As the countdown to Brexit begins following UK prime minister Theresa May’s announcement that Article 50 will be invoked spring 2017, research shows senior managers expect organisational changes, but aren’t worried as they feel they’re getting better at managing change.
However, senior managers recognise agility and responsiveness, and having the right learning and development, and recruitment policies in place will be crucial, according to research by coaching, team and leadership development business, Full Potential Group.
Although 90% of senior managers expect organisational changes ahead of Brexit, 42% are not worried and 26% not at all worried. Some 79% of HR directors and 77% of HR managers say leaders are getting better at managing people through change, according to The State of Leadership & Change survey, which surveyed 1,000 management respondents split equally across large and SME businesses.
However, respondents do recognise the importance of strengthening leaders’ and managers’ capability to take the business through change: 44% of L&D heads and 41% of HR directors.
Agility and responsiveness to changing markets by both leader and organisation is one of the top three factors that will greatly influence the success of their business over the next five years, according to 74% of head of L&D/talent management respondents and 68% of HR directors. Having access to, and being able to recruit the right skills at the right time, will also be important, according to 51% for both.
Carole Gaskell, managing director, Full Potential Group said:
“As the findings show, success is about people, not processes so it’s imperative to involve employees throughout every stage of the initiative. Understand their individual motivators and assign tasks that ignite their inner fire. Personal ownership and empowerment means greater control, which lessens stress or uncertainty, which is often felt through times of change.
“Our own work is also finding that there’s been a strong shift in leadership across many organisations, with a move away from the traditional ‘command and control’ style to a more inclusive, collaborative one that empowers and holds people to account – which is why organisations and people are becoming more agile and better at embracing change.”
Expected changes ahead include:
- Sourcing additional markets outside the EU (28%)
- Restructuring and cutting costs (23%)
- Reorganising (16%)
- Relocating (13%)
Potential derailers ahead include:
- A lack of organisation-wide understanding and communication on why a change is being implemented (44%)
- Too much emphasis on process and not enough on people (25%)
- Too much change causing ‘change fatigue’ (15%)
- Poor motivation, staff morale and failure to engage people at all levels (15%)
- Full report here: http://bit.ly/2dNa7Gf