Managing an HR change
Author: Debra Cadman
Summary
- The HR team must explore the business case behind any HR change proposition. (See Building a business case)
- Planning how the change will be managed will be key to the success of the project. The team should set out the details in a "charter for change" and a project plan. (See Planning the change)
- HR should calculate the cost of the change project in conjunction with the finance team. (See Costs)
- When planning the change project, HR should consider timescales for key tasks, drawing on, for example, previous experience of change within the organisation. (See Timescales)
- HR should appoint someone to oversee the change, as well as potentially a change management team. (See Roles and responsibilities)
- HR changes often arise from, or lead to, changes in information technology, so effective collaboration with the IT department will be essential. (See Technology)
- There may need to be a different approach towards implementing the HR change in different areas of the organisation. (See A tailored approach)
- The impact of the change on employees is an essential consideration for HR. (See Human impact)
- Effective communication throughout the change programme is essential and can help to reduce resistance to the change. (See Communicating the change and Gaining buy-in and involving the organisation)
- HR should evaluate the impact of the change and ensure that any learning from the experience is taken into account in future change projects. (See Evaluation)