Implementing a new system means changing not only technology, but processes as well. Inevitably, it involves changes in how people work, and maybe even what they do. The technology changes are usually managed by a company´s IT department and the process changes by the business side, but "people change" often slips through the cracks-no one is really in charge of the human side of change management. As a result, the new systems and processes that were so painstakingly designed are not always fully adopted by the end users.
As a corporate entity that stretches across all divisions and maintains employee standards and policies, HR should be a logical partner for IT and the business units in managing the people change. But that requires a conscious strategy.
Get HR involved
First, HR should be involved throughout the process, preferably as early as requirements gathering because HR is the repository of information about employee policies that may not be clearly understood by the business units.
Data tracking. If the new system is going to store people data, HR needs to be a part of the requirements sessions to make sure the system can meet company policies and doesn´t contradict any legal requirements. For example, if one business unit is implementing a time-reporting system, the system must work consistently with corporate policy. If the company standard allows for monthly time reports but the system is only capable of weekly time reports, there´s a conflict.
Another issue might relate to tracking contingent labor and full-time employees in the same system. This practice may have legal ramifications, and HR can make sure that any potential trouble is avoided.
Training. It´s a good idea to get HR involved in the training program for the new system so they can understand firsthand any employee concerns that come up. One way to approach this is to give HR staff a quick, top-level training or overview of the system´s features to acquaint them with what users will be facing.
However, that may not be a viable approach if, for example, the system is very technical or specific and understanding it requires a level of training that would not be justifiable. In such cases, HR might wait until after the training and then interview key subject-matter experts to get a sense of where any pain points are. This information can help with adjustments in the training process for additional people down the road and help identify what kinds of job aides-new templates, FAQs or procedures documents, for example-might be required to address user issues.
Keeping abreast. Throughout the process of a system rollout, HR should be represented at weekly status meetings to understand how the project is evolving and learn about any potential roadblocks that could be addressed with additional change management activities.
Assess existing skill sets
It´s important to understand what skill sets are required by the new system and how proficient users need to be. What skills do the users already have, and how proficient are they?
Hard skills, soft skills. When assessing skills required to use the system be sure to consider both "hard" and "soft" skills. Hard skills are about how to use the system, whereas soft skills have to do with people skills and more general competencies. If it´s a project management system that is being implemented, for instance, the hard skills involve using the features of the project management system; the soft skills have to do with the staff´s competency to manage projects.
HR should encourage business to standardize and define the soft skills that are needed, and training programs should be implemented to bridge any gaps between skills needed and existing skill sets. Such training can be an adaptation of existing in-house programs, or it might be provided by external vendors or resources such as a "train-the-trainer" program. The important thing is that the training be easy to understand and tailored to the users´ needs.
Skills inventory.The skills required for using the system should be incorporated into your company´s skills inventory. Additionally, make sure they are represented in job descriptions for positions that will be using the system.
Keep in mind that a skills inventory should be a living document, check back to it every six months to a year to make sure that it´s still accurate. Sometimes the skills you think you need when you first start using a system look a lot different after you´ve been using it for a few months
Communication
In the change management process, HR has a particularly important communication role to play. Because HR´s relationship with end users is often closer than that of IT staff, HR can facilitate the adoption of the system by managing the lines of communication about the rollout. Key factors in this role are:
- Communicating consistent messages to end users about the importance of the system;
- Getting feedback directly from the end users.
HR staff speak the language of the end users more so than IT, whose lingo may sound too technical, or business managers, who may communicate in terms of clinical business rationales. As a result, HR is better equipped to inform people about exactly what they need to know and do. If HR is kept in the loop about the system rollout, they can act as a single source of messages, keeping people informed and neutralizing the rumor mill.
Designing an Incentive Program
To encourage adoption of the new system, employees´ facility at using it should be incorporated into their career development path. There are three basic ways to approach this:
-Develop a messaging campaign around the rollout to promote awareness of the new system, which in turn will ease adoption - a campaign could include sending a series of emails announcing the rollout, posting flyers around the office promoting the system launch or organizing a table in a common area to answer questions about the features and benefits of the system.
-Demonstrate to employees that proficiency at using the new system makes them a more valuable resource, both to the company and in terms of their own career development, by pointing out how the skills are viewed in the marketplace.
-Design a program of incentives and disincentives encouraging employees to learn and adopt the new system. For example, a section of the performance evaluation might comprise use of the system, with proficiency tied to bonuses or comp time.
By putting in place an incentive program, HR underscores that the organization places a high value on the system skills.
Communicating all of this ahead of time is important. It doesn´t work to roll the system out and announce the incentive program after the fact; it loses its impact.
Looking ahead
The role proposed for HR in facilitating system rollouts takes most HR departments further into the life of their workforce than ever before. As HR staffs gain experience with such initiatives, they will be able to leverage commonalities and best practices. Their new role will become smoother and, eventually, ingrained in the process. By adopting these strategies, HR can become a key enabler of change, a valuable part of any transformation effort when new systems or processes are introduced.
Ron DeWitt is an Associate Principal at Intellilink Solutions, Inc. - a boutique consulting firm specializing in automating knowledge worker organizations. His areas of focus include; project management, workforce optimization, systems implementation and change management. Find out more at www.intellilink.com.
