April 2012
Issue Map
Advertisement
Advertisement
TD Magazine

Changing the Outlook on Change

Monday, April 9, 2012

Strategic vision, intentional leadership, and an organizational culture that supports disciplined, resilient talent management are necessary for sustainable change.

Advertisement
Intelligence1
Today's workplace is changing regularly and rapidly. Companies are still operating with lean workforces, yet many individuals remain jobless as employers struggle to secure the right talent for available positions. Ever-emerging social, collaborative, and mobile technologies require new methods for employee development and new mediums for workplace learning. Organizations are realizing the need for an integrated talent management strategy that incorporates change management, to provide structured employee development for today with the built-in flexibility for whatever tomorrow may bring.

According to "Creating Sustainable Change: Practical Techniques for Talent Management Transformation," a recent whitepaper published by talent management solutions provider Technomedia-Hodes iQ, today's business environment requires a disciplined, resilient climate of ongoing improvement. To that end, organizations must treat change as an ongoing process, not an event with a start and end date.

"We have to make a clear distinction between change and chaos," says Marcel Messier, president and COO of Technomedia-Hodes iQ. "The difference is vision and leadership: Change management has to be done in the context of a strategic vision and thoughtful leadership."

According to PricewaterhouseCoopers's 14th Annual Global CEO Survey, leaders from all regions report that talent tops their agendas. Additionally, 84 percent of CEOs surveyed say that they are implementing change within their talent strategies to better compete in the 2012 marketplace.

The whitepaper describes certain best practices that organizations can implement to create an approach to change management that also supports an organization's talent management strategy:

Communicate, communicate, communicate. This is the first priority for any change management process. Ensure employees are prepared for change, understand the goals they are expected to achieve, and know how performance is measured. Town hall meetings, webinars, simulations, and the company intranet can serve as vehicles to deliver these messages.

Define the talent management strategy. It is imperative that all employees understand the integrated strategy and how their roles fit within this holistic approach.

Advertisement

Document key milestones. Minimize delays and ensure deadlines are met in a timely fashion by tracking change activities and important achievements.

Cultivate comfort. Build interest and engage employees in the change process by soliciting feedback from individuals who are directly affected. This will help employees feel more involved while also uncovering potential opportunities for improvement.

Expand opportunities. Use feedback to identify additional gaps or areas for change process improvement.

Establish executive support. Lasting change starts at the top. Secure executive sponsorship and define leaders' roles and responsibilities to keep them accountable and ensure the project remains on track.

"You must plan for change right from the start for a project to be successful," says Messier. "Technology doesn't do anything by itself—it's what people do with that technology that will bring the real success of a talent management implementation."

About the Author

Ann Parker is Associate Director, Talent Leader Consortiums at ATD. In this role she drives strategy, product development, and content acquisition for ATD’s senior leader and executive audience. She also oversees business development and program management for ATD's senior leader consortiums, CTDO Next and ATD Forum.

Ann began her tenure at ATD in an editorial capacity, primarily writing for TD magazine as Senior Writer/Editor. In this role she had the privilege to talk to many training and development practitioners, hear from a variety of prominent industry thought leaders, and develop a rich understanding of the profession's content. She then became a Senior Content Manager for Senior Leaders & Executives, focusing on content and product development for the talent executive audience, before moving into her current role.

Ann is a native Pennsylvanian where she currently resides, marathoner, avid writer, baker and eater of sweets, wife to an Ironman, and mother of two.

Be the first to comment
Sign In to Post a Comment
Sorry! Something went wrong on our end. Please try again later.