HR Project Management - the five steps to changing your business - Part 2

We talked last week about the first two essentials in HR Project Management - Creating the case for Change and Sharing your Vision and Values. This week, we look at the three other steps to delivering a great change project.

Prepare Your Resources

The change needs to be adequately resourced and effectively project managed to achieve your objectives. Resources include people, finance, facilities, systems, information and progress reporting. Change fails because things have not been thought through fully; the change is not prioritised effectively or is not given the commitment it requires.

Build Your Capability

Building managers and leaders confidence and ability to manage change is crucial. It is important to consider the specific skills and behaviours which will be required to direct and drive the change through the company. Think carefully also about the behaviours and skills you will need after the change.

Communicate

Good communication throughout every stage of the change process cannot be underestimated. Keep everyone informed by presentations, newsletters and one to one meetings. Form a consultative committee between managers and employees and share fears and opportunities. Change will involve delivering some difficult messages and these need to be communicated in a personal and supportive way. Break the messages into language that people can understand and help them to work out what the change means to them; to the business and to its customers.

Have a good structure, be brave about the outcomes and communicate fully and regularly. And then communicate again. Always keep in mind that an involved workforce is an engaged workforce. And an engaged workforce will make the journey with you.