HR Change Management Plan Approach Paper
Using the HR Change Management Plan Overview found on your rEsourceSM course page as a guide, prepare an action plan to include key tasks (what you will do and how you will do it) and due dates. Be sure to include key resources such as people, data, reports, and articles, among others to be used.
The key word is Approach. The assignment is asking you to identify how you will approach doing the assignment. The term action plan means what steps you will take to complete the assignment.
When preparing the assignment, for each part of the HR Change Management Plan you will need to discuss the following:
a. Types of information and data you plan to review
b. Types of analysis you might perform on the data that you collect
c. Deadline dates
d. Any challenges that you perceive in completing the part
With three parts to the plan, and four questions above, you will present 12 pieces of information about your approach. While there is no minimum length for this assignment, a one- or two-paragraph response will most likely not provide the reader with sufficient detail to demonstrate that you have (a) thought in depth about the assignment and (b) have in place a work plan that will allow you to begin work on the project starting in Week Three and that will ultimately allow you to succeed.
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HR Change Management Plan Overview
This overview discusses the HR change management plan, which is the final individual assignment in HRM 590. It will cover the following:
1. What is a change management plan?
2. Why create a change management plan?
3. Tips and cautions for preparing a change management plan.
4. Components of a change management plan, and the final assignment.
WHAT IS A CHANGE MANAGEMENT PLAN?
Many leaders are in the process of attempting to introduce cultural change to their organizations. The cultural change may be driven by a major, large-scale change that the organization is trying to implement (e.g. cultural transformation, lean manufacturing, TQM, becoming a learning organization, building an innovative culture) or may be the result of a major ?organizational event,? such as mergers/acquisition, top leadership changes, or restructuring/downsizing. According to Jennifer LaClair and Ravi Rao (2002), the ability for an organization to make big changes is directly related to ?employees? capacity to adapt to a new order? (p. 17). Thus, a key strategic role for Human Resources involves creating an appropriate change management plan that increases employees? capacity to embrace and implement the change. While it is possible that HR may be the primary leader of the change. More often, however, HR works with an executive who is championing the change, and HR?s role is to help develop and implement the change plan (as opposed to creating it and implementing it by itself).
In Week One, students considered the value of HR as a strategic business partner. This project will demonstrate a specific strategic role that HR plays ? and will illustrate the ways in which HR can be instrumental in the organization?s ability to achieve its business objectives. This change management plan should be prepared for the student?s own organization, or an organization with which the student is very familiar, and for which the student can obtain the information necessary to complete the assignment.
WHY PREPARE A CHANGE MANAGEMENT PLAN?
?Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here??
?That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,? said the Cat.
?I don?t much care where?? said Alice.
?Then it doesn?t matter which way you go,? said the Cat.
?As long as I get somewhere,? Alice added as an explanation.
?Oh, you?re sure to do that,? said the Cat, ?if you only walk long enough.?
(Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland)
Statistics suggest that as many as 80 percent of all major change initiatives fail to achieve their objectives (Stebel, 1996, cited in Dobson, 2001). While there are many reasons for these failures, one of the key reasons is that inadequate change management plans were created on the front-end. A good change management plan includes a well-thought out process that enables the organization to consider where it wants to go ? and guides it through the process of arriving at that destination.
TIPS AND CAUTIONS FOR PREPARING A CHANGE MANAGEMENT PLAN
In considering what type of major, large-scale change you, as a student, want to use for your change management plan, keep the following in mind:
1. How can I use my own organization for this plan without violating confidentiality agreements?
2. There will be elements of an HR change management plan that may be more difficult to develop without specific information about current policies. In some cases, organizations may be reluctant to share that information. In these cases, you may describe what you believe to be the current policies ? along with recommendations for how these policies might need to change to support the new initiative.
COMPONENTS OF THE CHANGE MANAGEMENT PLAN
Note: This is a ?typical? list of components in many change management plans. Organization or industry circumstances may dictate that items be added or deleted.
1. Executive Summary (required for final change management plan)
2. In preparing the executive summary, keep in mind that the summary will probably be the only part of the plan top management will review. It will be assumed that the full document provides all the support needed to reinforce both your conclusions and recommendations. For that reason, it is imperative that any recommendations you make in the summary be fully documented in the full plan, and that no conflicts exist between the summary and the plan. As you plan the summary, decide which conclusions and recommendations you consider the most important for management to accept.
3. Your summary should be 700-1,400 words that highlight the conclusions from each section of the plan. Key findings and supporting data can be in bullet format. Conclude with a summary of recommended future action.
4. Table of Contents (required for final change management plan)
5. Organizational Analysis
a. Proposed Change?What is the proposed change? Why is this change of value to the organization?
1) What performance opportunities or enhancements will result from this change?
2) Why is it important to achieve these performance improvements?
3) What has been done in the past to address these performance issues?
4) Who are the stakeholders who will be affected (directly or indirectly) by this change?
5) How does the change proposed align with the overall strategy?
6) What are the time frame and key hurdles for the change?
b. HR?s Role?What role should HR play in your organization with regards to leading a large-scale organizational change?
1) What role has HR played in other organizational changes?
2) How is HR structured, and where does it currently report?
3) How is HR viewed within the organization?
4) What issues, if any, might the answers to these questions create for this change?
c. Organizational and Individual Resistance?What type of organizational and/or individual resistance to change might you expect to see?
1) Be specific ? with examples of the interdependencies that exist in the organization, and how resistance to change may manifest itself.
2) What will you do to reduce organizational and/or individual resistance to change?
3) Do employees have the skills and knowledge required to implement this type of change successfully? If not, how will you address the lack of skills and/or knowledge?
4) What motivational or attitude issues might arise? How will you address them?
d. Costs and Benefits?What are the costs and benefits of the proposed change? How do you know?
e. Measuring Success?How will you evaluate the success of the change process? How will you know when the change is ?completed? from the perspective of various stakeholders?
f. Exit Strategy?How will you end the change process and institutionalize the change?
6. Plan and Timetable
a. Target Group?Who is the target of this change (group or groups of people)? How will you achieve buy-in from each of these groups, as well as any other affected stakeholders? What are the needs of each of the stakeholder groups (how they will evaluate whether the change is successful)?
b. Objectives?What are the clearly defined objectives for the change process? Are they consistent with corporate mission statement and objectives? Are they measurable? Attainable?
c. Strategies?What change management strategies will you use to implemented the change? Why is each of these strategies important? How do these support your organization?s business strategies?
1) Identify all change activities in which targeted groups will participate (e.g. skill training programs, organizational restructuring, information system upgrade, business process reengineering, etc.).
2) How might disciplines of the learning organization support the desired change?
d. Steps?What specific steps will you take to implement these strategies? What is the timeline for these steps?
e. Develop action steps, responsibilities, due dates, deliverables, and so on, for each intervention.
f. Organization?Are there clear lines of responsibility for all activities, including the role of HR? Does one individual have clear responsibility for leading the change effort? Who else should be involved in the change process? Are there adequate communications planned for the organization? How will the change affect other areas of the organization? Should the organizational structure be changed? Why or why not?
g. Communication ? How will you communicate the changes? Will your communication be different for those groups who are directly affected versus those who are tangentially affected?
h. Project Management ? How will you monitor, control and report status as the project progresses?
7. HR Policies and Practices
a. Recruitment practices?How will the organization?s recruitment and selection practices change after this plan is implemented? Why?
b. Retention practices?How will this change aid in the retention of employees? What will you have to pay attention to during the change in order to retain those employees whom you wish to retain? Why?
c. Reward practices?Will your organization?s current reward system and practices support the change? If so, why? If not, what will need to change? Why?
d. Training and development practices?What new skills and competencies will employees need in order to be successful after the change is implemented? Why? How will they obtain these skills and competencies?
e. Supervisory training?What new skills will managers and supervisors need after the change is implemented? Why? How will they obtain these skills and competencies?
f. Employee relations policies and procedures?What, if any, HR policies and procedures will need to change? Why? What are the implications of not changing these policies and procedures?
8. Sources
Include a list of sources used to prepare this plan, including at least 10 peer-reviewed, current sources from the UOP library.
REFERENCES
Dobson, D.M. (2001). Big change programmes: Increasing the likelihood of success. Journal of Change Management, 2(1), 7-22. Retrieved December 16, 2003, from EBSCOhost database
LaClair, J.A. & Rao, R.P. (2002). Helping employees embrace change. McKinsey Quarterly, 4, 17-21. Retrieved December 16, 2003, from EBSCOhost database
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Recruit, develop, and retain a competent, committed, and diverse workforce that provides high quality service to veterans and their families.
Purpose and Outcomes:
Employees are the foundation of the Department of Veterans Affairs and the key to its success. The purpose of this objective is to ensure that VA has the workforce it needs to serve veterans and their families, today and in the future. The 21st Century presents VA with an unprecedented set of human capital challenges ? an aging workforce, a shifting and expanding mission, a tight and competitive labor market, and the emergence of profound new echnologies that present both risks and opportunities. VA?s ability to capitalize on these challenges willdetermine the extent to which the goals and strategies laid out in this strategic plan are achieved. Each of the major themes incorporated
in this plan ? enhanced health care delivery, expedited claims processing, expansion of memorial and burial programs, partnerships,accountability ? can come to life only through the efforts of a workforce with the capabilities, competencies, commitment, and compassion to
make it happen. Investing in, cultivating, and
valuing employees is one of VA?s highest
priorities.
Strategies and Processes:
VA will recruit, support, and retain a knowledgeable, diverse, engaged, and continuously learning workforce. We will develop a comprehensive and coherent workforce development plan that incorporates the High Performance Development Model (HPDM), succession planning, diversity
training, and Alternative Dispute Resolution
(ADR) orientation.
*Human Capital Planning
VA is institutionalizing a national workforce planning system to facilitate the strategic management of its human resources. VA?s workforce planning strategies include:
? Implementation of Departmental policy prescribing objectives, roles, and the process for the development of
workforce and succession plans for each VA organizational component, inclusion of diversity and leadership analyses, and alignment of the workforce planning system with other key management processes;
? Development of a Strategic VA Human Management Capital Plan;
? Implementation of measures to assess progress on program goals identified in organizational workforce plans;
? Integration of workforce planning accountability measures in performance plans of VA senior executives and
managers; and ? Enhancement and/or establishment of management information systems to support the workforce planning function.
Diversity
VA will address issues of under-representation and promote efforts to ensure that its workforce reflects the diversity of the customers we serve.
68 FY 2003 – 2008 STRATEGIC PLAN
Objective E.1
Diversity is essential to building a creative and innovative environment to address the needs of the veterans and their families. To foster this type of environment, VA will:
? Establish a One VA diversity business model based on effective workforce and succession planning, comparisons to the Relevant Civilian Labor Force (RCLF), targeted recruitment, and management tracking of progress;
? Establish a VA Diversity Advisory Council to examine and monitor VA?s Employee Diversity Profile;
? Establish and communicate a diversity scorecard and competencies to VA leaders; and
? Reward VA leaders for crosscutting diversity accomplishments.
Professional Development
To foster world-class service to veterans and their
families, VA must maintain a workforce with the
needed capabilities, competencies, and commitment. VA has a wealth of valuable leadership and development programs, from elearning to Senior Executive Development. To further advance learning and performance throughout the Department, VA will adopt the High Performance Development Model (HPDM)
as its framework for employee development. The model guides the employee development activity by directing management practices and policies to ensure:
? Core competency development;
? Continuous learning;
? Continuous assessment;
? Coaching/mentoring;
? Linkage with performance management; and
? Performance-based hiring.
Further, VA will evaluate the relevance, impact,
and capacity of leadership development programs to ensure that they are aligned with mission requirements and establish Career Intern Programs to meet future workforce needs.
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
VA will continue to develop an effective way for
measuring the success of the Alternative Dispute
Resolution (ADR) Program. VA recently
developed an ADR web-based tracking system
to collect data that will be annually analyzed so
that benchmarks can be identified and
accomplishments measured.
VA will conduct ADR/Mediation Awareness
Training sessions for all employees to ensure that
employees are aware of the ADR and mediation
tools that can be used to effectively resolve
workplace conflicts and disputes. By employees
being aware of and using these tools, VA
anticipates that this will effectively help reduce
EEO complaints activity and workplace
disputes, which is costly to VA. VA also expects
to derive intangible benefits such as improved
morale and productivity, reduction in future
disputes, repaired relationships, improved
customer service, and employee trust.
Recruitment and Marketing
VA must remain competitive with the private
and non-profit sectors in recruiting qualified
candidates if it is to achieve our strategic goals.
VA is a key employer in the Federal Government,
has one of the most distinguished and unique
missions, has nationwide job opportunities, can
provide numerous opportunities for growth, and
offers many appealing benefits and work-life
programs. VA will fully capitalize on these
assets to market career opportunities. Having a
presence in the job market, whether or not
currently hiring, is essential to cultivating and
maintaining relationships that benefit VA now
and in the future. VA will:
? Develop a recruitment and marketing
plan that includes provisions for an
assessment of current efforts throughout
the Department and maximizes use of
student intern and Presidential
Management Intern programs;
69 FY 2003 – 2008 STRATEGIC PLAN
Objective E.1
? Enhance outreach efforts to colleges,
universities, military discharge centers,
and other potential recruitment sources
with a strong emphasis on targeted
recruitment aimed at minority
populations underrepresented in the
Department;
? Explore the use of automated application
and staffing tools to simplify and
streamline the hiring process;
? Develop an automated entrance interview
for newly appointed employees to
determine why they chose VA and use
such information to drive VA?s
recruitment and marketing business
decisions;
? Develop an automated and consistently
used exit interview process to help
identify why employees leave the
Department, and use the information
gathered to address and rectify retention
issues;
? Support government-wide efforts to
streamline and simplify the Federal hiring
process; and
? Work with DoD to develop methods to
facilitate recruitment, retention, and
potential sharing of personnel in positions
critical to the Departments?
complementary missions.
Performance Culture
Employee performance is integral to VA?s ability
to accomplish its mission. To ensure that VA
has a results-oriented and high-performing
workforce, that it differentiates between high
and low performance, and that individual and
team performance are linked to organizational
goals, VA will implement a Department-wide,
multi-tiered performance appraisal system and
institute a performance awards program. VA
will also enhance its current Senior Executive
Performance Review Board process to ensure
that Executives are held accountable for
achievement of strategic goals and workforce
management.
External Factors:
In conjunction with the economy (job-market/
competitive salary issues) and labor force
growth rates, VA recognizes that funding to
implement HR strategies will be the key to
recruiting and retaining a highly skilled
workforce.
70 FY 2003 – 2008 STRATEGIC PLAN
Objective E.1
Professional
Development
75% Percent of VA organizational components that have
implemented the High Performance Development Model
Workforce Planning
Service Delivery Measures
Objective E.1
Outcome Measures
FY 2004 FY 2008
Performance Targets
100%
Percent of VA employees who will be trained in ADR as an
option to address workplace disputes
Percent of employees who respond favorably when surveyed
about their job satisfaction
80% 100%
65% 75%
Percent reduction in the average time it takes to recruit and
fill vacancies in mission-critical positions from the FY 2003
baseline
10% 60%
Performance Measures
Alternative Dispute
Resolution (ADR)
One VA Employee
Satisfaction Survey
Percent increase in the number of VA job announcements for
which applications are accepted online
100% 38%