What Role Does HR Play In Change Management
Growth in organizations is often accompanied by its rather demanding partner – Change. While many resist it for the uncertainty, complexities and quantum of work it can entail – change ultimately is healthy and essential, for it enables organizational systems and processes to be renewed, revitalized and align better with growth imperatives.
Needless to mention, HR leaders play a vital role in ensuring successful change processes in organizations. They understand the organization’s people priorities best and enable smooth transition and cut-over in processes and communication, besides supporting employees in navigating the experience.
Typically, HR teams take on several responsibilities to ensure success in changing scenarios –
1. Plan and architect the change process
HR leaders understand that when it comes to change, its impact extends well beyond technology and systems and is most prominently felt by humans. They are familiar with the complexities involved in such situations and plan support during times of transition at two levels – first, by detailing what will change and next, articulating how will they drive the change.
By focusing early on these, HR leaders are able to craft clear plans to design and support newer systems, policies and processes, and importantly, articulate the ‘transition blueprint’ that will help drive the change. This will include strategies to review and define newer team structures, workflows and communication formats.
2. Synergize efforts across the board to deliver value
Once the plans have been laid out broadly and key actions reviewed, it is important that HR leaders communicate across groups to ensure everyone is aligned with the key organisational needs driving the change, and have the necessary systems and resource to partner through the change process.
This will require HR teams to work within inter-disciplinary groups and cue on to understanding key factors that aid in successful implementation. They will also need to be perceptive of group level priorities and synergize efforts to bring in the right resources that can accelerate readiness for change.
3. Lead and monitor key measures
HR leaders understand success in change initiatives is all about leadership and drive their responsibilities across several fronts, including – planning, implementation, communication and effective follow through on issues. Further, they drive quality measures to review the efficacy of new processes, achievement of key milestones and advocate for new processes/ practices as necessary.
Apart from the review measures, they also work with inter-disciplinary teams to foster ideas, step in to advocate for new processes and look for specific areas where improvements and efficiency can be generated. These help in building successful Proofs of Concept, showcase key benefits and accelerate ‘buy-in’ among employee groups.
4. Drive support through education and communication initiatives
Employees appreciate guidance and support in times of change, and adapt better when included in discussions and learning sessions on process transformation and new work routines. HR teams play a key role by sharing their knowledge and expertise across new processes, as well as explaining to employees the benefits and positive outcomes they can generate out of these.
In addition, they also help create effective communication and learning platforms such as workshops and knowledge sharing sessions to help employees with a range of queries/ concerns, and provide access to tools and resources to help them stay well informed.
5. Participate in the change process
HR leaders are aware that employees respond best to change when they observe the entire HR function act as a ‘key participant’ to change – demonstrating how they are personally invested in the process, and can be easily accessed for support and direction. To ensure their effectiveness, all members within the HR team are offered deep insights and learning on the new process and systems, besides as well as potential issues that can emerge and ways to troubleshoot them.
By being active participants within the change process, HR leaders are able to stay empathetic to employee needs and key stakeholder priorities, design quality response systems, and build effective solutions.
6. Build trust and connect
Regardless of an organization’s size or access to resources – change may seem intense or at least a little tedious in the beginning. However, to manage it effectively HR leaders must demonstrate empathy and trust, bring in strong design and implementation skills, and create robust employee communication platforms.
They will also need to stay perceptive of leadership goals, understand employee needs across the hierarchy, and support concerns and queries across groups. Aligning their efforts to these areas helps them focus on key enabling factors, such as – closely monitoring measures and outcomes, and ensuring an open and responsive communication framework to drive success and buy-in from across the board.
In the long run, these efforts help them build credibility and influence, and partner across high-functioning groups who are deeply committed to championing the change initiatives.
What Role Does HR Play In Change Management
Growth in organizations is often accompanied by its rather demanding partner – Change. While many resist it for the uncertainty, complexities and quantum of work it can entail – change ultimately is healthy and essential, for it enables organizational systems and processes to be renewed, revitalized and align better with growth imperatives.
Needless to mention, HR leaders play a vital role in ensuring successful change processes in organizations. They understand the organization’s people priorities best and enable smooth transition and cut-over in processes and communication, besides supporting employees in navigating the experience.
Typically, HR teams take on several responsibilities to ensure success in changing scenarios –
1. Plan and architect the change process
HR leaders understand that when it comes to change, its impact extends well beyond technology and systems and is most prominently felt by humans. They are familiar with the complexities involved in such situations and plan support during times of transition at two levels – first, by detailing what will change and next, articulating how will they drive the change.
By focusing early on these, HR leaders are able to craft clear plans to design and support newer systems, policies and processes, and importantly, articulate the ‘transition blueprint’ that will help drive the change. This will include strategies to review and define newer team structures, workflows and communication formats.
2. Synergize efforts across the board to deliver value
Once the plans have been laid out broadly and key actions reviewed, it is important that HR leaders communicate across groups to ensure everyone is aligned with the key organisational needs driving the change, and have the necessary systems and resource to partner through the change process.
This will require HR teams to work within inter-disciplinary groups and cue on to understanding key factors that aid in successful implementation. They will also need to be perceptive of group level priorities and synergize efforts to bring in the right resources that can accelerate readiness for change.
3. Lead and monitor key measures
HR leaders understand success in change initiatives is all about leadership and drive their responsibilities across several fronts, including – planning, implementation, communication and effective follow through on issues. Further, they drive quality measures to review the efficacy of new processes, achievement of key milestones and advocate for new processes/ practices as necessary.
Apart from the review measures, they also work with inter-disciplinary teams to foster ideas, step in to advocate for new processes and look for specific areas where improvements and efficiency can be generated. These help in building successful Proofs of Concept, showcase key benefits and accelerate ‘buy-in’ among employee groups.
4. Drive support through education and communication initiatives
Employees appreciate guidance and support in times of change, and adapt better when included in discussions and learning sessions on process transformation and new work routines. HR teams play a key role by sharing their knowledge and expertise across new processes, as well as explaining to employees the benefits and positive outcomes they can generate out of these.
In addition, they also help create effective communication and learning platforms such as workshops and knowledge sharing sessions to help employees with a range of queries/ concerns, and provide access to tools and resources to help them stay well informed.
5. Participate in the change process
HR leaders are aware that employees respond best to change when they observe the entire HR function act as a ‘key participant’ to change – demonstrating how they are personally invested in the process, and can be easily accessed for support and direction. To ensure their effectiveness, all members within the HR team are offered deep insights and learning on the new process and systems, besides as well as potential issues that can emerge and ways to troubleshoot them.
By being active participants within the change process, HR leaders are able to stay empathetic to employee needs and key stakeholder priorities, design quality response systems, and build effective solutions.
6. Build trust and connect
Regardless of an organization’s size or access to resources – change may seem intense or at least a little tedious in the beginning. However, to manage it effectively HR leaders must demonstrate empathy and trust, bring in strong design and implementation skills, and create robust employee communication platforms.
They will also need to stay perceptive of leadership goals, understand employee needs across the hierarchy, and support concerns and queries across groups. Aligning their efforts to these areas helps them focus on key enabling factors, such as – closely monitoring measures and outcomes, and ensuring an open and responsive communication framework to drive success and buy-in from across the board.
In the long run, these efforts help them build credibility and influence, and partner across high-functioning groups who are deeply committed to championing the change initiatives.
