Catalyst to change management

The old management adage of 'nothing is more constant than change itself' cannot be more apt than in today's' dynamic business world.

Growing number of organisations realise change management is a necessity and that the HR leader is a catalyst and must take ownership of being the 'change management ambassador'.

Sometimes, HR leaders lack inherent change management skills and that gap in their knowledge or skill sets hamper their career path. Change management acumen can be developed with practice, provided that the HR leader pays attention to fundamentals - in this case, understanding nuances of business strategy and how it drives change.

The most crucial part of learning how to utilise the HR function for change management is to simply think proactively, continuously. What you want is to be in an active mode, where you respond to business priorities and identify the sort of change initiatives that will facilitate in nurturing a workforce which will aggressively accomplish those priorities in the future.

Another key element is identifying, creating and mastering a consistent methodology of change within an organisation. In companies where a structured change-management process has already been put in place by management, it's vital for the HR leader to learn to follow the existing model.

But in organisations without a change process, it is recommended that the HR leader partner with a consulting firm or change management experts to develop one. Without a consistent change process, organisations end up experiencing change as a disconcerting series of one-off initiatives, instead of as a cohesive business strategy that is being deployed in an organised fashion.

Most change-management methodologies share some common elements. A classic start for a change management agenda is where the HR leader links it to a strategic and measurable business initiative. Then, answer some fundamental questions like, why must you change, what are the key mandates for change, identify the right change ambassadors/sponsors from management team and strategise an entire plan that is appropriate to the corporate culture.

The HR leader needs to gauge the distance between where the organisation is and where it needs to be. Simultaneously the HR leader must put in a crisp plan to communicate about the change management agenda to the workforce along with a training plan to prepare them for it. And finally, the HR leader must set up a monitoring process to ensure that the change management are consistently on course.

The HR leader has a head start by having working knowledge of the workforce, expertise in recruiting, structuring compensation and measuring performance - critical skills which at times other business leaders may miss.

Although HR is well positioned to support change management, there are some factors the HR leader needs to consider before taking on this mantle.

The HR leader will need to have on board change management specialists with right skill sets, give them a measurable agenda and emphasise that they need to work as business partners and not merely as 'directors' of change management process.

- The writer is a principal consultant at Cedar Management Consulting International.