the new hr

strategy
Those who lead plans functioning method are already
of change tend to have
present. It would not be a good
idea to neglect this fact and
a global vision of what announce a new era in one fell
is required and the
swoop. There is a clear need to
stakes involved.
take into account the current
context and to build on it so that
the newly introduced aspects do
not produce paradoxes. Should these occur, they
could destroy economic value for the firm and have
a negative impact on the workforce.
4. Respect that not everyone is an
entrepreneur
Beware of innovations that seek to make every
person within the firm act like an entrepreneur;
experience shows that this is simply not possible.
Each person has a certain potential, and harbours
different aims and desires. For example, it is not
uncommon for some employees to want to avoid
being any kind of leader on new projects, or to
enter into a philosophy of constant and targeted
improvement. This does not mean they do not wish
to work well, but simply that they do not feel the
need to lead. Alongside these non-entrepreneurs,
we also find those who are very keen on change
but do not possess the profile needed to oversee
it. Others may favour their own interests before
those of the firm. With such a mix within a
company, it seems of little use to try to impose an
entrepreneurial approach on the workforce. No
firm requires 100% leaders among its staff.
strict operating rules seldom in-line with unknown
quantities, exceptions, or a new-look management
ethos, these technologies can make a firm less
agile, decrease creativity, and suppress the will
to innovate.
6. Accompany the changes
Periods of change within a firm are always delicate,
not only for the people who feel the daily impact
of the new measures, but also for those who
implement them. During such a period, the
success of innovations can be closely linked to the
level of support and accompaniment given to the
personnel. Those who lead plans of change tend
to have a global vision of what is required and the
stakes involved. This means they can easily fail to
take into account a more specific, ‘local’ reality.
Perhaps, the best solution is to call on middle
managers. Well-placed to translate innovation
aims for the workforce, they can help ensure that
the main goals are not out of touch with the daily
activity of a service, department, or business unit.
It is then up to those who lead such plans to give
middle managers room to manoeuvre.
What these commandments show is that it is
vital for managers to take care when adopting and
implementing a managerial innovation. They serve
as an invitation to managers to ask themselves
key questions about the social impact of their
own practices.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nicolas Arnaud
is Associate
Professor, Audencia
Nantes School
of Management,
France.
5. Recognise that technology is not always
the answer
Today, it is clear that too many business leaders
see the hi-tech/digital route as the only one to
take in all circumstances. To question this is not to
play down the role of technology, as it can often
help to find a path through the complex context
of firms in an ever-shifting world. However, if
technology can provide answers, it can also create
headaches. Indeed, it would not be going too far
to label hi-tech initiatives as part of the problem
rather than part of the solution. Because of their
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