MANAGING CHANGE Ruth Davies Head of HR OULS

Managing Change Workshop Objectives  Discuss the practice of good change management Process Psychological contract Communications  OULS & managing change.

Managing Change Exercise 1  You are working in your own library  Rumour tells you that your library is combining with a specialist horticultural library 30 miles away  You know it has a completely different catalogue system, rules of operation and user needs 1. How do you feel? 2. How would you like to be managed through this process ?

Change Management Process  Proposal for change  Pre-empt resistance  Consultation  Consider input resulting from consultation  Present final structure  Sign off on key documents  Job descriptions  Structures  Redeployment exercise  Staff notified of personal results  Appeal process  Interviews resulting from ring fencing  Implementation

Managing Change Exercise 2  What factors could affect the change process succeeding?

Factors Affecting Change  Ill-defined objectives & requirements  Ill-defined roles & responsibilities  In-effective leadership  Lack of teamwork  Poor planning & control  Unreliable progress reporting  Poor communications

Three Phases of Transition William Bridges (2003)

Encourage people to look after themselves  Label your feelings, rather than labelling people or situations  Where are you on the Transition Curve?  Show respect for others feelings  Keep a sense of perspective  Remember there is a life outside of work  Take your breaks  Get enough sleep

Handling Conflict  Do  Work to cool down the debate in a hot conflict  Ensure that the issues are fully outlined  Acknowledge emotions & different styles  Make sure you have a comfortable environment for any meeting  Set a time frame for the discussion  Ensure good rapport  Use names  Don’t  Conduct your conversation in a public place  Leave the discussion open – create an action plan  Finish their sentence for them  Use jargon  Constantly interrupt  Do something else whilst trying to listen  Distort the truth  Use inappropriate humour

Communication  Show people where they are going:  Map out the process of change  Identify & recognise key milestones; celebrate successes  Show people how they will get there:  Break it down into clear, simple steps  Give practical examples  Be directional  Explain why change is happening:  Ensure people understand the rationale for change  Talk about the benefits / consequences  Emphasise what’s not changing

Managing Change Audience segmentation Directly impacted Close interestGeneral interest Academics Administrative staff Students Staff in related departments Heads of department Departmental administrators Development team Support areas (e.g. Finance, IT) Press Office Wider University community Alumni Colleagues in other universities

Managing Change Messages Directly impactedClose interestGeneral interest Rationale Benefits Process and timescale What does this mean for me? Reassurance – what is not changing Where can I get help/advice? Rationale Benefits Process and timescale How will this affect my colleagues/friends? Reassurance - will something similar happen to me too? Rationale Benefits Timescale Impact

Directly Affected – Likely Questions  Will my job change significantly?  Will my job disappear?  Will I have to move?  How will my research/funding be affected?  Why me/why us?  When will these changes happen?  Why is this happening now?  What are the benefits?  What’s next?  Are there likely to be more changes?  What’s being hidden from me?

OULS & Change Management  Simultaneous changes  Planning, funding & linking  Line managers  Consultation  Briefings & updates: Outline, Wiki, SCF, JCC  Extra courses e.g.  Navigating change  Leadership & change

My recommendations  Take people management issues seriously  Manage expectations – early warnings  Involve employees – ownership  Communicate – share & listen  Consult  Line managers role is crucial

And finally…  Action Plan – handout  Any questions