Change that Sticks

When we implement a smart workforce – we know it is important to build a change that sticks.

Many reports tell us that the majority of business trying to adapt to a new ways of working simply won’t succeed. We don’t find this to be an issue.  Hence, today I am reviewing what it is that we do differently to the rest.

New Ways of Working

Employees who believe that new ways of working are common sense and align with other activities happening in your business, tend to embrace them as a no-brainer.

This means that you should consider whether employees find them desirable and doable – otherwise they just won’t stick. In the case of smart working, we run focus groups with staff prior to deciding on what to pilot.  We help you elicit their views and they inform the smart options.  These are the new goals – the new priority.

We work with our clients to ensure everyone involved understands that the new goals are the priority.

This is the hard bit

The next step is to build the new working practices into a routine – this takes training, time, determination and top leadership support. In the case of smart workforce implementation it includes leadership and smart team development – which we help your team to practice and embed.

We help you build a set of ‘can do’ guidelines that we share with your  people as opposed to a legalistic ‘can’t do’ policy written by an employment lawyer.

Culture of Trust

The third step involves an infrastructure that builds 2 way trust and supports the change. It keeps the new ways of working alive and ensures their is not slippage back into presenteeism. Old habits die hard.  Some managers and staff will need to unlearn old habits before they can move on.

Elements of the current culture may have to be shifted.  Technology, policy and procedures, mindsets and leadership skills all feed into a Culture of Trust that is required to enable a smart workforce.

Contact us

If you want to hear more about how we can help you implement a smart workforce and ensure the change sticks, lets have a chat.