NEWS
SKILLS FOR SUCCESS
the way for M
PAVING CHANGE
The economy is in a state of fl ux and change is afoot. How this is handled can be the difference between a company’s success or failure. Parking News offers some words of advice to managers who are considering their options
anaging your workforce in times of recession can normally mean some form of
change management process is required. Such situations can cause anxiety, anger or resentment among employees, so having a plan for change and communicating this effectively to the workforce are vital in moving your company forward.
Change management entails thoughtful planning, sensitive implementation and consultation with, and involvement of, the people directly affected. Change must be achievable, realistic and measurable, and above all, the reasons for the change must be understood by everyone. A hard sell to employees, heavy in corporate language, may be met by enthusiastic faces but under the surface there may be disbelief or mistrust. Good communication and involving people in the decision-making process is important to a successful change management process. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has offered the following advice to managers considering making large-scale changes to the management of their company.
Think long term
Think creatively about how to reduce employment costs, such as new ways of
Harvard Business School professor, John P Kotter, has developed an eight-step change model, outlining key principles relating to change management. These are published in his books, Leading Change (1995) and The
Heart of Change (2002). Increase urgency
Inspire people to act by making objectives real and relevant.
Build a guiding team Get the right team in place, with a mix of skills and levels.
Get the vision right Establish a simple vision and strategy that’s understood by everyone.
28 JULY 2012
working and work reorgansisation. Making people redundant and then recruiting later is expensive, so focus on key areas of training, such as improving line management capability and customer service.
Maintain employee engagement Manage expectations and set a clear sense of direction and always keep employees in the picture, even when there is little concrete news. Think about creative, non-fi nancial ways of motivating employees, such as recognition schemes or team-building days.
Strengthen line management capability
Support managers so they are able to operate effectively in times of trauma, and brief managers on all developments so they can talk to their teams with confi dence and complete awareness of the facts.
Develop strategies for redundancies so it is there if you need it
Ensure the HR team is equipped to deal with redundancy situations, at both individual and collective levels. Both management and HR should be fully briefed to answer any questions. You should be prepared to investigate other opportunities for employees who are facing redundancies.
Plan for the future
If you have had to make redundancies then reorganise responsibilities quickly to ensure a smooth transition and continue to give positive messages to the workforce about the opportunities and challenges ahead.
Communicate for buy-in Communicate the essentials and respond to people’s questions quickly. Empower action
Remove obstacles, enable constructive feedback and reward achievements.
Create short-term wins Within the long-term strategy, set targets that can be achieved quickly. Don’t let up
This is a process of ongoing change; focus on milestones and achievements.
Make change stick Reinforce successful change via promotions and a reward structure.
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