The change managers of today have to be experienced co-ordinators, implementers and planners with strong project management skills, analytical assessment capabilities and global commercial acumen. Sound like a tall order?
Probably not, but the question really is how will these professionals, usually interim consultants, deliver solutions that a depleted management team can maintain into the future?
Ensuring that permanent managers are trained to maintain a consistent strategy in the future is key
In today’s climate managers across the business are struggling to manage a consistent and effective HR brand. With staff retention being a number one priority for many firms, long term strategies are essential to achieving this.
Directly reflective of this concern is the increasing demand for interim change managers with proven coaching and training skills. With many new interim consultants now expected to set their own targets, develop policies and coach senior managers, a proven mix of both operational and strategic influence is essential.
And as firms begin to undergo restructures, managing change within a deflated organisation will pose many challenges but, if rolled out correctly, should have long lasting impact for years to come. Permanent HR staff, perhaps stuck using ‘comfortable’ communication methods may welcome innovation, but the level of autonomy given to interim managers should be carefully considered.
A need to regularly communicate to all levels of the business with a single tone poses a further challenge for HR professionals. Ensuring that permanent managers are trained to maintain a consistent strategy in the future is key.
The responsibility rests with HR directors to ensure complacency does not set in and as the hopeful market upturn emerges in 2010 staff moral will be as important as ever. Firms should be wary of falling into a false sense of security once their change managers have moved on.
2 Comments
This article is timely as it comes just when I’ve finished reading the book “The Psychological Contract” by Christeen George. In it she describes how violation of the contract has significant negative implications for workplace performance, and how badly managed change management initiatives are a prime reason for perceived contract violation.
Granted, she also says the psychological contract continues to evolve and change throughout the period of employment. Nevertheless, change managers and those left with their legacy would be well advised to ensure their employing organisation addresses the need to maintain positive psychological contracts with employees throughout the process.
I think the best route to agility for organisations is to ensure that all senior and middle management are fully trained in change management thinking and toolkits.
It is also important to counteract complacency by getting them to examine their own paradigms and group think!