Strong HR leaders are key to success during change

There has been a recent abundance of household names, such as Tesco, Aviva, BP, CityLink and Morrison’s announcing redundancies.  No industry is immune from change.  When change happens it falls to the HR team to manage often very difficult messages, while ensuring those who remain are sufficiently engaged and reassured to carry on and often, do more.

Lynne Hardman, CEO of Working Transitions, outlines what the HR professional must consider in order to transition their business and become the catalyst to commercial sustainability.

1. There is no substitute for a good plan.

You need to be in control.  Plan as far ahead as possible for any implementation process.  Consult with key stakeholders and prepare a thorough communications strategy with timelines and milestones.  It is also important to decide what support you will offer and ensure that business leaders, HR teams and line managers have been thoroughly briefed.  Messages must be consistent if reputational risk and adverse impact on day-to-day operations is to be minimised.  

2. Treating people as one amorphous mass is the quickest way to dis-engage individuals.

In every change situation each individual is impacted differently.  Although for practical reasons you may need to deliver bad news to groups, immediately make time and resources available to have one-to-one conversations.  

3. Feelings rather than facts drive behaviour.

During periods of change, people’s ability to hear key messages diminishes.  Communication must be constant and multi-channel; do anything and everything to communicate.  Above all make the information accessible to people in the way they want it.

4. Don’t forget the human touch.

Providing coaches or support managers really helps. Some people just need human contact to be able to discuss things directly. This also creates a continuous feedback loop which allows the organisation to react swiftly.

5. Don’t damage the psychological contract between employer and employee.

Never underestimate the impact on individuals who are losing colleagues whilst struggling with increased workload, or the emotional toll on business leaders who are trying to cope with their own and others uncertainties.

6. See it from the employees’ viewpoint.

Each business decision will now be viewed through multiple and different lenses.  Obviously you need to be sensitive about what you do.  Upgrading the computer system may be vital, but resentment will grow as to why this is happening when there are job losses.  Think carefully and communicate wisely.  Just because something makes sense to you, it doesn’t mean that it will to those going through raw emotions.

7. Investing to become Transition Ready is invaluable.

Creating a “transition ready” business culture takes time and involves ensuring employees understand the commercial and organisational drivers. While awareness of such factors may cause uncertainty, it does ensure a level of preparedness for change. 

Adopting a people centred approach to the process is not ‘fluffy’ or costly. In fact, there are significant commercial benefits. Leavers treated well ultimately become ambassadors for the business in the wider community; engagement and the ‘psychological contract’ with those who remain is strengthened.  This creates a resilient and transition ready workforce. 

Working Transitions is one of the UK’s leading transition specialists, offering high quality, cost effective Outplacement, Redeployment, Change Management, Onboarding and Career Management services to organisations across the UK and beyond.  Our flexible, unlimited support ensures that each individual achieves their goals and manages their career effectively.  Our expertise ensures that the organisations we work with manage their productivity, reputation and risk during periods of change. If you would like to find out more about Working Transitions please visit www.workingtransitions.com or call 01604 744101.