Six tips for going through (and getting through) organizational change

Company organizational chart
Company organizational chart

Over the last year I have worked with a number of clients on strategic HR issues facing their organizations.

As an aside, I think of HR activities in three buckets. The first bucket is compliance - you need to make sure that you are following regulations and laws. This is not exactly the most exciting part of HR for most people, but critical. The second bucket is transactions - are your people transactions efficient and effective? This bucket includes recruiting, onboarding, compensation planning, performance management, training and benefits. And, the third bucket is strategic human resources.

Strategic HR includes restructuring, culture change, making difficult decisions about long term leaders, succession planning, leadership 360 degree performance and leadership development. These aspects can make or break an organization’s ability to thrive, and sometimes even to continue. These are the times when good leaders understand the importance of “people issues” and bravely address key challenges head on.

I have seen some incredible examples of leadership. I’ve often seen the opposite.

Thus, I wanted to compile and share a few best practices. (All names and specific references have been changed to protect the innocent/guilty.)

  1. Have a plan

Restructuring or transforming a culture is not easy, and has many steps that need to be considered. Each situation is different, too. Perhaps a revenue stream has dried up, and major cost cutting needs to happen and a group of people quietly need to make tough decisions. Or, perhaps an organization is growing and experiencing some growing pains, and there is a process to include everyone in the decision-making activity as you chart out an exciting future.

Thus, this is not a one-size-fits-all approach, but here is an outline that can be tailored to your situation:

  • Create a steering committee that will help lead the charge. Depending on the situation, this could be a portion of the leadership team. Or, it could be a CEO and a few board members.
  • Clearly define the issues with the current state/situation. Doing a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) can be helpful.
  • Clearly define the desired state (where you’re trying to get to).
  • List the activities that you will need to do. This includes hiring new staff, laying off staff, changing the structure and reporting relationships, putting in place development plans, gathering employee input, creating core values, reinforcing new/existing core values to modify your culture, etc.
  • Develop an internal communication plan. Likely your team is aware of the change, or need for change, and is anxious. Keeping everyone up to date (as much as possible) with where things are is key to reduce the anxiety and to show a level of trust and respect that your team will want and appreciate. You will want to make sure that there are ways for employees to communicate with you. The more information you get, the better you will be able to navigate these changes.
  • Celebrate the successes and small victories.
  • Practice self care - make sure that you are taking care of yourself during this challenging time. In addition to taking care of your physical health, do things to avoid burnout. Also, make sure that you have an external support network. Find a coach, utilize a CEO group, find a mentor, etc.
  1. Be flexible

While it is good to have a plan, it is also good to stay flexible. You might learn that team members are concerned about something, and want to be able to provide input. The input may or may not change your thinking, but listening is a key leadership skill, especially during times of uncertainty. Modifying a timeline, or changing your mind about a particular path is just fine.

  1. Include

I am a big fan of including as many voices as possible. In larger organizations, middle management is sometimes referred to as a “layer of clay” where information about the vision and strategy doesn’t always make its way to front line staff. And, the folks that are in the best vantage point to provide key input do not get their voices raised. Thus, employing tactics such as anonymous surveys or focus groups can be quite helpful.

  1. Communicate

Nature abhors a vacuum. Providing weekly or bi-weekly updates will be key to keep the rumor mill under control. Also, provide office hours, anonymous suggestion boxes and other ways to keep information flowing to you.

  1. Decide

There will be difficult decisions to make. You might need to let go or reassign people that have helped you get to where you want to be, but are holding you back from moving forward. You might choose to keep someone who doesn’t meet your core values, but is mission critical for the next quarter. You might need to spend top dollar to bring in the right executive. You might need to delay certain initiatives to make sure that you put the mindshare into your challenges at hand.

  1. Communicate more

Keep communicating! Even once you have implemented the necessary changes, keep reinforcing. Make those weekly update emails a regular practice. Keep a transition team in place for longer than you think you might need to help provide two-way feedback. And, keep rewarding and recognizing people.

Are you contemplating a change?

I’m happy to provide a complimentary chat with you about your situation and provide you with suggestions from my experience.

About The Author: Amy Cell

Amy Cell is a renowned and passionate pioneer in HR and Talent initiatives. She also leads an innovative consulting firm that specializes in recruiting and HR services for startups, small businesses, and municipalities.

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