Site visits are a change-management intervention that gives leaders and change managers direct visibility into how a change is actually being experienced where work happens. They are especially useful because adoption is ultimately individual: people need to understand the change, want to participate, know how to work differently, be able to perform the new behaviors, and receive reinforcement to sustain them [Prosci]. (prosci.com)

A good site visit is not an executive appearance or a compliance inspection. It is a structured “go see” activity: observe real work, ask respectful questions, clarify roles, and remove barriers. Lean guidance describes this as going to where work happens, asking why, and showing respect [Lean Enterprise Institute, 2023]. (lean.org) Used well, site visits create a feedback loop between impacted employees, local managers, sponsors and the project team.

A site visit may include a walk-around, direct observation, short frontline conversations, role clarification, coaching, or escalation of practical blockers. It belongs in the category of field observation, role clarification and direct support. It is most valuable when the change affects daily workflow, customer interactions, safety, compliance, handoffs, tools, job roles or local routines.

Use site visits before go-live to test readiness, during pilots to find friction, immediately after launch to support adoption, and during sustainment when metrics show inconsistent usage. They are also useful when resistance is increasing, when managers are unclear about their role, or when the project team is receiving conflicting feedback. The HSE’s change standard emphasizes frequent engagement, consultation, clarity on job impacts, timetables, training and support during change [HSE]. (hse.gov.uk)

Start with the change impact assessment, stakeholder map, readiness data, training plan, adoption risks and any early performance indicators. Decide which sites, shifts, roles or teams are most affected. Do not only visit the most cooperative locations; include high-impact, high-risk and representative groups.

Align stakeholders before the visit. The sponsor should know why the visit matters and what decisions they may need to make. Local managers should understand that the visit supports them rather than undermines them. Prosci’s CLARC model positions people managers as communicators, liaisons, advocates, resistance managers and coaches, which makes them essential partners in any field visit [Prosci, 2025]. (prosci.com)

Prepare a simple visit pack: purpose statement, observation guide, role-clarification notes, frequently asked questions, issue log, escalation route, and “you said / we did” follow-up format. Schedule visits close enough to the change event to be useful, but not so late that issues have already become workarounds.

A retail distribution business launches a mobile inventory application across warehouses. Training completion is high, but usage data shows that two sites still rely on spreadsheets. The change manager, operations sponsor, product owner and local supervisor conduct site visits during the morning receiving process.

Observation shows three adoption barriers: Wi-Fi drops in one receiving bay, shared devices are locked in a supervisor office, and employees are unsure whether inventory discrepancies should be handled by the old exception process or the new in-app workflow. The team fixes the device-access rule that day, escalates Wi-Fi coverage to IT, and issues a one-page role clarification for exception handling. The local supervisor then holds two shift huddles to reinforce the new workflow.

Measure both activity and impact. Activity indicators include number of visits completed, coverage of impacted roles, percentage of high-risk sites visited, number of issues logged, issue age, and closure rate. Adoption indicators include correct process use, system usage, error rates, rework, cycle time, help-desk demand, training refresh needs, manager confidence and employee sentiment.

For higher-risk changes, track whether employees can explain the reason for the change, perform the new behavior, and identify where to get support. This aligns with the ADKAR logic of checking awareness, knowledge, ability and reinforcement rather than assuming communication equals adoption [Prosci]. (prosci.com)

Site visit worksheet

Change initiative:
​Site/team/shift:
​Date:
​Visit purpose:
​Adoption question:

Observed workflow:
​What is working:
​Questions or concerns raised:
​Role confusion identified:
​Training or knowledge gaps:
​System/process blockers:
​Resistance signals:
​Immediate support provided:
​Issues escalated:
​Owner and due date:
​Follow-up message required:

Closing script:
“Thank you for showing us how the change is working in practice. We heard three main points: ____. We can answer ____ today. We will take away ____ and come back by ____ with an update. Your feedback will be used to improve adoption, not to assess individual performance.”