“More than 50% of organisations undertook major changes during the last year!”
CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development)

 
With the uncertainty of our current market at the end of everyone’s lips, and the threat of imminent change within business, we look at how Owners and Managers can best manage Change within their business and more importantly how they can minimise its impact and maintain or improve the productivity of their staff.
Before making any changes within your organisation firstly ask yourself:
WHAT do you we want to achieve by this change?
WHO is affected by this change and how will they react.
HOW much of this change can we achieve ourselves and what parts of the change do we need help with.
 
 Throughout our 15 years experience in HR, Management and Recruitment, we have been involved with many company’s Change Implementation plans; in most cases the owners, directors and managers know the direction they want the company to go in, they have spent the time researching the change, they have all the relevant expertise in place for the change, however the one thing they have forgotten is communicating this message to their staff and identifying the affects this change can have on their people.
 
 The key to managing change within any organisation is Communication.
 
Consult and involve your staff, particularly those who will be affected by the change.
 
§         This can help to curb any resistance to the change and identify any issues early on.
Be careful not to “Sell” the change to your staff, change needs to be understood and managed in a way that people can cope effectively with it.
 
§         Check that people affected by the change agree with, or at least understand, the need for change, and if possible allow them the opportunity to suggest or decide how the change will be managed, and involve them in the planning and implementation of the change. Change must involve the people - change must not be imposed upon the people!
 
§         By communicating the change to your people, they may even come up with ideas and solutions you maybe wouldn’t have considered! You may find a more motivated and driven workforce, who feel involvement and a sense of ownership to the change!
Face to Face communication is best in these situations.
 
§         Remember “Successful Change deals with more than parts and procedures – it deals with the intangible! It’s about nurturing a sense of ownership, engagement and inspiration in people and managing prejudice, cynicism and fear.” (Daniel Pink, a Whole New Mind)
 
§         The Number One Key motivator of staff is “Feeling IN on Things”.
(Leadership Management International)
 
§         Remember Change can be Unsettling, so the manager needs to be a settling influence!
 
 
“The chief insecurity of most staff is change itself”
See the process of personal change theory for more information on how people react to change.
 
Regardless of the changes within an organisation whether it is a change in systems, redundancies or closures or acquisitions and new staff, these basic principles can be applied. Consulting with people, and helping them to understand will strengthens your position. Treat people with humanity and respect and they will reciprocate.
 
If you are considering change this year and are unsure as to how to approach it, our HR consultants are on hand to help you through the transition.  At Prestige Employment Solutions we work side be side with our clients; its just like having your own HR Managers dealing with these issues for you.
 
Feel free to contact Emma or Lorraine on 02830252107 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.