Managing change in today’s ever-changing world of work

1. Word from Jan Hein

2. The leader’s role for managing change

3. Managing change efficiently: Key steps

5. What doesn’t change? The importance of communication

7. Destined to succeed in a changing world by Marc André Morel

Table of content

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Change. It happens every day in today’s evolving world of work. The way we work is changing, the tools we use are changing, even the expectations employees and employers have are changing. Change is an inherent characteristic of any organization and like it or not, all organizations must change in order to remain relevant. But it is how change is managed that can be the difference between surviving and thriving in business. And as leaders of change, you have a critical role to play in ensuring that the change effort is successful.

Effective change management is about collaboration, discussion and open lines of communication. It is an opportunity for growth and innovation. Managing change involves building a common understanding of the nature, scope and purpose of the change, along with the development of a shared vision of the future.

But just how can you lead a successful and rewarding organizational change initiative?

As leaders in our industry, Randstad Canada’s aim is to provide guidance and support to you and your team in understanding the change process. This resource will help you understand the complexities of a change management initiative and your role and responsibilities in leading and supporting the change. Whether you are embarking on a new change initiative or considering change within your organization, this guide can assist you at each stage of the process.

Yours sincerely,

Jan Hein Bax President Randstad Canada

Word from Jan Hein

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While successful change implementation requires buy-in and support from all levels throughout the organization, in times of change, the importance of managers and supervisors is undeniable - but what do you really need to be doing to drive successful change?

Whatever the change, leaders must clearly communicate why the change is needed. Mobilize your team through an inspiring vision, and be able to support and listen if you encounter resistance. Leaders play a key role in addressing resistance, understanding where it comes from, and crafting and delivering a message that will help employees view the benefits of the change, and support them through the transition.

Articulate a clear vision, explain where the opportunities lie for employees and highlight the possibilities in terms of growth and development, while providing sufficient training and support. Be sure to provide enough background information to make it clear why the change is needed and remain honest, transparent, fast, and fair.

As a leader of change your role will be to support and encourage your staff throughout each phase. Resistance to change is one of the largest obstacles that leaders are faced with when initiating a change effort. It can be very damaging to the process and can potentially stall the efforts to move forward if not addressed appropriately. There are many reasons why an employee may resist change and so as leaders of change, it’s important to be sensitive to how individuals respond while keeping in mind that the process of commitment and acceptance takes time.

Expect and anticipate that people will go through the transition process at different speeds and in different ways. Your skills in communication, listening and coaching will be pivotal in identifying how to support your staff, both as individuals and as a group, so they can move through the phases as quickly and effectively as possible.

The leader’s role for managing change

Randstad Canada: Facts about changeRecruitment and technology: Technology has changed the way we do business. Mobile technology is used to create virtual teams and social media has become a key tool to reach customers and recruit top candidates.

Interesting fact: Nearly two in five companies (37 per cent) use social networking sites to research job candidates, according to a CareerBuilder survey.

Source: CareerBuilder, nationwide survey conducted by Harris Interactive from February 9 to March 2, 2012

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Managing change efficiently: Key steps There are many different types of change and different approaches to managing change. Finding an approach that suits you and your situation goes to the heart of an effective and successful initiative. And although it’s important to recognize that each change situation will be unique, there are still a number of common themes that will help ensure that the change process you decide to implement stands the greatest chance of success.

Here are some high-level principles that your organization can apply to ensure change is managed successfully:

Describe the benefits • Chooseaprojectsponsoramongyourexecutive leaders who will communicate the vision and explain the rationale behind the change. • Clarifycompanyvisionandspecificchangeplans. • Identifywhatthecompany-widebenefitsare (from a business perspective). • Acknowledgethenegativesofthechange. • Identifythe‘’what’sinitforme’’fromthe employee perspective (what the employee can get out of the change).

Identify zones of resistance • Identifythelevelofreadinessofyourorganization. • Identifyallstakeholdersandhowthechange impacts them. • Identifywhointheorganizationswillbeyour influencers, and who will be strong resistors. • Prepareariskmitigationplanwhichcoverslackof readiness (plan for additional training tools, external consultants, extra resources…).

Communicate and involve • Announcethechangefarinadvance,allowpeople time to prepare. • Craftamessagethatisclearandtransparentforeach of your target groups. • Providesufficientinformationonthestepsleadingto the change and include details in order to avoid rumours. • Acknowledgewhenyoudon’thavetheanswersbut emphasize that change will happen. • Beforeandduringimplementation,involvepeoplein the process (surveys, sandbox testing, focus groups). • Communicateusingmultiplemediachannels (blogs, power points, etc.).

Get feedback and reinforce • Putinplaceasupportteamtoresolveissuesand develop FAQs to respond to anticipated questions. • Organizeapost-mortemsessionorcreatea post-change survey. • Makesureyoukeeplinesofcommunicationopento allow people the ability to communicate issues, questions, suggestions or concerns.

Monitor results • Measureresults.Revisittheinitiativeperiodicallyand realign it to your business goals. • EstablishKPI’sandassessbottomlineresults. • Evaluateyourprogramwithongoingmetricsthatwill identify weak areas and minimize any downside to unanticipated new issues.

Randstad Canada: Facts about changeSkills shortage: Talent shortages, especially in technical fields, will continue to be the most pressing issue for employers over the coming years. The ageing workforce has a huge impact on the participation rate in the labour force, which is projected to decline during the next two decades.

Interesting fact: 55 per cent of Canadian employees say they expect a shortage of highly qualified employees within the next three years.

Source: Randstad Workmonitor, third wave (July 17 to August 15, 2012).

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Knowing how to communicate change is critical to the success of any communication strategy.

Effective communication during a change effort will serve to provide employees with timely and accurate information, which can positively influence whether the organization can maintain employee productivity, morale and overcome resistance to change.

The key is to emphasize the benefits of adopting the change, and adapt your message to each different group, as thebenefitsmaynotbethesameforeveryone.Oneofthebest ways to help employees cope with change is to allow them to become a part of the process. Involve workers in the planning process, make sure you put in place channels to provide and collect feedback to better understand your employees’ concerns and issues.

Create a communication checklist Before embarking on a change initiative, take the time to prepare a communication checklist. Keep in mind, there is no single checklist that will steer you through this change process, as managing change is complex. But by asking yourself the questions below when developing your checklist, it will help you reflect on how you are communicating change, your current stage of development and any further actions required.

• Areyoudeliveringamessagethatisconsistentwith that of the president, the executives, and HR department? • Areyoueffectivelyshowingyoursupportfor the change? • Doesyourmessagerelayhowthechangewillaffect employees and the business? • Doesyourmessageclarifythevision,plans, and progress of the change initiative? • Haveyouclearlycommunicatedwhatisexpectedof employees and the resources available to them to help them through the transition? • Areallofyourcommunicationstimely,transparent, and accurate? • Areyoucreatingopportunitiesforfeedback and following up on items of concern following these conversations?

What doesn’t change? The importance of communication

Randstad Canada: Facts about changeThe complex composition of the workforce: Employers must deal with a very diversified, multi-generational workforce.

Interesting fact: Younger Canadians (-40) mainly look for international/global career opportunities, while the older Canadian workforce (+40) are more concerned with competitive salaries and benefits.

Source: Randstad Award survey 2012

The increasing need for more flexibility: As working mothers and fathers with child or elder-care obligations struggle to balance work and family responsibilities, they are more likely to require flexible work arrangements.

Interesting fact: 88 per cent of Canadian businesses are now offering their employees some form of flexible work arrangements.

Source: Regus PLC, March 2011

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1. Recognize and appreciate your ability to adaptEvery day, thousands of living species disappear from the planet forever. Even though humans have at times been helpless in the face of the elements and certain predators that roam the Earth, there are two main reasons why our species has survived for thousands of years: the first is our ability to adapt, the second will be revealed later on.

2. Learning to deal with things that scare usChange is not the problem. Winning $12 million in the lottery would be a major change, but it would be welcome. The reason for this is that I could still keep doing what I was doing before; I wouldn’t lose anything. Depending on my choices, the only thing that would change is the quantity of my possessions and the quality of my life. The same might be said for cosmetic changes made to my work environment (i.e., interior design, furniture, system upgrades, day care arrangements, break room, workout room, restaurants and cafeterias, etc.). My work experience exists in the realm of what is “known.” It stems from the same habits and points of reference.

3. Creating parallels between the old and the newHuman beings don’t fear change, they fear the loss of what they know. When computers were first introduced, those of us who had only ever used a typewriter were fearful of their screens, which seemed to keep everything inside. Many thought of the computer as a “luminous prison” of sorts, until they made either a conscious or unconscious decision to notice the similarities between the mechanical object and its electronic counterpart: both had QWERTY keyboards, although backspace and delete keys rendered the use of white-out obsolete. We no longer needed to use our fingers to adjust the roller, for we now had a cursor that could be moved using either the arrow keys or a mouse. The list goes on.

4. Identifying and appreciating personal advantages

Oneobviousandveryimportantstepoccurswhenwelearn to appreciate the advantages of the new method. As was noted in the previous paragraph, we no longer have to deal with white-out blotches, so editing is more simple and efficient. We now waste less ink and paper, and results are more professional overall. Despite much resistance, electronic word processing was rapidly adopted by the mainstream. I must admit that it is sometimes necessary to do a little bit of digging to uncover certain personal advantages, but this is what I am encouraging you to do. For instance, try writing your issue at the top of a page (e.g., new computer service, SAP integration, new boss, etc.) and list its potential advantages for you, such as new skills, opportunities for promotion, better market value, new contacts, increased productivity, etc.

Destined to succeed in a changing world by Marc André Morel

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5. Change your attitude, slowly but surelyMark Twain once said, “A habit cannot be tossed out the window; it must be coaxed down the stairs a step at a time.” Truer words were never spoken. More than 100 years later, the scientific community has recently ruled on whether detoxification programs should be administered gradually or “cold turkey.” Research shows that when it comes to changing a habit or behaviour, 80% of people respond better to the first method. In other words, whether or not there are emotions involved, people need time. There will always be individuals who are able to quit smoking from one day to the next or adapt to a new automatic method without difficulty and move on to SAP just as quickly, but these people are few and far between.

I would therefore suggest the implementation of a “positioning” period, several weeks or months prior to the change. Rally a team of teachers, mentors, coaches, and specialists to create a systematic skill-transferring programwherenoone’segowillbeharmed.Organizeconfidential one-on-one meetings where candidates who require a closer and more extended follow up can express themselves freely, without being judged, in an environment where all of their questions may be answered.

Following this positioning period (when you will promote the impending change) and the communication of the transformation or innovation comes the period of “reinforcement.” This triad – borrowed from the launch cycle of a professional training activity – will inevitably ensure that new work methods are ingrained into the DNA of all members of your organization, gradually and without causing exhaustion.

6. Motor, don’t paddleSince time is always of the essence and because the economy privileges speed, it is easy to understand the motives of those high-powered executives who would like to see their members adjust to certain changes in record time. That being said, many scientific experiments show that resistance is not the issue – exhaustion is. It is pointless to compare a person who is working hard within his or her comfort zone to someone who is making an effort to remain mentally sharp in an effort to build momentum. The employee who is being asked to adapt to something only has a limited amount of patience, strength, and perseverance. Just like a motorboat, which must constantly run at full power just to keep moving – employees who hop into the boat and paddle to get to the next place will unfortunately grow very tired, very fast, whether they are motivated or not. This is often wrongly perceived as resistance. As a result, their aching muscles force them to turn around and go back to previous methods, which were much less taxing. Imagine what would happen if you were to implement a number of new measures each year!

Destined to succeed in a changing world

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7. Use emotion rather than motivation

In this regard, relying on people’s motivation to reach new dimensions, states of mind, or business processes is a disaster waiting to happen. Even for the best teams made up of motivated, competent and talented individuals with outstanding attitudes, success is only temporary; sooner or later, your team will need to be replaced. Picture yourself at a strategic planning retreat, discussing recent losses due to a weak quality control system within your team. What would be more efficient: an elaborate PowerPoint presentation, or 21 cubic feet of your company’s defective products dumped in the middle of the boardroom? Choose the latter tactic, and even the most vocal member of your group is sure to stop talking. In other words, there’s nothing like emotion to spark a real change or even pure transformation. Viewing advertisements about the dangers of texting while driving might serve to remind you of the importance of being safe on the road, but your impulses will remain; in other words, you will be required to “paddle upstream,” against your bad habits and desires.Ontheotherhand,wakingupinahospitalbedbecause of a distraction that caused you to have a brush with death is bound to change you forever.

8. Cultivate a spirit of collaborationDespite all of our talents and the passion we have for our work, we can’t succeed alone. Throughout history, with its many changes and transformations, two things have contributed to the survival of the human race: the first is our ability to adapt, the second is our spirit of community. When times are tough, one of the worst things you can do is retreat to your cubicle and hide behind your e-mail and voicemail inboxes.

9. Don’t be dramatic!No matter what, the discomfort is only temporary!

Marc André MorelFounder of Morel Leadership International and Leader Publishing, Marc André Morel has delivered close to two thousand inspiring, educating and entertaining sessions to both English and French audiences across Canada, the United States and Europe. With four published titles, he is a best-selling author, columnist, coach and consultant.

www.MarcAndreMorel.com

About Randstad CanadaRandstad Canada is the Canadian leader for staffing, recruitment and HR Services. As the only fully integrated staffing company in the country, we understand the recruitment needs and demands of employers and job seekers across all levels and industries. Through our insightful knowledge of local markets, employment trends and global network of recruitment experts, we are shaping the Canadian world of work.

Find out how Randstad Canada can help you find and manage the best talent to move your business forward.

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