Many companies articulate a need for corporate agility as part of their business planning process…………but what do they really want ?
Our experience is that the holy grail is actually a TENSILE WORKFORCE – one that is capable of expansion and contraction (physical/ financial) at short notice and able to implement organisational change to role profiles fluidly, in line with business needs and the understood capabilities of teams and individuals. The achievement of this goal necessitates a degree of flexibility in contracted employment arrangements and a thorough understanding the performance and behavioural capabilities of your workforce at all levels – in particular the senior leaders
The killers of successful major change management and ongoing adaptation to market fluctuation are workforce inflexibility and resistance to change. When change is contemplated it is important to get the chronology right –
- Review and confirm the efficacy of your business plan
- Define the functional requirements of the new business environment
- Design a functional structure based on predicted business need and the incorporation of efficiency through engineered business process flow and optimised use of technology
- Design the management structures, roles and performance measures based on the above without regard to the existing workforce
- Take the time to identify areas where a variable labour model could be implemented and where new roles could potentially perform more than one historical function within the new structure with particular regard to fading/emerging commercial functions
- Capability assess the incumbent senior and middle management teams against these future business requirements
- Identify coaching /training / development requirements for those teams and individuals who are assessed as being sufficiently close to meeting needs
- Within the understood constraints of law and reasonable ethical standards, be brave in outplacing or making redundant individuals who will not be capable of adapting to the new business environment given appropriate technical and personal development support
- Prior to the implementation of any significant change ensure that key internal management champions for change are identified to support the future structures and processes and to provide support to teams and individuals as required
- Develop discreet communications and project management centres of excellence to drive implementation schedules and capture/ implement variations in line with senior management authorities
- Implement the change quickly and professionally, using third party specialists as required (avoiding the “Death of a thousand cuts” style of change.) One mistake could cost you significantly more financially and culturally than the price of assistance
- Invest time and energy into clever communication strategies with the workforce
By articulating the future needs and right messaging to new hire candidates, you will develop rigour and a positive culture around the delivery of your new business model and achieve the tensility that will be required for your organisation to be successful in an environment of constant evolution and change
At “Capability HQ” we have a range of services to assist companies in designing and managing the change process to unlock performance in their business
Brett Dunstone is a partner at “ Capability HQ “ with over 25 years’ experience in HR, recruitment and change management