The world of business is always evolving, and it is hard for organisations to stay ahead of the competition. Companies that want to remain relevant to their customers, be seen as progressive by their suppliers, and to be the kind of place that employees want to work, must ensure that they are always open minded, and working towards transformation.
Adaptability Leads to Thriving Business
Company leaders should always be asking themselves how their companies are changing, and whether the company is in a position to grow and develop. Change should only happen when it makes sense, and everyone in the company needs to be on board with the change - which is a difficult thing to ask, given that it is human nature to fear change.
The HR department is one part of the company that can lead change in a positive way. HR is in a strong position to communicate with, and engage, both current and future employees. They can lead the dialogue surrounding transformation, and make sure that employees know what the long-term vision for the company is, how the company is going to evolve, and what that means for a specific job role. Relationships with specialist transformation recruiters such as The Barton Partnership also help in attracting the right personnel.
If employees do not feel secure, if they do not believe that they are in a safe position in the workplace, or they do not understand what is expected of them and how their job fits into the broader company, then they will not be able to do their jobs well. Nervous and resentful employees are in difficult positions - their motivation suffers, and this brings down the morale of their team mates. If things get bad enough, it can affect not just internal productivity but also the image of the company to the outside world.
The job of HR is to make sure that employees are not overwhelmed. They should be communicating the company's vision, and how any evolution in the company supports that vision. They should be checking in with employees on a regular basis, to ensure that they are clear on what is needed for them, and that they can cope with the new workload.
Flexibility in The Workplace
Employees need to be flexible in terms of being multi-skilled, filling different roles, and moving around within the company, especially when a company is trying to evolve. The rapid changes in jobs and career paths may be viewed as stressful by some employees, but it offers good progression opportunities and can be a benefit for employees that want to keep gaining new skills.
A good HR manager will make a point of identifying the influencers in the company, and getting them on board to support the policies that the company is working towards. They will highlight the culture of the company, and how the skill in question can benefit that culture. Often, those leaders are not actually in formal management positions - but their influence in the break room should not be ignored. Even in the workplace, encouraging to someone to follow a policy is better than telling them that they must.
