible reinforcement tool while preserving manager conversation and feedback.

Roles and responsibilities

The change manager owns the intent, audience fit, timing, and measurement of the brochure. The communications partner improves clarity and layout. The sponsor approves the business message and reinforces the importance of the change. People managers deliver personal-impact messages and collect questions. Subject matter experts confirm accuracy. Accessibility or digital teams ensure the material can be used by employees with different access needs [CIPD, 2025; Section508.gov, 2025]. (cipd.org)

Common mistakes to avoid

The biggest mistake is treating distribution as completion. A pile of brochures does not prove understanding, readiness, or adoption. Other common mistakes include overloading the brochure with project detail, using language employees do not use, skipping manager preparation, failing to provide a clear next action, distributing inaccessible PDFs, and leaving outdated copies in circulation. For resistant groups, a brochure without dialogue may be interpreted as “management has already decided,” so pair it with Q&A and visible listening [Prosci, 2024; Ellis et al., 2023]. (prosci.com)

Measures of success or adoption indicators

Measure the action at several levels. Outputs show whether the material reached people: copies distributed, huddles held, downloads, QR scans, and translations completed. Outtakes show whether people understood and accepted the message: pulse survey results, manager feedback, sentiment themes, and FAQ patterns. Outcomes show whether behavior changed: training completion, system logins, correct process use, reduced errors, fewer avoidable support tickets, or compliance with the new way of working. This aligns with the GCS Evaluation Cycle, which distinguishes outputs, outtakes, outcomes, impact, and learning [GCS, 2024]. (communications.gov.uk)

Checklist for the change manager

  • The brochure has one clear adoption purpose.

  • The audience and channel are defined.

  • The content answers why, what changes, what action is required, by when, and where to get help.

  • The material has been reviewed by SMEs, sponsor, communications, and accessibility reviewers.

  • Managers have a talk track and know how to collect questions.

  • Physical and digital versions are version-controlled.

  • Translations or alternate formats are available where needed.

  • Success measures include understanding and behavior, not only distribution.

  • A feedback loop is in place to update the brochure after launch.

Optional reusable message outline

Headline: What is changing and when.
​Why it matters: One short paragraph on the business or employee reason.
​What changes for you: The role-specific impact.
​What you need to do: One to three actions with dates.
​Where to get help: Manager, support channel, training link, QR code, or FAQ.
​Manager prompt: “Please review this with your team, ask what is unclear, and send unanswered questions to the change team by Friday.”

References

Prosci. The Prosci ADKAR® Model. No date shown. https://www.prosci.com/methodology/adkar

Prosci. 5 Steps to Better Change Management Communication + Template. Published March 31, 2024; updated May 21, 2026. https://www.prosci.com/blog/change-management-communication

CIPD. Employee communication. December 23, 2025. https://www.cipd.org/en/knowledge/factsheets/employee-communication/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC Clear Communication Index. No date shown. https://www.cdc.gov/ccindex/

Section508.gov. Create Accessible PDFs. Reviewed/updated August 2025. https://www.section508.gov/create/pdfs/

UK Government Communication Service. GCS Evaluation Cycle. Published 2024; last updated March 27, 2025. https://www.communications.gov.uk/publications/gcs-evaluation-cycle/

Gallup. Managers Account for 70% of Variance in Employee Engagement. April 21, 2015. https://news.gallup.com/businessjournal/182792/managers-account-variance-employee-engagement.aspx

Ellis, L. A., Tran, Y., Pomare, C., Long, J. C., Churruca, K., Saba, M., & Braithwaite, J. Hospital organizational change: The importance of teamwork culture, communication, and change readiness. Frontiers in Public Health, 11:1089252. February 9, 2023. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1089252/full

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