Engaging people with Business Transformations

In planned organizational transformations what matters most is how people are engaged with change. So what is the best way to do this? There are numerous ways which I have written about in my books* on organizational change some of these (but not the only ones) are:

• Ensure people are ready for change

The likelihood of being able to implement and sustain change successfully without people being change ready is arguably like a toddler trying to walk before they are able to crawl, which is possible for some but impossible for most. In other words, if an organization and its members are not ready for yet another transformation then it will be exceedingly hard to implement never mind sustain a transformation. There are several ways that readiness can be assessed and these can be used singly or in multiple combinations and comprise (but are not limited to): Observing reactions to proposed change, which is a relatively unobtrusive method of assessment. This involves being attentive to rumours, increases in absenteeism and turnover rates, and to any unusual behaviour which can be associated with denial or opposition to change; One-to-one conversations or small group discussions which can be held in order to gauge views and feelings about proposed transformations; Carrying out a survey which will provide anonymous feedback about concerns, issues, ideas and suggestions. A readiness for change scale can be used as part of the survey to assesses factors such as whether employees: see the change as relevant; feel management support exists for the change; believe that the organization has the capability and the capacity to be successful; and feel that the change will be advantageous to them personally. Whichever method is used it is important that feedback is collected in an open, transparent and collaborative way so that the potential issues, and concerns which are affecting readiness to change can raised and addressed.

 Those employee groups who are likely to be least ready are the ones where most attention needs to be paid.  It is important to ensure that people understand the rationale for change, appreciate how it will make a difference, what it means to them, and the impact it will have on their work.  This involves clarifying for individuals the purpose of the change and the rationale for it, so as to enable those individuals to internalize what it will mean for them so that they can start to make sense of it. 

•  Involve people at every level in the co-creation of change

A particular blind spot with planned organizational transformations is the failure to involve frontline employees from the inception, instead what tends to happen is that they are brought in once the change has to be implemented (usually by them). Developing the practice of co-creation involves creating an active partnership with employees in the process of change. It means constructing or negotiating organizational change with, rather than for employees. This means involving the relevant stakeholders at all levels so that they are involved in: identifying what needs to change and why; understanding the urgency and importance of making the change work; appreciating how they can contribute; and are confident that their contribution will be valued.  Managers who resist engaging organizational members early in a change often do so because they believe that the process will be more efficient and quicker if fewer people are involved in the planning. This is short-sighted, since involving as many of the relevant people as possible will actually help enable them to take ownership of the change. Although such an approach may take longer in the beginning, ensuring broad involvement saves untold headaches later on. In addition not only does more information surface, but people are also more committed when they are involved and engaged in developing the plan for change.

• Be responsive to the emotional impact of change

Responsiveness is about acknowledging and dealing with the impact of change and is often the factor given the least attention in organizational transformations. It involves understanding and responding to the emotional journey that individuals experience when faced with change, regardless of whether they perceive it to be positive or negative. An individual’s appraisal of the potential consequences of a transformation, particularly for their own job, will influence their reactions to the proposed changes and consequently their effort in its implementation. Organizational members who assess changes in a positive manner may be more open to engage with its implementation. Individuals will differ in the way that they react to change/s and this will impact on the emotions which they demonstrate. To appreciate this in more depth managers need to consider the following:

• How are people reacting to the changes and the potential implications it will have for them? 
• What do they feel they are losing and what might they gain? 
• How clear is it to them what will change and when? 
• How and when will they stop what they are used to doing and start what they are going to do? 
• How will individuals and teams deal with the ambiguity in the transition? 
• What new skills and knowledge will need to be introduced and how will this be done?
• What skills and knowledge will become obsolete and how will people be encouraged to let go of them?
• How can people be supported until the change becomes business as usual?

Addressing such questions will enable managers to be responsive to the impact of change on people and, in particular to understand different reactions to change.

• Create spaces for dialogue and shared thinking

Effective communications are a vital element in building ownership and engagement with organizational transformations. The challenge with communication is that although it is viewed as an important part of any organizational transformation it tends to assume a mono-directional transfer of instructions or explanations, typically from senior management down the organizational hierarchy until it eventually reaches frontline staff. For instance, sending information in emails (‘Change’ by email) which either go unopened, are deleted, or are given a cursory glance.   The overuse of such communication methods springs from the assumption that if the case for change is presented as logically as possible then people, being rational, will buy into it and take the appropriate actions. This is, however, rarely effective, and instead, there is a need to create space for individuals to discuss the impact of the change and what it means for them. This can be done face-to-face or online, in one-to-one or in small groups, or using online discussion groups. For instance, online platforms and apps such a Zoom or Microsoft TEAMS can be used to facilitate dialogue by creating a sense of community and transparency amongst a highly dispersed group of stakeholders. Whether formal or informal, face-to-face or online, space needs to be provided to create opportunities for conversation about change and its implementation. It is through creating spaces and networks for conversations that people can share what they are thinking and feeling and this, in turn, enables managers to be more informed about individuals, and teams, perspectives, ideas and concerns.  

These are just a few suggestions that can help managers engage their employees with change which can help employees feel that their views are listened to and valued.

Professor Julie Hodges is a leading expert on change in organizations, particularly the role and impact of people during transformations. She is the author of several books including ‘Consultancy, Organizational Development and Change’, ‘ Managing and Leading People through Change’; Sustaining Change in Organizations, ‘Employee Engagement for Organizational Change’; Organization Development: How Organizations Change and Develop Effectively and ‘Reshaping the role of HR: the role of HR in Organizational Change’.