Local Government Staff Commission Familiarisation Seminar Tuesday 9 December 2008 Irene Knox Chief Executive (Designate) Northern Ireland Library Authority

Northern Ireland Library Authority Operational on 1 April 2009 Transfer of responsibility for public library services from Education and Library Boards 1000+ staff 111 locations Annual recurrent budget of £30 million

Communication: challenges Dispersal of staff Consistent message Impact of delays Commitment to existing employer Perceptions Evolving processes What exactly does it mean for me?

Communication: processes Personal contact Briefing sessions Key stakeholders Intranet site HR Consultative Forum Change Management Programme Staff engagement and involvement

Communication: lessons learned Listen Don’t make assumptions If you don’t know, say so Expect and plan for resistance, misunderstanding, confusion Stick with it!