Making change happen

It’s clear that change is complex and there isn’t a "one-size-fits-all" solution to managing it. Failure to introduce effective change can have a high impact: removal of senior management, loss of stakeholder credibility, loss of key employees, and reduction in engagement from remaining employees.

Approaches to managing change will depend on a wide range of factors, depending on the organisation, the change objectives, the external environment, and so on.

As someone who manages others, you are likely to experience change as part of:

• A Council initiative – where change occurs at a higher level and you have to play a part in its implementation.
• Your own initiative – where you identify needs or opportunities for improvement, or spot potential risks, and address them using your own resources.

Change can happen for a number of reasons, and is usually driven by factors external to the organisation, for example:

• Politcal factors, e.g. tax policy, legislation
• Economic influences, e.g. interest rates
• Sociological trends, e.g. consumer attitudes
• Technological innovations, e.g. the introduction of IT.

Changes in the external environment can have a significant impact on an organisation, and will have a number of internal implications upon strategy, processes, technology, and requirements for new skills, etc. It is therefore important to remain alert to what is going on both inside and outside your organisation – from your employees needs to wider economic and social trends.

At its most simple, change management is the process of making things better. If your team don’t understand the cause(s) for change they will be reluctant to embrace it. As a manager, you need to communicate the case for change with conviction and confidence. Powerful visions are compelling (not necessarily the same as popular) and inspire people to believe in a better future in a way that energises a team and garners commitment.

What does this mean?

• Workforce reduced in a planned way over time
• People work flexibly in terms of what they do and where they work
• Skills meet the needs of the job
• Those most affected by change are well informed and supported throughout
• Employees feel empowered to make decisions and do a better job for customers
• Employees understand the need for change, increased efficiency and improvements 

How are we going to make this happen?

Each year the savings are agreed at Committee.  In order to achieve the proposals, the following will need to be actioned:

• Service Reviews
• Workforce planning - thinking ahead to meet future needs
• Leadership and skills development for managers and employees 
• Adoption of agile working practices.
• Better utilisation of IT and digital transformation of services