an Agile model will be quick to respond to changing market conditions. A business that uses the allied concept of Sprint planning will also be used to swift, closely monitored teamwork that encourages a dynamic approach to problem solving. The Coronavirus pandemic has forced change. Business models which seemed unassailable - Uber, AirBnB – have been called into question in terms of scale if not durability and alternative approaches to working and workplaces are a reality. Entire workforces are now equipped to work remotely and many more people are achieving and maintaining their own well-being. Change is natural and to be expected, and now more than ever organisations need to evolve 12 . To deliver change effectively, Change Communications practitioners need to be responsive and perceptive. Much more than just a reaction to economic crisis, good Change Communications develops a range of clear, timely, honest and dialogical 13,14 communication competencies for the long term – good Change Communications will be human . Getting Ready to Communicate Change Communications is not a new area of study; it has appeared in academic papers since the 15,16 1980s, although much of the spotlight has been on Change Management. Further, when communication is seen as a tool to get things done rather than part of the change process itself, the danger is that
it becomes purely utilitarian, losing its power and value as a consequence. As an alternative to this default ‘communication as a tool’ model, there are several considerations worth embedding in the Change Communications continuum. Firstly, today’s employees are better educated than ever before and as a result demand greater transparency and expect to be treated with respect. Yet not all business leaders have kept pace with their evolving workforce. Many still see change as the product of a plan to be implemented, paying little heed to feedback or the results of consultations. Further, strategic leaders do not necessarily have the right skills to communicate their vision – but nobody wants to tell them that to their face. More importantly, while most people are at least apprehensive about change, many become anxious and a few will face serious mental health problems as a result of uncertainty about their future. Change can raise the spectre of being side-lined or unemployed, it can threaten the existing state of affairs and shake people from their comfort zones. Poor or ineffective communication can be very damaging to an individual, to their families, co-workers and, by extension, their employers. In fact, the cost of disengaged employees can be considerable 17 . While detailed figures fluctuate widely, both the US and the UK face approximately 15% of employees who are actively disengaged. According to Gallop,
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