O
rganizational change is everywhere as people and businesses are constantly evolving. As the saying goes, “you are either getting better or getting worse; you never stay the same.” Never has this been more true. Disruption is now constant; it is the baseline operational reality. To keep pace, corporate change management efforts must adapt to remain competitive and keep workforces engaged and productive.
Traditional change management has a clearly defined start and end date, with Chief Human Resource Officers building communications plans around those parameters and often taking a one-sided approach where the message is created, cascaded to middle management, distributed, and repeated. Change readiness communication, on the other hand, is a two-way street between the organization and employees. It’s one where HR departments gather intelligence via feedback and communication loops that allow organizations to know if they are truly ready before the change occurs.
In this article, we will explore the transformation from change management to change readiness through communications audits, empowering middle managers, and aligning values.
Diagnosing Readiness
One of the first – and best – steps HR executives can take in shifting their organization from change management to change readiness is adjusting their internal communications program from solely a distribution platform to one that listens and diagnoses.
Start by conducting a robust communications audit that goes beyond what is sent to employees. Review how the information is received, where potential bottlenecks occur, and which channels are the most trusted. (Pro tip: this includes 1:1 conversations.)
Employees pay close attention to what and how messages are said, and who says them. Consistency creates alignment and builds trust. An audit should ensure HR leaders and executive leadership align on the “why,” as it’s critical that the C-suite uses (and reinforces) the same language and vocabulary that employees receive to ensure consistent messaging. If not, this is where cracks in the foundation can appear.
Lastly, incorporate pulse surveys to understand in real-time how employees feel about the direction of the organization. This will give HR leaders an accurate, data-driven understanding of the current communications landscape.
Preparing and Empowering Middle Managers
Middle managers are critical to the success of any organization. They are close enough to the top to understand the strategic “why,” yet still connected to the frontline to recognize worker sentiment. They are an invaluable layer of the workforce, so it’s important to ensure they are informed and have what they need to operate efficiently.
Since middle managers are charged with executing strategy from the executive layer, but absorb friction and angst from below, they need some autonomy to handle dissent in real-time without waiting on official corporate guidance (think FAQ sheet). By educating them deeply on the corporate strategy, empowering them, and building their managerial capacity, organizations set this critical group up to be ready for any change.
Other considerations include bringing middle managers into message development before it’s rolled out to the rest of the company and providing a direct line to the C-suite, so managers can flag concerns before issues become unmanageable. This will help shift middle managers from message conduits to strategic advocates because they can have a say in what’s communicated.
Aligning Change Communication with Values
Change can come in many forms: mergers and acquisitions, growth initiatives, restructuring or pivots, adoption of new technology, and more. When multiple changes happen at once, it can lead to employee disengagement and feelings of whiplash. This directly impacts the bottom line through retention and performance issues.
Organizations can ensure a mindset of change readiness by anchoring the change to the company’s identity and in the spirit of continuous improvement. Change becomes a reflection of the company’s core values, and not an arbitrary act. Through strategic communications, leaders can express that while changes occur, the company remains strong and its actions are intentional. Providing clarity and connecting change to the core values reduces ambiguity and leads to greater buy-in – leading to a change-ready culture.
HR leaders should audit their messaging against the company’s stated values to verify (or create) alignment and build a unified narrative. Executives then reinforce the messaging by consistently sharing it in their own words.
Change-ready organizations are prepared well in advance. They audit their communications, empower middle managers, and align change with their values – while listening to employees instead of simply sending them messages. CHROs are perfectly positioned to serve as strategic architects, using a robust communications plan as their secret weapon.
Are you ready to assess your change readiness communications to set your organization up for success? Contact us today.
