Most employers wouldn't dream of implementing new technology without training employees how to use it, but research shows the behavioural change required to make new systems a success is largely ignored.
When a Victorian utility company announced it had discovered an $80 million budget shortfall, staff knew they were in for a bumpy ride. What they didn't expect was to become more committed to the organisation during the cost-cutting exercise.
Changing the culture of an organisation is a long and tough exercise, and most of the time it fails. A critical mistake is to mimic the practices of leading organisations without going through the process that got them there, new research suggests.
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.
All employers should consider putting in place a workplace s-xual harassment prevention plan, even though such plans are only expressly prescribed in one jurisdiction, according to a risk management expert.
Recent events have shone a spotlight on whistleblowing, placing employers firmly on notice that their response to a protected disclosure could be subject to intense scrutiny. Watch this webcast to understand the role HR plays in this challenging space.
