The significance of barriers to change is reflected by the failure of 70 percent of change initiatives. A leader's awareness of possible stumbling blocks is central to overcoming them. This bachelor thesis aims to research possible stumbling blocks on the way to a new culture in the administration. Further recommendations for the reduction or avoidance of the stumbling blocks are presented. In addition, a best practice example of e-Government is introduced.

Secondary research was conducted on change management, evaluating how to manage best the transformation of the culture in the work environment. Eight success factors derived from Lewin served as a theoretical framework for this paper. Studying change management revealed a lack of social psychological insights. This paper introduces five core social motives. A workshop investigat-ed the emotional appraisal of change from employees involved in the Fit4Digital GmbH project. The eight success factors were supplemented with social psychological theories and learnings from the workshop.

The analysis of the three perspectives revealed significant interdependence and influences between the different critical success factors and social psychological theories. In essence, for successful change management, leaders should create a safe environment for employees that supports them in understanding the situation, belong somewhere, grow, be in control of events, and creates mutual trust. By adding a social psychological view to change management, one can realize that there might not be the “one” successful change model. Instead of following specific steps to successful change, managers are advised to focus on the social process, the psychological environment, the process of shared sense-making, and people in change management. The best practice example of Estonia highlights that change is a continuous process that requires a long breath. As change appears in ever shorter intervals, change should be integrated into the DNA of an administration. Change is expected to be a constant in organizational life and should become the way we do things around here.