HR 'Building Blocks' for Managing Organisation Change

by Alan Woodward

For managers, staff and human resources professionals, organisational change is now regarded as a regular part of their work.
Organisational change can take many forms. It can be large, directed change such as a major restructure of a company or Department, or the more gradual, ‘incremental’ change that occurs through business process improvement and quality management initiatives. Organisational change can also be about managing small, workplace issues such as a project to improve team work.

Much has been written and said about the theories and strategies for managing change. It is now generally recognised that managing the ‘people’ side of change is vital. Commentator William Bridges refers to the processes of ‘organisational transition’ which is the use of human resources management techniques to guide and enable change to occur.

While human resource management is often seen as valuable in supporting change, it is not often clear exactly what steps or techniques need to be considered. Human resource management is about more than just keeping people happy during a difficult time. It is about a strategic and purposeful set of “Building Blocks” that need attention in a change program:

Work Definition

The design and description of work to achieve the organisation’s business goals. Organisational change inevitably means changes in the work performed. These changes need to be identified and applied to the jobs and work practices.

Workforce Capability

The knowledge and skills held by individuals within an organisation. Collectively, this forms the capability of the workforce to achieve the organisation’s goals. An assessment of the alignment between the current capability of the workforce and the directions for organisational change needs to occur.

Placement and Deployment

Any change program can be implemented more effectively if the policies and practices under which people are assigned to jobs are carefully developed and operates in a manner that is perceived as fair.

Employee Relations

Consultation through industrial relations forums is important to the success of organisational change. Attention to resolving workplace conflicts during a change program is also important.

Organisational Culture

Change, especially structural change, will come up against the influence of organisational culture: the prevailing values and attitudes that determine ‘how we do work around here’. Strategies to address the cultural aspects of a change in direction must be developed.

Management Improvement

An organisation going through major change will be asking a lot of its managers. In return, the actions of managers will most likely determine the success of a change program. Support and skill development for these managers through the change period will enable them to play a constructive role in promoting the new directions.

Together, these “Building Blocks” form an integrated model to plan the human resources techniques for organisational change. Different approaches to each will be needed for each organisation and each change program, recognising that the situation will have its own characteristics that will influence the way in which change is introduced and achieved.

A change program that does not address these ‘Building Blocks’ is likely to have parts missing that could reduce the chances of success. The ‘Building Blocks’ form a useful way of examining the human resources management contribution to managing organisational change.

Alan Woodward, Senior Consultant with Twyford Consulting, has developed these “Building Blocks” as a way of examining the human resources techniques needed to achieve organisational change. He recently presented his ‘Building Blocks’ model to the Illawarra meeting of the Australian Human Resources Institute.

Twyford Consulting Newsletter December 1998