Since change has become the norm in business this century, change management for HR is a significant area of concern. Any time a business makes a noticeable change, it risks alienating its followers. Yet failing to plan for change is like planning for stagnancy. Your HR department needs to take steps to prepare for and manage change.
1. Overcome Resistance
HR leaders must overcome a staff’s resistance to change. Workers may not want to change when they become comfortable with their roles and work environment. When implementing change, management’s task is to prepare for resistance. You can convert skeptical minds by sharing research that supports the need for change.
It’s best to plan a change several months in advance, so you have time to educate your staff about why changes are necessary. At least employees will expect change instead of being shocked by it. Sharing upcoming changes will help stimulate discussions about it, as management provides more clarity.
2. Take a Team Approach to Change
Treating employees like team players will likely perform better for you and accept change as part of their career development. You’ll get a more positive response from employees about change if you explain how it benefits their careers in the big picture. Part of your plan should involve engaging more with workers affected by change the most. You can reduce resistance to change by personalizing your meetings with each employee.
3. Unleash Change One Phase at a Time
Change can be a disaster when an organization executes the entire plan simultaneously. It’s a much smoother transition when you divide the plan into phases and implement them one phase at a time. That gives you time to solve unforeseen problems before moving on to the next phase. A quick change can trigger shock waves, whereas gradual change allows new perceptions to develop education organically.
An effective way to implement change in a system is to follow this three-phase plan:
- Prepare for change – Define and share your change strategy with members of your management team.
- Manage change – This process involves clear communication, overseeing operational evolution, and overcoming team resistance. The actual implementation of change can be over several months.
- Reinforce change – After collecting team feedback, refine your new system to confirm its goals.
4. Communicate the Benefits of Change
In order to motivate team members to support your system changes, it’s imperative to communicate the new plan to them before it happens. When companies fail to communicate plans for changes in advance, over 40 percent of the time the result is employee misconduct. Communication must be viewed as a two-way process in which management collects feedback from its staff.
Effective team communication involves personalized one-on-one interactions and group meetings that summarize general themes. Using formal and informal approaches helps reduce staff resistance. It’s vital to let employees know their voices are being heard.
Final Thoughts
Understanding the importance of change management for HR will help organizations succeed in the modern organizational landscape. Change is inevitable for all entities the more sustainability and technology affect performance.
If you need direction on human resources, our management experts are here to assist you. Contact us at McKnight Associates, Inc. for more information on how we can upgrade your university, college, school, or other organization.