What Role Should HR Take in Change?

Presented by Suzie SauerJohnston Penno Limited

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The role you take: • Shapes your attitude and the way you

behave • Influences the roles others adopt and how

they behave towards you• May force others into a role, attitude or

behaviour that is unhelpful

Why is the role you take so important?

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First you need to consider what role you need others in the organisation to play…

What is the most helpful role for HR to take?

Chief Executive/Board

• Leading the change• Developing & communicating their vision• Allocating resources

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• Advocating – describing the need for change and being positive about the change

• Supporting – providing help and removing barriers

• Encouraging change – motivating staff and providing reinforcement

What is the most helpful role for HR to take?

You need to consider what role you need others in the organisation to play…

Managers

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• Understanding the need for change• Backing the changes• Doing what is necessary to make the

change a success

What is the most helpful role for HR to take?

You need to consider what role you need others in the organisation to play…

Staff

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IDEA GENERATION

• Issue/need identification

• Solution identification

The Stages of the Change Process

PLAN DEVELOPMENT

• Plan development

• Solution development

IMPLEMENTATION

• Introducing the solution• Reinforcing the change

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• Leader – goal owner

• Facilitator – process owner

• Specialist – expert advisor

The Roles HR Can Take During Change

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IDEA GENERATION

• HR identifies an issue/need• HR identifies the solution/change

The Leader Role …

PLAN DEVELOPMENT

• HR develops the plan

• HR develops the tool or instructs someone else to develop them e.g. consultant/contractor

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The Leader Role …

IMPLEMENTATION

• HR tells people what to do• HR gives them the tools to use

RESISTANCE

• Appears during implementation – this is usually the first anyone knows of the change

• Is addressed reactively – usually with amazement

• Adult/Parent relationship is formed - HR knows best so just do as we say

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The Leader Role …

THE RESULT

• Given no opportunity to participate• Do not understand the need or relevance

• Resist the change • Produces negativity towards HR

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IDEA GENERATION

• An issue/need is identified• HR confirms the issue/need with a wider group

• HR gathers input into the solution/change

The Facilitator Role …

PLAN DEVELOPMENT

• HR involves as many layers and areas of the organisation as possible in the planning phase

• HR gathers input to tailor the solution/tool for specific business needs

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The Facilitator Role …

IMPLEMENTATION

• Implement through the use of change agents• HR enables the organisation to introduce the

solution/tool/change

RESISTANCE

• Is anticipated throughout each of the stages of change

• Is openly discussed – Managers are equipped to deal with it

• Is addressed and resolved

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The Facilitator Role …

THE RESULT

• Aware of and understand the need for change • Experienced the thought process involved in

developing a solution/change

• Have helped tailor it to be relevant to them• Know what is expected of them

• High compliance and support

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IDEA GENERATION

• An issue/need is identified• HR provides decision makers with best practise

options

The Specialist Role …

PLAN DEVELOPMENT

• HR provides decision makers with best practiseguidelines for planning

• HR may develop the tool if that is their area of expertise

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The Specialist Role …

IMPLEMENTATION

• HR provides the organisation with best practiseguidelines for implementation

RESISTANCE

• Is not necessarily addressed because the change is usually managed by someone else

RESULT

• HR are seen in a favourable light – unless used as a scapegoat for providing the solution & implementation framework

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Key Points …

• Involvement is critical for successful and sustainable change

• The role you take will dictate the degree to which others get involved

• The most successful role is one that facilitates others through the change process – guiding, enabling and supporting.

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Scenario …

• There have been a high number of H&S incidents recorded recently

• You think it is because there are a lot of new employees in the plant that have not been given H&S training

• As an HR practitioner what will you do?

PLEASE CONSIDER- What you will do through each stage of change - The pros and cons of the role you have been

given in dealing with this scenario