At Pave the Way, we recently supported a new CEO and his senior management team, many of whom, including the HR Director, were newly appointed, in defining their company’s new vision, mission, values, and strategic priorities. We worked closely with the senior management team to help them craft their three-year business plan. We then worked closely with the new HR Director to shape the company’s HR strategy and align her newly formed team, which included two new hires and an internal promotion. Our focus was to enhance the effectiveness of her whole team, ensure alignment with the broader strategy and build their capabilities as HR professionals.
A key objective was to help her to transition the HR function from an administrative role to a more strategic one. This shift enabled HR to play a pivotal role in planning and implementing the organisational changes required for the new business strategy. Reflecting on this project, we recognised the value of using it as a case study to illustrate the critical role HR plays in organisational change. Below, we outline the key contributions HR can make at each stage of the change process.
1. Establishing a sense of urgency and identifying additional misalignments
Once the senior management team had defined the company’s vision, mission, and strategic plan, it was crucial to diagnose misalignments with the vision and business strategy. HR played a key role in this diagnostic phase, helping to prioritise changes essential for successful implementation.
To drive change, an organisation must also create a sense of urgency, ensuring that all employees, not just senior leaders, understand the necessity of change. HR was instrumental in this by:
- Identifying and highlighting potential risks and repercussions of maintaining the status quo.
- Showcasing opportunities that could arise from effective interventions.
- Collaborating with the senior management team to build a compelling business case for change.
- Facilitating open and honest discussions to engage employees in recognising the need for transformation.
2. Creating a steering group or task force
Successful change requires a committed steering group or task force. While the senior management team in our case study formed the core of this group, we knew that it was vital to include key stakeholders across different levels and parts of the organisation. HR played a critical role in:
- Securing the commitment of other influential stakeholders such as union members.
- Identifying gaps in the steering group and recommending influential individuals from diverse functions and levels to be added. These individuals brought crucial expertise and experience to the task force and played a very important role in cascading the messages and building commitment among their peers and/or teams.
- Coordinating this steering group and planning workshops to enhance trust and alignment among its members.
3. Communicating the change vision and strategy
In our case study, to ensure clarity and engagement, we worked with the HR team to develop a targeted and comprehensive communication strategy. This included identifying the different stakeholder groups and their needs, and defining what would be communicated, when, to whom, and through which channels.
Additionally, we helped translate the company’s values into specific, observable behaviours and measurable objectives, which were then embedded into the new performance management process.
HR ensured that communication was a two-way process throughout the two-year implementation of the changes by:
- Establishing feedback loops to gauge reactions and concerns about both the change itself and its implementation.
- Empowering HR business partners to actively listen, gather employee input and address concerns transparently.
4. Empowering broad-based action
Sustaining change requires aligning organisational processes and structures with the new change vision. The HR team played a crucial role in:
- Continuing to identify barriers to change, such as business processes and policies that conflicted with the change vision and working closely with the senior management team to revise or eliminate these.
- Providing training and development to build the employee capabilities that were essential for implementing the changes.
- Partnering with leadership to introduce reinforcements, including performance management updates and reward systems that supported the new behaviours and objectives.
5. Generating and celebrating short-term wins
To maintain momentum throughout the change process in our case study, we worked with the senior management team to set both long-term goals but, importantly, also achievable short-term targets. HR supported this process by:
- Monitoring progress against these targets and tracking early successes.
- Sharing best practices, communicating success stories and celebrating short-term wins throughout the organisation to boost morale and demonstrate progress.
- Working with leaders to recognise and reward individuals who contributed to achieving these milestones.
6. Consolidating gains and sustaining change
Having established a clear HR strategy, reorganised the HR team to align with it and developed the team members’ capabilities, HR became integral to embedding continuous improvement into the company culture. Through their coordination and support for leaders and employees, and their crucial role as strategic business partners throughout the change process, they played a key role in sustaining progress. Even after the initial two years of change, HR continues to:
- Monitor progress and analyse success stories to reinforce positive momentum.
- Identify remaining organisational elements that conflict with the new strategy and to work with leaders to address them.
- Foster a culture of learning, helping teams draw insights from past challenges and apply them to future improvements.
Final thoughts
This case study highlights the invaluable role HR can and should play in driving organisational change. From diagnosing misalignments and building urgency to engaging employees around the change vision and sustaining progress, HR is a strategic partner in any transformation. By shifting from an administrative function to a business-aligned, proactive force, HR not only supports but actively shapes the organisation’s future.
At Pave the Way, we specialise in helping HR teams transition into this strategic role, ensuring they have the skills, structure, and influence needed to lead successful organisational change. If your company is undergoing a transformation, we would love to support you on this journey.
