As best practices in change management evolve, the groundwork laid by HR in training and leadership development is playing a crucial role in how nimble organisations can be, according to change expert Catherine Smithson.
Turnover at this organisation spiked up after it redefined leadership requirements, and asked those who didn't meet them to leave, but the positive impact on those who stayed has more than compensated for the turbulence, says its HR director.
A well planned and executed downsizing can result in change that is soon forgotten, but if things are managed badly, "people will talk about it for years", says Right Management's Bridget Beattie.
Throughout the M&A process, decision-makers must maintain absolute clarity about the kind of people and culture they want to retain, or risk a disappointing result, says Lee Hecht Harrison managing director Bruce Anderson.
Employees' alignment to a company's values drops before their performance does, so HR professionals who monitor core values adherence are well placed to heed the warning signs and minimise damage, according to The Ethics of Success managing director, Omer Soker.
HR professionals who limit their messages about strategies and initiatives to facts will struggle to convince people of their merit, according to communication specialists Gabrielle Dolan and Yamini Naidu.
An organisational change that goes badly can leave workers disengaged and resentful, but sometimes all that's needed to fix it is an opportunity to "vent", says Right Management managing director Bridget Beattie.
People often see organisational change as "more of an art than a science", but the more scientific your approach, the better your chances of implementing change effectively, says Deloitte Consulting national leader of human capital, Nicky Wakefield.
