Leading Change Starts With You
Joni Kirk, Communications Manager, HR/Payroll Modernization
I recently bought a book called Change is Good…You Go First. That title makes me laugh because of the simple truth it contains. In theory, many people are open to change. In practice, it's easier to be a follower than a leader because we want someone else to make hard decisions, overcome the challenges, and show us how it should be done.
One change on the horizon that may inspire feelings of “you go first” is the University of Washington's HR/Payroll Modernization (HR/P) project. However, with this change there will be no opportunity to wait and see how others do it. When the University switches to the new system in late-December 2015, that's it—we all must adapt at the same time. Given that many of us have an innate resistance to even small changes, how will we manage ourselves and our team members through such an extensive change?
Think of small but disruptive changes you have faced in your personal life. A recent example for many is updating the operating system on an iPhone. The update simply required you to back-up your data, click to install the OS, and wait for it to automatically restart your phone. However, some users experienced missing apps, email accounts disappearing, loss of Bluetooth functionality, and so on. I was content with the old OS and didn't want the hassle of potential glitches, so I delayed updating and was quite anxious about what to expect when phone functionality was restored. In reality, like most users, I experienced no problems at all. Yet, the unknown or potential for challenges had held me back. And this was a relatively tiny change.
Now let's look at the big change of HR/P, which will fundamentally alter the way we work as an institution. Just 20 months from now, a new HR and payroll system and accompanying processes will “go-live” and will require different behaviors for how we log our time worked, receive pay, view and change personal information, onboard employees, manage staff, and obtain organizational data.
Assessing Your Adaptability
As a leader, you have the opportunity to help people around you navigate this change. However, your success in doing so may depend on your own receptiveness to HR/P. To assess your adaptability to our changing environment, ask yourself the following questions:
- Do I understand why we need an HR and payroll system?
- Do I accept the fact that some of our processes for doing HR and payroll work are outdated or inefficient, and that a new system will require us to do things differently?
If you answered no to either of the previous two questions, take time to learn about HR/Payroll Modernization.
If you answered yes to both questions (or once you can answer yes), continue your self-assessment by asking yourself the following:
- Am I truly supportive of the project, or am I inclined to resist despite knowing the reasons for moving forward?
- Why do I feel supportive, resistant, or a bit of both?
Give yourself time to truly reflect on the questions above and examine any anxiety, hesitation, resistance, or doubt that surfaces. By doing this self-assessment, you will become better-equipped to support your staff through the transition to HR/P.
Supporting Change
People naturally move through several phases involving change. First, people experience uncertainty as they try to understand what the change means specifically for them. Uncertainty is followed by resistance as the impacts of change become clear. At the point of resistance, people have to make a choice: bail out and leave the changing situation; withdraw and only do what's necessary to survive; or move forward and adapt despite potential challenges.
Ideally, for HR/Payroll Modernization, UW's entire workforce would move into the commitment phase simultaneously and enthusiastically embrace change. Realistically, each individual will react differently to change; people will reach the point of resistance at different times and with varying levels of emotion.
Here are six ways for helping employees prepare for change individually and as a team.
- Share your vision for how things will be in one year or five years. Together, set group and individual goals to achieve that vision.
- Don't have all the answers. You may know how to resolve problems that arise. However, transparency and a desire to seek the thoughts of others can foster a creative and flexible work environment.
- Encourage small changes. People are generally uncomfortable with change, but can accept small changes such as reducing paper consumption or streamlining office procedures. Over a period of time, incremental modifications add up and contribute to an environment supportive of change. With your team, periodically review the changes that have been made to reinforce that change is beneficial.
- Reward ideas. The reward could be a word of thanks in a meeting, a certificate of inspiration, or a special treat. Take time to ensure people feel valued for ideas and what they can uniquely bring to the table. Even if you cannot act on all suggestions, your positive response to ideas will help people to continue thinking about improvements or innovations.
- Create space for feedback. If something isn't working the way it was intended, you want your team to be comfortable providing honest and constructive feedback. Encourage people to not just voice concerns, but help find a solution. Ask people outside your department or unit to share their thoughts. Develop ideas together, and continue to refine how things are done.
- Provide learning opportunities. Whether it's a continuing education course or learning a new hobby, ensure your colleagues have opportunities to learn something new every year. In addition to ensuring that skills stay fresh, learning opportunities may spark ideas for different practices in the workplace.
As I mentioned above, once the HR/P system goes live, there will be no “wait and see” period—but that doesn't mean you should institute change overnight. Instead, look for ways to get out in front of the change so that you can give yourself and your colleagues time to adapt at their own pace. By beginning to develop a culture of change now, we can minimize the impacts that our new HR and payroll system will bring.
