Change Management: A Core HR Competency.

The business environment today is riddled with uncertainty, and business disruption is the order of the day. This is the result of the VUCA world of today, where business and economic volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity are the norm. Both internal disruptions, as well as market factors such as intense competition, are responsible for this state of affairs. This norm significantly affects work productivity, i.e., both efficiency and effectiveness of output, since it impacts the way people function. Dealing with any change is painful and employees naturally feel disengaged, disloyal, and unproductive when going through massive change. It is the HR leader’s role to help people embrace this change and function effectively, despite the non-conducive environment.

The contemporary HR leader has the great added responsibility of change management, and that cannot happen overnight. It involves anticipating change, assessing its impact on people, processes, and business metrics, and overriding the impact of change. Every HR leader must work towards building change management competencies and keep the following in mind:

Change needs patience: HR leaders who spearhead change management must cultivate a high degree of patience. Change cannot happen overnight, and requires constant people nurturing, people development, process overhaul, etc., to make the outcome a success. Moreover, any change creates great resistance from the people who are impacted, and this must be dealt with great care. Giving out the right assurances, building trust, and placing confidence in people are some of the bare basics to take people along with you through the process.

1. Conflict management: Any change is bound to bring forth great conflicts in opinions, ideas, thoughts, and actions. It is the role of the HR leaders to act as the mediator of such conflicts, managing the various stakeholders so that the business goals are achieved.
2. Face setbacks: A change leader must get accustomed to deal with disorder and chaos. Building a consistently high morale is one of the core competencies for a change management leader. An HR leader is also required to assess the setback, i.e., whether it is a deal breaker or whether it can be managed. This decision is crucial in setting the course for managing the change.
3. Protect the team: Being a change leader requires leading from the front, taking people with you along the way. Creating a great culture that makes the change management process easier for everyone is the first action an HR leader must take. This includes creating communication and collaboration channels, establishing openness and transparency, setting in place shared benefits for the people, and so on.
4. Predict change: A great HR leader is one who can not only manage change as it hits, but can also predict changes and prepare for them in advance. Predicting forthcoming uphill journeys is a great way to build confidence in your team about yourself. Looking ahead to change, and orienting everyone on how to navigate it, is a necessary part of being an HR leader.

Managing change is not easy, it requires a whole different set of competencies. It is about understanding what your people are going through, acknowledging the frustration and difficulties faced and managing it in line with the business leads. HR leaders are set to be in-demand change managers with the uncertain landscape, and every HR professional must aim to build within himself or herself, the right change management capabilities.