With the state of the world being what it is, public sector organisations are facing constant pressure to change, from digital transformation to policy shifts. Still, they notoriously struggle to implement change successfully. Research shows that a high percentage of change initiatives in government fail to meet their objectives (Link). The stakes are high: when change efforts falter, public institutions fail to achieve critical goals for citizens (Link). What separates successful change programs from the rest? Increasingly, the answer lies in the people side of change. In government settings, employees’ innovative work behaviour (EIWB), ability to generate and implement new ideas, and a culture of knowledge sharing (KS) emerge as pivotal factors for driving change. These human factors directly influence how well an organisation navigates classic change phases like Kurt Lewin’s Unfreeze–Change–Refreeze model. They also align closely with Prosci’s people-centric methodology, which emphasises engaging individuals at every step of change.

In this article, we explore how EIWB and KS facilitate successful change in public institutions, drawing on the findings of a 2022 study by Nawal Abdalla Adam and others. We will see how employee innovation and knowledge sharing serve as the “golden thread” running through Lewin’s model, and how public sector change leaders can practically embed these behaviours to boost change success, especially during the unfreezing and refreezing stages. We’ll link insights from existing literature with Prosci’s proven approach to managing the people side of change, offering an authoritative roadmap for change leaders.

The Public Sector Change Challenge and the Human Factor

Implementing change in government is uniquely challenging. Large public institutions are often compared to giant machines, with siloed departments, rigid processes, and cultures averse to risk and innovation (Link). These conditions breed resistance and make it hard to turn the ship when new initiatives are needed (Link). Unsurprisingly, many government change programs underperform or fail outright (Link). Such failures waste resources and impede public service improvements. Recognising this, experts argue that change leaders in government must identify and leverage key success factors that can overcome barriers and facilitate change (Link, Link).

One critical insight from research is that employees are at the heart of successful change. Change is ultimately realised when employees adopt new ways of working. Studies have emphasised that employees’ behaviours and involvement can make or break the implementation of a change process (Link). In fact, employees’ willingness and ability to change often hinge on an organisation’s innovation capabilities, i.e. its capacity to generate and apply new ideas (Link). Put simply, an organisation that empowers its people to be creative problem-solvers will find it much easier to execute change. It follows that public institutions should encourage their employees to participate in developing and implementing innovative ideas (Link). This focus on employee innovation taps the frontline knowledge of public servants and engages them as co-creators of change rather than passive recipients.

Complementing innovation, a culture of knowledge sharing is another human factor widely seen as a catalyst for change. When employees freely share information, lessons, and insights with each other, the organisation can respond and adapt more effectively. Knowledge sharing helps break down silos and spreads best practices, enabling teams to learn from one another during a change initiative. Research literature underscores that knowledge sharing enhances an organisation’s innovation capability, promotes employees’ creative behaviour, and even strengthens their cognitive ability to handle new challenges (Link). In the context of change, a strong knowledge-sharing culture means employees collectively address problems and disseminate solutions, rather than each person reinventing the wheel. As a result, knowledge sharing among employees may directly facilitate the implementation of change programs in government (Link).

In summary, the human factors of innovative work behaviour and knowledge sharing stand out as crucial enablers of change in the public sector. Next, we examine how these elements play into Kurt Lewin’s classic three-phase model of change, providing a phase-by-phase look at why engaging employee innovation and knowledge exchange can dramatically improve change outcomes.

Employee Innovation and Knowledge Sharing Through Lewin’s Three Phases

Kurt Lewin’s change model—Unfreeze, Change, Refreeze—is a timeless framework for understanding organisational change. In simple terms, an organisation must first unfreeze (prepare to break from the status quo), then change (implement new processes or structures), and finally refreeze (embed the changes as the new normal). While this model was developed in the mid-20th century, it remains highly relevant, especially as a people-focused view of change. Lewin’s model recognises that change is a journey for people; it involves loosening old habits, moving to new behaviours, and solidifying those behaviours.

A recent study by Nawal Abdalla Adam (2022) applied Lewin’s three-phase lens to public sector change and found compelling evidence of how EIWB and KS drive success across these phases. The study, involving 300 government employees, demonstrated that employees’ innovative work behaviour significantly improves outcomes in all three stages of change when mediated by knowledge sharing (Link, Link). In other words, innovative ideas from employees translate into effective change implementation only if those ideas are shared and disseminated through the organisation’s knowledge networks (Link). Knowledge sharing serves as the bridge that allows individual innovations to influence organisation-wide change processes.

Notably, the impact of EIWB and knowledge sharing is not uniform across Lewin’s phases. Rather, it is especially pronounced at the beginning and end of the journey. According to the study’s findings, knowledge sharing had greater positive effects during the Unfreezing and Refreezing stages than during the mid-change stage (Link, Link). This makes intuitive sense. In the Unfreeze phase, organisations are preparing for change by shaking off complacency and making the case for a new direction. Here, engaging employees’ creativity and knowledge is strategically vital. Front-line staff often know the pain points of current processes and have ideas for improvement. If leadership encourages employees to voice innovative solutions and share knowledge about what’s not working, it creates a powerful groundswell for change. Employees become more convinced of the need for change (since they see and discuss the issues and possibilities), and they contribute actively to shaping the change approach. This broad-based dialogue and ideation effectively unfreeze old mindsets, making people more willing to move from the status quo.

During the Change (transition) phase, the organisation implements new processes or structures. At this stage, the influence of EIWB and KS, while still significant, is a bit less dramatic (Link). One reason is that once a change is in motion, there may be more focus on execution of a predetermined plan. However, innovative work behaviour still plays an important role in problem-solving and adjusting the implementation as needed, and ongoing knowledge sharing ensures issues are quickly communicated and addressed. For example, as a new IT system goes live in a government agency, employees who encounter obstacles might invent workarounds or improvements, and sharing those insights rapidly with others can prevent repetitive mistakes and keep the change on track. In this phase, a culture that encourages experimentation and open communication will handle the turbulence of change far better than one that does not. The study reinforces that even mid-stream, knowledge sharing and innovation contribute positively to the change process (Link), just not as strongly as in the preparatory and concluding phases.

The Refreeze phase is where the new ways of working are cemented into the organisational culture and routine. Here again, the combination of employee innovation and knowledge sharing has an outsized impact (Link). Successful refreezing isn’t about freezing the organisation into rigidness; rather, it’s about reinforcing the beneficial changes and ensuring the organisation doesn’t slip back into old habits. Knowledge sharing is crucial now to document and spread what was learned during the change. By sharing knowledge, the organisation can formalise new standard operating procedures, update training materials, and institutionalise best practices that emerged. Moreover, continuing to encourage innovative behaviour at refreeze means employees keep looking for incremental improvements and adaptations even after the “main” change is done, which prevents stagnation. The study found that fostering EIWB and a knowledge-sharing culture explained a significant portion of success in the refreezing stage in government institutions (Link). In fact, building these behaviours early on pays dividends later: employees who had been involved in creative problem-solving and open knowledge exchange during the change are more likely to embrace and uphold the new practices afterward.

Crucially, the research by Adam (2022) confirmed a strong synergy: employees who exhibit innovative work behaviour are also more likely to share knowledge with colleagues (Link). This means cultivating one of these behaviours often feeds the other. An employee who is encouraged to experiment and propose new ideas will naturally communicate about those ideas, and conversely, a workplace that openly shares knowledge will spark more ideas as people learn from each other. Together, these twin behaviours create a virtuous cycle that propels each stage of Lewin’s model, energising the start, smoothing the transition, and solidifying the finish. Change leaders in the public sector should therefore view EIWB and KS as interconnected levers to pull throughout the change journey.

Aligning with Prosci’s People-Centric Change Management Approach

The emphasis on employee innovation and knowledge exchange is not just an academic finding, but resonates deeply with modern change management practices such as the Prosci methodology. Prosci’s approach is famously people-centric, encapsulated by the ADKAR model (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement). This framework is all about preparing and supporting individuals through change so that organisational change can succeed (Link). In fact, Prosci’s research over decades shows that changes succeed when individuals are prepared, equipped, and supported to adopt the change; without individual adoption, even the best strategic change will falter (Link, Link).

How do innovation and knowledge sharing fit into this? Quite neatly. Consider the ADKAR elements in the context of what we discussed:

• Awareness & Desire (Unfreeze): Prosci teaches that building awareness of the need for change and desire to participate is the first step in any people-centered change. Encouraging knowledge sharing at this stage, such as through open forums, town halls, or team discussions, helps spread awareness of problems and potential solutions, directly supporting Lewin’s unfreezing. Likewise, tapping into employees’ innovative ideas can increase their desire for change, because they see their input valued and envision a better future that they helped design. This aligns with Prosci’s best practices, where engaging with front-line employees and communicating openly are top contributors to change success (Link). By involving employees early, public sector change leaders create a sense of ownership and urgency that mirrors the Awareness and Desire goals of ADKAR.
• Knowledge & Ability (Change): These ADKAR stages correspond to giving people the information and skills they need to implement the change. This is essentially the active Change phase in Lewin’s model. Here, a culture of knowledge sharing is directly beneficial: it ensures that as the change is rolled out, employees freely disseminate tips, training, and know-how among each other. Peer learning and cross-department knowledge exchange can supplement formal training, building everyone’s Ability to perform in the new way. At the same time, innovative behaviour means employees continue to improve and adapt the change on the fly, which can enhance their Ability to make the change work in practice. Prosci’s people-centric approach would encourage creating feedback loops and forums where employees can ask questions and share experiences during implementation. This practice links back to fostering knowledge sharing and listening to employee innovations.
• Reinforcement (Refreeze): In ADKAR, Reinforcement is about cementing the change so it isn’t temporary. Prosci often highlights the importance of recognising and rewarding new behaviours and continuing communication after go-live to ensure the change sticks. This is directly aligned with Lewin’s Refreeze stage. By embedding knowledge sharing into the organisation (for example, through ongoing communities of practice or knowledge bases for the new processes), leaders reinforce the change and make it part of “how we do things here.” Moreover, continuing to solicit and implement employee-driven innovations after the formal project ends sends a strong signal that change is not a one-time event but a continuous improvement mindset. It keeps employees engaged and prevents regression. This echoes the research finding that promoting EIWB and KS is strategically most important in the early and late stages of change (Link). This aligns with ADKAR’s Awareness/Desire and Reinforcement stages.

Prosci’s methodology also directly calls for what we are advocating. For instance, Prosci’s approach to public sector change involves “building individual awareness and capacity to change and scaling it up to teams and departments” (Link). That scaling up of change capability is essentially knowledge sharing in action. That is taking what individuals learn and spreading it organisationally. Additionally, Prosci’s long-running benchmarking studies repeatedly find that active employee engagement and open communication are among the best practices for change management (Link). Engaging employees often means encouraging their input (innovation) and fostering two-way communication (knowledge sharing). Thus, the principle of EIWB and KS being central to change success is reinforced by industry best practices. The alignment is clear: Lewin’s theoretical model and Prosci’s practical methodology both point to people-driven factors as the key to change, especially in the public sector where process alone often isn’t enough.

Strategies for Fostering Innovation and Knowledge Sharing in Government Change

Change leaders in government and HR professionals can take concrete steps to cultivate employee innovation and knowledge sharing, thereby improving their change outcomes. Below are several practical strategies and considerations:

• Create a Safe Space for Ideas: Employees won’t offer innovative solutions if they fear criticism or reprisal. Leaders should foster a supportive environment where all ideas are welcome. This can include brainstorming workshops, innovation challenges or suggestion programs specifically tied to the change initiative. By signaling that every voice matters, leaders tap into a wellspring of front-line creativity. Research in public organisations shows that factors like leadership support and organisational culture strongly influence innovative work behaviour (Link). A leadership style that is open, inclusive, and champions new ideas will encourage staff to step up with suggestions to improve the change effort.
• Lead by Example in Knowledge Sharing: Change leaders and managers should model the knowledge-sharing behaviour they want to see. This means openly communicating the why, what, and how of the change. Share data, case studies, and lessons, and do it frequently. Prosci identifies frequent, open communication as a pillar of effective change management (Link). When leaders actively share information (rather than hoard it), it builds trust and breaks down silos. It also encourages employees to reciprocate by sharing their own knowledge and insights. In government agencies, where information often gets trapped in departmental silos, making knowledge flow freely can dramatically accelerate change adoption.
• Embed Knowledge Sharing Mechanisms: Don’t leave knowledge exchange to chance. Establish formal channels to capture and spread knowledge during the change. For example, set up cross-functional teams or communities of practice that meet regularly to discuss progress, roadblocks, and solutions. Use knowledge management tools or intranet forums where employees can post FAQs, success stories, and tips in real time. Such mechanisms ensure that when one team learns something, others benefit quickly. This is vital in a large public sector organisation. As the change project concludes, consolidate this shared knowledge into playbooks or training for the refreeze stage. By institutionalising knowledge sharing, you make organisational learning an asset that persists beyond the change event.
• Involve Employees in the Unfreeze Phase: At the outset of a change (Lewin’s Unfreeze), involve a broad base of employees in assessing the current state and envisioning the future. Techniques like workshops, focus groups, or pilot projects allow staff to contribute their innovative ideas on what needs to change and how. This not only produces creative solutions but also creates buy-in where employees begin to own the change. Government leaders can leverage this involvement to build Awareness and Desire for change (in Prosci terms) across the organisation. People are far more likely to embrace a transformation if they had a hand in shaping it. Additionally, early knowledge-sharing sessions (e.g., sharing data on performance gaps, citizen feedback, etc.) can help convince staff of the need for change and unite them around common goals.
• Empower Experimentation During Change: In the implementation phase, encourage teams to experiment and adapt. Front-line employees often discover the tweaks that make a new system or process work in practice. Create feedback loops so these innovations are captured and rolled out widely. For instance, if one branch office in a public service finds a creative way to serve citizens under the new policy, ensure that insight is quickly shared with all other offices. By empowering local experimentation, you harness EIWB across the organisation. Just be sure to channel the learnings through proper knowledge-sharing networks so that good ideas spread and standardise. This agile, iterative approach can significantly smooth the transition phase, making the change more effective and less painful.
• Reinforce and Recognise at Refreeze: As new practices take hold, reinforce them by recognising and rewarding the behaviours you want to keep. If employees have been actively sharing knowledge or came up with innovative solutions that improved outcomes, celebrate those contributions publicly. This could be through awards, recognition in internal newsletters, or simple thank-you notes from leadership. Such reinforcement not only solidifies the change (everyone sees that the new way is valued and here to stay) but also cements a culture of innovation and knowledge sharing going forward. Essentially, the organisation learns that change is not a one-time mandate but part of how we continuously improve. Prosci’s focus on reinforcement is very much about making new behaviours stick, and in a government context this may mean updating job expectations, training programs, and performance metrics to include innovation and knowledge-sharing elements. By the end of refreezing, employees should feel that sharing insights and seeking improvements is “the way we do things here” which bodes well for the next change on the horizon.
• Scale Up Through Peer Champions: Identify and support change champions or ambassadors at various levels of the organisation. These are respected employees who naturally exhibit innovative thinking and a collaborative spirit. Equip them with knowledge (perhaps special training in the change topic) and encourage them to actively share and mentor others. They can become focal points for knowledge sharing and be someone peers go to with questions. Moreover, they become catalysts for innovative ideas by demonstrating creativity in their own work. In government entities, having champions in each department can bridge the gap between a central change team and the front lines, ensuring that information and ideas flow both ways. This approach reflects the principle of scaling change through people networks, as Prosci suggests by building change capability team by team (Link).

By implementing these strategies, public sector change leaders can hardwire EIWB and KS into their change initiatives. The 2022 study underscored that doing so has tangible payoffs: employees’ innovative behaviour and a knowledge-sharing culture significantly boost success rates of change phases, particularly in the critical beginning and ending stages (Link). Essentially, you are creating the conditions for change to flourish.

Conclusion: Inspiring a Culture Where Change Succeeds

For government organisations, successful change management isn’t just about new policies or systems. It’s about people. The experiences of public sector change efforts, backed by research evidence, point to a clear conclusion: fostering an innovative, knowledge-sharing culture is a strategic imperative for change leaders. By empowering employees to contribute new ideas and ensuring those ideas and insights are widely shared, leaders can dramatically increase the odds that change initiatives achieve their goals. This people-driven approach breathes life into Kurt Lewin’s timeless change model, ensuring that unfreezing is fueled by creative vision, the change itself is enriched by collective learning, and refreezing is supported by an ongoing exchange of knowledge and improvements.

Moreover, aligning this approach with Prosci’s methodology provides a practical roadmap to follow. Prosci reminds us that change happens one person at a time. Innovative work behaviour and knowledge sharing are the behaviours that enable each of those individual steps. They are the engine of awareness and desire (through involvement and open dialogue), the backbone of knowledge and ability (through training, coaching, and peer learning), and the heart of reinforcement (through continuous improvement and storytelling about success). In nurturing these behaviours, public sector leaders create not only a successful change project, but also a more agile, resilient organisation.

Change in the public sector will never be easy, given the size and complexity of government institutions. Yet, as this article has shown, the path to better outcomes lies in cultivating the human factors that drive change. By making employee innovation and knowledge sharing the norm—that is, embedded in the culture from the earliest unfreezing discussions to the final refreezing activities—change leaders can transform their organisations into learning, evolving entities that thrive through change rather than dread it. The message to public change agents is an inspiring one: invest in your people, encourage their ideas, connect them to each other, and you will unlock the capacity to achieve bold changes that truly serve the public good. Your change management success story will be written not just in new policies or systems, but in the growth and engagement of your people.