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CHANGE MANAGEMENT: SOME PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS BHAWANA MISHRA Abstract This article takes a practical view on change management in the every day lives of HR and business managers. Implementable ideas have been presented for dealing with obstacles to change before it occurs, managing change during the process and coping with poorly planned change. In order to keep the emphasis on practical considerations, there is a deliberate absence of reference to the vast body of academic work and research in the area of change management. Bhawana is the Business Director of SHL India. An Applied Psychologist by training, she worked with leading consulting firms PricewaterhouseCoopers and Arthur Andersen, prior to joining SHL six years back. Introduction As I started to structure my thoughts on this article, I decided to run a Google search on change management, to understand the current thinking on the subject. At the least, the results were astounding. Google returned 574 million links in 0.05 seconds for a generic search on 'change management'. So I got specific in my search: 'change management definition' resulted in 41.2 million links, 'change management models' in 49.8 million links and 'change management process' led to 168 million links! The message to me was very clear and only confirmed my thinking that enough has been said and written on this subject. So my question on what I could say that was new and relevant, still remained. Then I started to think of the concerns and experiences my clients have shared with me over the years when implementing various initiatives -- a performance management system, a career planning initiative, processes such as Development Centres, 360 feedback and so on. So I felt that this was a good opportunity for me to address those concerns and offer some practical and implementable ideas to deal with change. Accordingly, I have structured this article in three parts: • Preparing for change: Understanding the five most commonly faced obstacles in implementing effective and lasting change; • Managing change: A synthesis of best practices that successful change programs have followed; and • Coping with poorly planned change: Ideas for damage control if a change initiative is on the verge of failure. Preparing for Change: Understanding Obstacles Even before we start to introduce a change, however big or small that may be, we should be conscious of existing practices, processes and cultures that may become hindrances in success. The obstacles are often unique for companies and not planning for them in advance leads to interim and incomplete solutions that are deployed to deal with them at the last minute. 24 November 2007 NHRD Journal
• Organization Structure Rigid hierarchical structures may be restrictive in implementing new initiatives. For example, if the aim is to introduce an ERP system for Purchase, the individual level accountability that it promotes will not succeed if people are used to having everything signed by the functional head. • Cultural Norms The most common HR example of this is if line managers have been used to being responsible for staff progressions and methods such as Assessment Centres are suddenly introduced. There is bound to be resistance in the form of "we have always done it this way" if this is not addressed prior to the change being initiated. • Performance Metrics Early thought has to be given to whether the current performance management system may hinder implementation of the new initiative. For example, introducing a new CRM system will remain another 'initiative' if performance assessment of sales staff only assesses revenues generated and not customer satisfaction or related metrics. • Senior Management's Behaviours A company was trying to bring about greater customer orientation in its people. But survey after survey revealed that this was not successful. Consolidation of 360 feedback data on the senior management revealed that they were consistently driving systems and process orientation and not speaking the customer language. Naturally, employees knew what the bosses were looking for. • Communication Communication begins well before the initiative itself. An announcement that a new initiative in a couple of weeks will impact how people are paid or promoted is bound to cause resentment, however fair it might be. Likewise, what is communicated is often not true or only the partial truth. There are innumerable companies that have communicated to employees that a certain assessment programme is for identifying development needs, and then gone ahead and used it for career progressions. People understand such things and an experience like this undermines the credibility of the senior management and HR for a long time to come. Managing Change Several models have been developed over the years to help manage change and deal with it most effectively. However, as is often true of academic and research work, a lot of them are not easy to remember or implement in a real organizational context. Based on the review of some of the available literature, and my own experiences in working with clients, I have developed the 'Iceberg Approach to Managing Change', which I hope will serve as a ready reckoner for dealing with change projects. At the top of the Iceberg are surface issues such as understanding the pain area that requires change to be brought about and building acceptance amongst people about the need for change. As we go deeper, the issues are also more evolved, but if dealt with successfully, will lead to a lasting and effective change programme. The Iceberg approach to managing change I dentify the need C ommunicate objectives and processes E ngage People B uild change communities E valuate and measure success R einforce positive change behaviours G row and develop during change To elaborate : • Identify the need It is critical to determine whether the need is a November 2007 NHRD Journal 25
Page 1 and 2: NHRD Journal Organizational Change
Page 3 and 4: S.no Title of the Article Author Pa
Page 5 and 6: ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE INDIRA J PARI
Page 7 and 8: give subtle shape to the organizati
Page 9 and 10: to be tempered by a sense of humor,
Page 11 and 12: Although the result did not spell o
Page 13 and 14: the Project Sponsor to engage the C
Page 15 and 16: • Consultative - The target popul
Page 17 and 18: Now they are confronted with change
Page 19 and 20: A living system can never be direct
Page 21 and 22: ut in absence of formal process of
Page 23: Higgs, M. and Rowland, D. (2005),
Page 27 and 28: magnitude of the programme, you can
Page 29 and 30: • In only about 10% of the school
Page 31 and 32: memorization, the focus of the teac
Page 33 and 34: HOW HR CAN IGNITE 'HOT SPOTS' YOGI
Page 35 and 36: pointed the prerequisites of change
Page 37 and 38: BRINGING CHANGE TO THE CHANGE AGENT
Page 39 and 40: were low, people lived simply and s
Page 41 and 42: 'People Academy' that seeks to fost
Page 43 and 44: DEFINING CHANGE AGENTS SANDEEP K. K
Page 45 and 46: human resource process like leaders
Page 47 and 48: References Chris Argyris, Initiatin
Page 49 and 50: needs to tell a trained nurse about
Page 51 and 52: esponse to changes in the external
Page 53 and 54: THE ENDURING SKILLS OF CHANGE LEADE
Page 55 and 56: left to resolve tensions, answer qu
Page 57 and 58: neglected step in the change proces
Page 59 and 60: enefits of the long march are lost,
Page 61 and 62: To address the challenge of executi
Page 63 and 64: very capable people; but the organi
Page 65 and 66: DRIVING ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE LEENA
Page 67 and 68: change, preparing the leadership an
Page 69 and 70: However the good news is that the a
Page 71 and 72: Organizational Culture and Sub-Cult
Page 73 and 74: References Ashkanasy, N. M., Broadf
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• Finance and Accounts • Techni
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and gives the freedom to fail. Chan
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therefore shift gear and venture in
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COMMUNICATION EFFECTIVENESS, JUSTIC
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interactional justice focused on th
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and in a manner that is perceived a
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the merger, in whichever form has a
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is high, implying that there would
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• Successful integration approach
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management and the labor leaders to
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ONE REASON FOR FAILURE OF CHANGE IN
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IPO: A POWERFUL INTERVENTION IN ORG
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In expectation of such a reaction,
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system was designed, requiring mana
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Then the system was recommended for
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Newsletters used to be published an
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CHALLENGE OF MANAGING ORGANIZATIONA
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productive deployment of raw talent
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Conclusion There is a broad agreeme
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change is indeed the engine which f
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and regional development programs.
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ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE-MARUTI SUZUKI
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in the HR thinking, approach and th
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• Cross Functional Teams (CFTs) o
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i. Technology • Plant location
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consolidates in a short period of f
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PBIT (Rs in crores.) The Company ha
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concepts in an organizational conte
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APPEAL TO CONTRIBUTORS The National
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