Consideration

Purpose

Key points and questions

A clear and shared vision

If significant changes are to be made, employees need to believe that the effort is worth it.

• What are the benefits?
• Who will benefit?
• What will happen if we don't change?

The roles of leaders

Support for the changes must be clearly demonstrated at the highest level and responsibility for making the changes given at the lowest practical level.

If all employees will be affected they must all be represented in the planning and design stages.

• Responsibility for leading change must be clear and consistent
• Modelling of new behaviours is essential
• The attitudes of managers to the change must be monitored through readiness for change or similar tools.

Building commitment

The higher the level of commitment the lower the need to monitor and supervise new behaviours. It should however be remembered that it’s not essential for everyone to be committed – compliance may be enough in some roles.

• What level of commitment is needed by different groups?
• Not everyone will commit to the changes.
• Focus time and energy where it is needed.

Managing the changes

Changes to working practices do not happen overnight. Each organisation will need to decide the order of change to ensure that day-to-day services are not disrupted.

• Evaluation should be built in from the start. What does success look like?
• What are the indicators?
• How will they be measured?
• Evaluation is not the same as monitoring!

Sustaining the changes

Once roles and practices change, the new behaviours must be maintained.

• What levers do you have to sustain change?