What’s the connection between Change Management and PR and communication and what challenges does it bring to PR Directors and Managers and those who specialise in corporate public relations?
That’s what I wanted more insight into when I took myself off to a one day forum in Sydney this week (May 25) called ‘Change Management – achieving organisational development during times of transition’, run by Ark Group.
I’ve had quite a bit of exposure to corporate PR and communications around change in organisations and as this has involved working cooperatively with HR and various operational people, who invariably have ‘ownership’ of the project, I wanted to understand better their perspective.
In particular I wanted to see how where they saw the fit with PR and communication. I also wanted to better appreciate their motivations and understand the issues and challenges they faced. And, because I am sometimes called in by PR Directors and Managers, to provide an external perspective (and an additional pair of hands!) when a large project involving change is happening, I wantged to better understand the internal dynamics bvetwen Change Managers, HR Managers and internal PR and communication professionals.
Why? Because, in my experience during the corporate PR and communication to stakeholders and audiences that I’ve done – around mergers and acquisitions, factory closures, introduction of new systems, processes and technology, and redundancies (to name a few)– too often communications is seen simply as the delivery mechanism.
In fact, often there are flaws – or gaps- in the communication strategy around change and its impact on stakeholders and audiences – both internal and external. Usually these would have been overcome simply by including the PR or communications professional in the early stages of the project.
But I was pleasantly surprised – and reassured – that the Change Management experts are well aware – sometimes as result of bitter experience – not only of the role of PR and communication, but how critical it can often be to the success of any change management program.
In theory at least there seemed to be a realisation from those who presented that communication was an integral part of the process. And in setting up Steering Committees or Project teams the need for a PR or communications representative was recognised – and valued!
Good practical working examples of Change Management programs at the forum included ING (soon to change its name) introducing new work practices for its front line telephone staff, Fonterra Australia introducing a new SAP system across four separate business units in two countries, Medibank Australia changing its whole modus operandi and eBay managing its business through the GFC.
One piece of interesting research which showed why communication must be geographically audience centric came from Rich Atkinson, eBay Human Resources Director for Australia and New Zealand.
Rich produced research from Kouzes Posner (The Leadership Challenge 2002) which showed that Australians expected/valued honesty (93%) rather than inspiration (73%) from their organisation and their leaders. Contrast that with Singaporeans who expected/valued inspiration (94%) over honesty (65%). That says something about different cultural values!
As well the Fonterra example showed very different attitudes between Australians and New Zealanders!
Bridget Sebire, Communication and Change Management Consultant at Mercer, produced research to demonstrate the critical role communication plays during major change.
This showed that 87% of employees felt a strong sense of commitment to their organisation when senior management took the time to explain the reasons behind change. That fell to 41% when management failed to give an explanation.
And my overall take from the forum?
That organisational development, culture, Change Management and communication are all intertwined. Like a good potpourri the amount of each ingredient depends very much on the type of organisation and the nature of the change that is taking place.
Also that the role of communication, and the contribution PR and communications professionals, whether internal or external, is well respected and valued.
WIth these fresh insights, and a better appreciation of the whole Change Management process, I’m looking forward to my next Change Management consulting assignment!
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