Transition Management
Home » Change Reactions » Transition ManagementShell International recognises the importance of transition management and now uses transition management training and policies worldwide.
There is a distinction between organisation changes and the transitions that affect individual staff and managers. Shell is alert to the personal transitions started when staff are relocated to other countries. Employees are encouraged and trained to have personal career planning skills to develop options and career continuity for periods of frequent organisational change.
The basic issue for employers is to increase transition awareness among staff and managers at all levels. This enables individuals to be more alert to their own life changes that will not always be known to employers. It also enables managers to be more alert to the differing vulnerability of staff during periods of organisation change (if they also have personal life changes), and to make allowances for this.
The transition cycle provides a valuable addition to organisation and staff planning tasks. It alerts managers to potential periods of crisis for individuals or groups eg to provide additional support to surviving staff after redundancies to reduce the effects of survivor syndrome (loss of morale and resignations). The timing of the recovery phase also suggests windows of opportunity for more rapid and innovative changes. The much sought after goal of "transformation" in organisations is only likely to happen after a well supported recovery phase, typically a year or so after a major change has been initiated.
Perhaps the highest priority needs to be given to enabling top management teams to cope with their own transitions, and monitor carefully the decisions of new managers appointed at intermediate levels.
For large-scale changes management style needs to change at different phases of transition. While a firm, directive style may be appropriate to launch a change more tolerance and support is needed in later months.
Ideally a more democratic, consultative management style is needed to harness the creative potential of staff during the transition recovery phase or innovation will be stifled. Corporate agendas need to be open to review and change in this phase when managers and staff have clearer insights into the new reality.
Organisation culture is a major factor in transition management. Organisations going through major or frequent changes need to be particularly alert to life/work boundary issues for managers and staff. Organisations which expect staff to work under sustained high pressure risk losing good staff through stress, absence and resignation during periods of transition crisis, whether due to personal or organisation changes. High "control culture" organisations will inhibit the creativity of staff and managers in recovery phases. It follows that these organisations are unlikely ever to achieve real transformation of attitudes except perhaps by recruiting a new workforce.
Transition management has important implications for Human Resource policies and practices. Transitions, whether due to personal or work changes, offer an alternative interpretation to many poor performance and disciplinary situations. Informal review of recent events for under-performing staff is highly recommended before formal procedures are initiated. Mentor systems can help and referral for independent medical or counselling advice may be advisable.
Sickness absence policies may also need review. Policies that penalise staff in periods of crisis from taking a few days break may result in much longer periods of sickness absence.
As transition management is introduced into organisations, both for managers and staff, employers will be better able to understand and support staff in periods of transition and development. Employers will benefit from more positive and innovative staff attitudes during periods of change. This is a win/win situation. It benefits family life for staff and reduces the costs and disruption of valuable staff otherwise lost to the organisation.
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Willingness to change is a strength, even if it means plunging part of the company into total confusion for a while.
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To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often. 