How to manage change

booklet

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Contents
1

About this guide

Managing change: a summary

What is change?
What causes change?
Why pro-actively manage change?
How do you manage change?

4
5
6
7

How does change feel?

The link between health, work and wellbeing
The emotional journey
How do you overcome resistance to change?

9
9
10
13

What do you tell people and how?

Develop an internal communication strategy
The visual act of communication

14
15
18

Do you manage or lead people through change?

Working with employee representatives and working groups
The value of workshops

19
20
21

How important is employee engagement?

What is employee engagement?
The role of line managers

24
24
25

Appendix 1
What does the law say?

27
27

Appendix 2
Some tools for managing change

29
29

10

Appendix 3
Sample internal communication strategy

33
33

11

Appendix 4
Important changes to making employment tribunal claims

37
37

Acas Training

39

CONTENTS

About this

guide
Change can be threatening and
disruptive. It can also be very hard
work because it usually involves
adapting to a new environment,
working practices or personal
circumstances.
There are some changes that most
of us have been through such as
starting a new job, being retrainedor
moving to a new workplace. This
shared experience of change is an
ideal starting point for understanding
how change can affect you and your
employees on both a personal and
organisational level.
This guide will help line managers
and employers manage major
change more effectively by focusing
on:

the personal experience of change

and what this can tell us about the

kind of support employees need

how to engage with employees

through regular communication
and genuine consultation.

HOW TO MANAGE CHANGE

Although every situation is unique,

and every organisation is different,
there are common elements to
managing most change. This guide
provides advice on how to:

plan for change although some

change comes out of the blue it is

better to have to review your plans
than to have no plans at all

provide leadership this is

particularly important during times

of uncertainty when employees will
need reassurance

keep up-to-date with the law

there is a great deal of legislation

covering such things as handling
redundancies, transfer of
undertakings (TUPE), contracts of
employment etc (see Appendix 1,
p27).

Managing change:

a summary

This summary is intended as an aide memoire to employers and line

managers and a useful reference point for small businesses.

To manage change effectively you need to:

3 communicate and consult:

develop an internal communications strategy to put across your key

messages
talk to your internal and external customers directly through
targeted communications
involve everyone in making decisions through effective and timely
consultation to:
improve your employees understanding of the need for change
and gain their commitment
identify and address employees concerns
tap into the knowledge and creativity of your staff.

Remember: effective communication and consultation are always

important, not just during periods of change. For more detailed guidance
see the Acas guide Employee communications and consultation go to
www.acas.org.uk/publications
3 know your legal duties, particularly around issues such as:

contracts of employment
redundancies
lay-offs
TUPE
flexible working
the Information and Consultation of Employees regulations (ICE).

MANAGING CHANGE: A SUMMARY

3 understand the emotional journey that every individual goes through

when faced with change from hearing the news right through to
coming to terms with the after effects. This journey, as described by
JM Fisher 1, typically involves feeling:

anxiety can I cope?

happiness at last something is going to change!
fear what impact will the change have on me?
threat the problem is bigger than I thought
guilt are the past failings down to me?
disillusionment this is not for me so Im leaving
acceptance maybe things wont be so bad
excitement Im looking forward to the challenge.

3 demonstrate strong leadership, especially in a difficult economic

climate, by:

creating a vision for the future

linking individual and teams goals to organisational targets
setting an example
walking the floor and being seen
creating an organisational culture based on openness and trust.
3 engage with employees to:

get the best out of them in terms of performance

cement their commitment to the organisation
help line managers trigger positive discretionary behaviour
(see p25).

3 use problem-solving techniques such as:

1

force field analysis

SWOT analysis
cause and effect analysis
root cause analysis
brainstorming
teambuilding.

The Process of Transition, JM Fisher 2003

HOW TO MANAGE CHANGE

What is

change?

The answer to this questionshould

be quite simple. After all, recent
research has shown that
organisations undergo major change
about once every three years,
and that within that cycle of major
change is an almost constant swirl of
minor change.
Major change can include mergers,
redundancies, re-structuring ornew
working practices, while minor

change can mean anything from the

introduction of new training courses
or company policies to new canteen
facilities or travel arrangements.
Change often alters our routine,
challenges our perceptions and
makes us reflect on how things are
done. Change is usually
characterised by a desire to improve
things whether its cashflow,
products or processes.

Major change
every 3 years

Constant
minor change

WHAT IS CHANGE?

Employees often feel caught

between the two cycles of change,
expected to be able to instantly
adapt to whatever comes their way.
Employers often find it difficult to
focus on processes like employee
communication and engagement,
when faced with constant planning
and reviews of products or
performance. They may not even
always be aware of the imminent
change.
How we react to change often
depends on whether we see it
coming and how many people it
affects. Change is either:

planned or unplanned planned

change might include an office

move or the introduction offlexible
working, while unplannedchange
might include lay-offs or
redundancies brought about by an
economic downturn

individual or organisational some

change largely affects individuals,

such as a newjob description or
individual redundancy, while other
change, such as an office move or
company re-branding, affects the
whole organisation.

HOW TO MANAGE CHANGE

What causes change?

Change can be caused by:

external pressures such as

changes in global markets,

new competitors or technology,
government legislation and
customer feedback

internal pressures such as the

need to review policies and
procedures, accommodation
issues, pay structures and
employee feedback.

A certain degree of pressure is an

essential part of working life for many
organisations it can be often be a
motivating factor. Change often
starts when pressure reaches a
tipping point and employers realise
that something needs to be done.
For example, if a competitor
launches a rival product you may be
forced to respond if your own sales
figures are adversely affected.
Force field analysis (see Appendix 2,
p29) is widely used to understand
and manage change. In force field
analysis, change is characterised as
a state of imbalance between driving
forces (such as changing markets or
new personnel) and restraining
forces (such as cultural inertia or fear
of failure).

As an employer you may see the

pressure points developing between
conflicting forces. It is often best to
act quickly to solve a problem. If you
do nothing and the pressure
becomes too great, or goes on for
too long it can cause organisational
stress and undermine your
productivity.

Organisational stress

The HSE defines stress as the

adverse reaction people have to
excessive pressures or other
types of demand placed on
them. This also applies to
organisations.

Why pro-actively manage

change?

You need to pro-actively manage

change for the following reasons:

economic survival. Change is not

usually a choice but a necessity.
Developing new products or
retraining staff could keep you
ahead of your competitors

accountability. Effective change

management gives you the chance

to explain, to both internal and
external customers, what you are
going to do and why

employee wellbeing. Health and

wellbeing at work is strongly linked

to having a degree of control over
our job and how it is done. Giving
employees a voice in how change
is managed can help maintain their
sense of wellbeing

organisational effectiveness.

Everyone expects teething

problems with new systems but
rushed, unplanned change can
seriously damage the confidence
of staff and customers

employee engagement. Research

has shown that employees take

their lead for how they feel about
their job and how hard they work
from their line managers. Line
managers can trigger positive
discretionary behaviour (see p25)
by showing that they care about
how change impacts on their staff

employment relations. Badly

managed change can cause longlasting resentment and ill feeling

that damages employment
relations and creates an
organisational culture based on
mistrust and a lack of cooperation.

WHAT IS CHANGE?

How do you manage

change?

Academics have analysed the

different ways we manage change
and some of the more popular
theories include:
1. Change: moving from one static
state to another. Lewins Modelof
change sees organisations
operating in an almost
permanently frozen state. Toalter
the status quo organisations
unfreeze, overcome the obstacle
or hurdle, and then refreeze.
2. Change: influencing the way we
think and behave. Beers Model of
change focuses on task alignment
to manage change and suggests
that employers can use formal
policies to institutionalise change.
3. Change: not a beginning or an
end point but an ongoing process.
Shaws Model of change sees
change as an untidy and at times
clumsy process but also a natural
part of how organisations evolve.

It is impossible to be too prescriptive

about how you should manage
change effectively but the basic
building blocks many organisations
use include:

Underpinning all change

management is an understanding
of what people go through when
they experience change see
How does change feel?, p9

If Acas had to answer the question

how do you manage change?
in three words our answer would
be Communicate, communicate,
communicate (see What do you
tell people and how?, p14)

Change can be traumatic and

disruptive. As a manager your key

responsibilities are to:

create a vision
lead
consult particularly on those
issues covered by the law, such
as redundancies and transfers
of undertaking
engage with employees (see
How important is employee
engagement?, p24)
reflect on how you have
managed change and what
can be improved in future and
celebrate successes.

HOW TO MANAGE CHANGE

Consult

Lead

Engage

Communicate

Communicate

Reflect
Communicate

Create a vision

Understand the emotional journey

WHAT IS CHANGE?

How does

change feel?

Faced with something new or

unexpected our initial reaction is
often one of anxiety and sometimes
fear. To understand how change
feels we need to look at:

the link between health, work and

wellbeing

the contrasting emotions we can

experience during periods of
change.

The link between health, work

and wellbeing
In the Acas guide Health, work and
wellbeing we ask the question: Is
work good for your health? The
answer is that yes, work is good for
your health because it provides:

financial reward
self esteem
companionship
status.

HOW TO MANAGE CHANGE

What cements these elements and

creates a feel good factor about
going to work is having some control
over our working lives. The greater
the level of control you have over
how you do your job, the happier
you are likely to be and the more
committed to your place of work.
Change can affect the way youfeel
emotionally, mentally and physically.
It can also damage your self-esteem
by putting you in new and
demanding situations, and it can
deprive you of your friends. Badly
managed change can also make you
feel as if things are out of control
and affect how well you engage with
your customers and colleagues.
However, although change is
generally seen as negative, this isnot
the whole picture. Any basicanalysis
of change will highlight opportunities
as well as threats (see SWOT
analysis on p30). During a
reorganisation, for example,
employees may feel the safety of
their jobs to be under threat, but
they may also feel they have the
opportunity to achieve greater career
fulfilment.

The emotional journey

Ch
an
ge

The academic JM Fisher has produced a process of transition curve that

highlights the journey that employees typically go through during the process
of change. These emotions are represented in a curve which shows the
emotional highs and lows in the following way:

Happiness
Anxiety

Moving
forward

Fear
Gradual
acceptance

Threat
Guilty
Depression

There is no time constraint on how

long this journey normally takes it
depends on the circumstancesand
those involved. Employeesare
unlikely to be aware of moving

systematically from one emotion to

the next but the range of emotionsis
very common. Managers may get to
the moving forward stage before
employees so regular communication
and feedback is vital.

HOW DOES CHANGE FEEL?

10

Employers and line managers can react to change in the right way by:

Change: reacting to emotion in the right way:

Where are you?

Employee emotion

What can you do?

Rumour mill:
nothing has been
announced but
people are talking
at tea points and
in the canteen

I cant stand the

uncertainty. Its
starting to affect my
sleep

Act quickly, the longer the

uncertainty lasts the
worse people will feel.
The anticipatory phase of
change can cause anxiety
and stress

Official statement:
you announce your
plans to restructure
the business

Stress levels are

sky high at the
moment

At last, some
concrete news
I always thought
the old system
could be improved
What does this
mean for me?

Involve employees at the

earliest stage in planning
change see Appendix 1
on redundancies and the
law
Tell the truth! It can be
tempting to gloss over the
more damaging impact of
change
Build on positive feedback
some employees may be
relieved or even happy that
somethings been done at
last
Offer reassurance,
particularly with likely job
losses or extensive retraining
Consult with staff as soon
as possible

Company vision:
you develop a
vision for the future
of the organisation

11

This is all very blue

Be clear about the
sky but I wonder what
message you are
theyre really planning
putting across: avoid
ambiguity and jargon!
What does any of
this mean in practical
terms to me?

HOW TO MANAGE CHANGE

Change: reacting to emotion in the right way:

Where are you?

Employee emotion

Communication:
you communicate
details of the
restructuring via
emails and team
briefings

So, its really

Think about the way you
happening and my
communicate see What
old status and job are
do you tell people and
under real threat
how? p14
now

Line managers:
Individuals are told
the impact on their
jobs by their line
managers

I cannot accept this

is going to happen

I just want to get on

with it and forget all
the talking

I feel responsible for

the failings of the old
system. If only Id
worked harder
Yet more
restructuring, Im
going to start looking
for a new job

Changes begin:
job descriptions
and contracts
change and new
reporting structures
start

What can you do?

This is just complete

rubbish
Its hopeless. Im
never going to get
used to the new
system

Address personal
concerns and give
employees the chance for
questions constructive
criticism can be very
positive!
Recognise how
individuals feel
Plan for employees who
cannot accept the
changes and want to leave
Provide training where
necessary for new duties
or procedures
Keep communicating
Offer strong leadership
and motivation
Provide counselling where
appropriate

Bedding in: new

structure is
monitored and
feedback is sought

There are teething

Set up a working group to
problems some
work on specific problem
days things are better
areas
than before and some
Involve employees
days they seem worse
in reviewing ongoing
Were really
changes
beginning to pull
Celebrate successes
together as a team
now
HOW DOES CHANGE FEEL?

12

How do you overcome

resistance to change?

Some resistance to change maybe

inevitable. You are likely to
experience more resistance if youdo
not respond to how employees are
feeling in the right way. Although
individual employees are often at
different points on their emotional
journey at different times, you may
find that there are a few distinct
clusters of employees who share the
same attitudes. For example, there
are often those employees who:

are very reluctant to change and

are often caught up in feelings of

anxiety or fear longer than their
colleagues. These employeeswill
need plenty of coaxing and
reassurance but it is important that
their concerns are not glossed
over

go along with the change but

begin to lose sight of the end

objectives. These employees may
be quickly disillusioned or unhappy
and feel they are caught between
two stools, having given up the
reassurance of the old systems
but without having the satisfaction
of seeing any results. You will need
to motivate and encourage these
employees and keep reminding
them of your key messages (see
communications strategy, p33)

13

HOW TO MANAGE CHANGE

have begun to accept the need for

change and are beginning to see
the light at the end of the tunnel.
These employees may still express
a certain amount of hostility but
they may also be impatient to get
on and make things work. You
will need to continue to win these
employees over, making the most
of their positive feelings and the
way this can influence others

have adapted to change and are

already making forward strides

working with the new systems or
work environment. Although these
employees will generally feel happy
about the changes they may begin
to identify themselves as being
different from colleagues who are
lagging behind. You may find that
they can be used as mentors or
provide useful role models for the
change process and how it can
work best.

Managing groups of employees

experiencing this emotional journey
can be very demanding on a line
managers inter-personal skills. See
how important is employee
engagement (p24) for more
information on how line managers
can get the best out of their staff.

What do you tell

Communication
or consultation?

people and how?

reassurance about how the

changes will affect them personally

Communication is concerned
with the interchange of
information and ideas within an
organisation.

clear direction and leadership

the sense that you empathise with

Consultation goes beyond this

and involves managers actively
taking account of the views of
employees before making a
decision.

honesty the truth is best even if it

For more information seethe

Acas guide Employee
communications and consultation
at www.acas.org.uk/publications.
Formore information on the
roleemployee representatives
play in consultation see the Acas
guide Representation at work.
When you talk to your employees
about changes to the organisation
and their working lives they will often
want:

to question your plans and the

reasons you give for the changes

taking place

their concerns to be listened to by

their senior managers

their position and there is no sense

of us and them

is bad news

a promise of regular updates

during the change process

the chance to be consulted.

Before you decide exactly what to
tell your employees and how, you
should:

develop an internal

communications strategy (this

need not be very complex for
small firms)

check what the law says (this is

covered in Appendix 1, (p27))

think about the words you use

but also your tone of voice and
body language

do your homework: think about

the emotional journey individual

employees go through you may
have to customise your message
for different internal audiences.

WHAT DO YOU TELL PEOPLE AND HOW?

14

Develop an internal
communications strategy

A communications strategy sets out

how you are going to communicate
your messages to your target
audience. Examples of what an
internal communications strategy
Communicate
promptly

might look like is provided at

Appendix 3. Although they may not
be needed for all minor forms of
change, the same basic principles
apply in terms of issue, audience,
message etc and it is worth getting
used to using them. Here are some
useful hints on developing a strategy:

Communications needs to be built into the planning

process for change right from the very start when you
decide:
the issues
objectives
audience
messages
Larger organisations are likely to have a specialist internal
communications team. Small firms may allocate internal
communications to the manager who looks after HR or
the employer may undertake the role themselves.
NOTE: The way internal communications is handled can
tell you a lot about the culture of your organisation. Very
hierarchical organisations can be slower to react to advice
from their communications team.

Get
commitment

Your leaders need to own the change process this

means agreeing with the messages and being very visible
and accessible right through the process see Do you
manage or lead? p19.
Note: Clear and visible leadership helps to actively engage
employees and maintain their effectiveness (see p24).

Be consistent

15

Dont communicate for the sake of it but dont be afraid

to repeat your messages remember employees will be
at different stages in coming to terms with change.

HOW TO MANAGE CHANGE

Provide
context

Your key messages may well be based on your corporate

or business objectives. These can seem remote to
employees but middle managers or line managers in
small firms can provide the local context that makes
the changes meaningful to individuals and teams.
Note: Provide your managers with the right tools to put
across your messages locally these might include Q&As,
slide shows or weekly email bulletins.

Choose the
The more face-to-face communication you have with
right channels employees the better: so use team meetings to brief staff.
You may not be able to answer all questions during a
fixed meeting time so consider using emails or
newsletters to respond to queries.
Note: Always use Plain English. Jargon will only dilute
your message and confuse your audience. For example,
say the new system will process our orders more quickly
rather than the new system will be fit for purpose. For
more information visit www.plainenglish.co.uk
Get feedback

Taking regular mood checks on how people are feeling

at different stages of the change will help you plan your
communications strategy. You might simply walk the
floor or adopt more formal means of testing the water,
such as consultation meetings or focus groups. You
should be able to work out what messages are not
getting through or how to tackle any resistance to
change.
Also, encourage constructive criticism it can produce
good ideas and it shows that you trust your staff.

Look after
your staff

Your employees are your biggest asset. If you manage

change poorly they are likely to be less motivated and
less productive and your reputation as an employer
with customers and stakeholders will suffer.
Note: the way procedures and systems are set up and
used is just as important as the systems themselves. Line
managers with the right kind of interpersonal skills have
the ability to trigger positive discretionary behaviour in
other words, they can improve the way employees do
their jobs see p25 for a definition.

WHAT DO YOU TELL PEOPLE AND HOW?

16

In many organisations there isno

single audience, but manydifferent
groups and individuals all with
their own preferred ways of
communicating and being
communicated with. For many
employers team briefings continueto
be used as the preferred way of
getting key messages across, but
some employees may find these
inhibiting not all employees willfeel
confident about speaking up infront
of a group of colleagues andsenior
managers. It may be best to usea
mix of communication channels
such as emails, intranet sites,or
bulletins. Trade union and employee
representatives also have an
important role to play in getting
messages across see p20.

Your internal
communications
strategy checklist:

Your internal communications

strategy checklist:
What is the issue?
Who do I need to talk to?
What do I need to say?
How will I put across my

message (this is your

strategy)

What methods will I use?

How will I get feedback?

Effective internal communication is

also based on the perception of
what is being communicated and
how, and this may vary between
managers and employees. For
example:

senior managers may hold a team

meeting, ask for views on
imminent changes and feel they
can tick the consult staff box

employees may turn up to a

hastily arranged meeting in a large

hall, stand near the back as their
employer speaks at length and go
away feeling they had little chance
to express their views.

This can also apply the other way

round, with managers going to great
lengths to consult with staff and
employees not making the most of
the opportunity or taking part fully.
Communication is a very physical
process. Although the words you
use are very important, your tone of
voice and body language are also
vital. Research 2 has found that when
conveying messages about your
personal feelings or attitudes, your
body language is the most important
instrument for getting across these
feelings.
This much quoted equation may not
apply to every workplace meeting
for example, when you are giving out
information but it is worth bearing
2

17

HOW TO MANAGE CHANGE

Silent Messages, Mehrabian

in mind if you want to give extra

weight to your feelings. For example,
if you have to say I am very sorry
about the loss of jobs you will
certainly want to give the impression
that your words have real meaning.
Dont be afraid of stating the
obvious. The sense of obligationthat
exists between employer and
employee sometimes called the
psychological contract can be
assumed or taken for granted.

During periods of change and

uncertainty it is often bests to spell
things out. For example:

if there is no threat to jobs then

say so, but dont promise what

you cannot be sure of delivering in
the future

if training budgets are going tobe

cut then say so, but brief line

managers so that they can explain
what this will mean to their own
teams.
5

message

The visual act of communication

Body
language:
55%

Tone
of voice:
38%

Words:
7%

WHAT DO YOU TELL PEOPLE AND HOW?

18

Do you manage or lead people

through change?

It is often said that you manage

people through good times andlead
them through bad times.
Organisational change is far too
common a phenomenon to be seen
by employers as necessarily bad,
but it does often have the potential
to destabilise organisational
effectiveness and employment relations.
As an employer you face a difficult
balancing act during periods of
significant change between:

sharing the decision-makingwith

your employees so they have

chance to express their viewsand
opinions and feel part of the
organisations future plans

showing the kind of strong

leadership and sense of direction

that employees often expect
during uncertain times.

Employee consultation is often a

legal requirement during periodsof
major change for example,during
redundancies, mergers or takeovers. Many employers go beyond
consultation and involve employees
and their representatives injoint
decision-making. This can help
maintain performance and
productivity by improving employee

19

HOW TO MANAGE CHANGE

engagement (see how important is

employee engagement? p24).

Strong leadership can sometimesbe

confused with an authoritarianstyle
of management but for many
employees strong leadership is
about:

visibility: simply walking the floor

can be a very effective way of

reassuring employees and keeping
in touch with the general mood

accessibility: some managers are

almost permanently in meetings
set some time aside for regular
contact with your team

consistency: if youve got a plan

thats been agreed with staff stick

to it wherever possible

decisiveness: although its good

practice to involve employees in

making decisions sometimes the
buck stops with you and a firm
and quick decision is needed. But
remember, it is always best to
explain your reasons

clarity: ambiguous messages can

fuel the rumour mill during periods

of change. Managers need to be
clear about their message and
how they will communicate it.

The role of elected

representatives is to:
3 ensure effective two-way
communication between staff
and management

3 encourage employees to get

involved by canvassing views,
seeking feedback and sharing
information
3 convey the views of employees
accurately
3 act as a sounding board on
employee feelings for
management
3 respect confidentiality where
appropriate

3 maintain a broad overview of

whats happening in the company.

Working with employee

representatives and working
groups

Working with union and other

employee representatives is a vital
aspect of successfully managing
change. A good employee
representative will be keen to see
your organisation do well, be ableto
see the broader picture in termsof
management issues as well as
represent the views of employees.

If you employ 50 or more employees,

your employees have the rightto
request an information and
consultation agreement. For more
details on the Information and
Consultation of Employees (ICE)
Regulations and other relevant
legislation see Appendix 1, p27.
It is important to maintain good
working relationships with your
employee representatives. You should:

consult them before decisions are

made and early enough to give them

the opportunity to influence policy

allow them enough time and

proper facilities to canvass views

of employees

give an explanation if a proposal

put forward by an employee
representative is rejected

make a clear decision where

agreement cannot be reached

provide information promptly and

helpfully

hold effective consultation

meetings with meaningful

agendas, professional chairing and
well worked out arrangements for
reporting back to employees.

DO YOU MANAGE OR LEAD PEOPLE THROUGH CHANGE?

20

Negotiation or
consultation?

Negotiation often takes the

form of discussions between
unions and employers in order to
reach agreement on things like
pay and conditions. Can be used
as part of collective bargaining.
Consultation employers inform
their employees of workplace
developments and ask (and take
account of) their views before
making a decision.
For more information on employee
representation see the Acas guide
Representation at work and the two
guides on managing time off: Trade
Union Representation in the workplace:
a guide to managing time off,training
and facilities and Non-union
representation in the workplace: a
guide to managing time off, training
and facilities. All these guides can be
found at www.acas.org.uk.

21

HOW TO MANAGE CHANGE

The value of workshops

Employers will often work closely

with employee representatives inwell
established joint consultative
committees to manage significant
organisational changes, such as
changes to pay and conditions.
Employers can also engage with
employee representatives and gauge
how well change is going by using
less formal one-off methods suchas
workshops. Acas advisers often
work with organisations to help run
participative one-day workshops
during significant periods of change.
These are based on problem-solving
and joint decision-making and will
give an employer a snapshot of:

the main change issues affecting

the organisation and

the concerns that managers and

employees are grappling with.

Each workshop works slightly

differently, depending on the sizeof
the organisation and the issuesbeing
discussed. You can have anything
between 8-20 attendees,
representing different gradesand
with both management and
employee representatives.

A typical Acas workshop on managing change

Introduction

An Acas adviser explains how the workshop will run. The

employer or senior manager then reminds everyone of the
key challenges facing the business eg new equipment
and working hours.

SWOT
analysis

The group conducts a structured SWOT analysis (see

p21), listing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and
threats represented by the changes. The weaknesses
and threats are identified first as these are the potential
barriers holding the business back and are peoples fears
and concerns. Then the strengths and opportunities are
identified to ensure a balanced picture and to build people
up for the change.
The session is run as a brainstorm (see p31) and each
member of the workshop has equal say. This continues
until people have made all their points typically there are
about 40 or so points.

Prioritisation

The important points and key issues are then identified

and prioritised through voting (three points for your most
important issue, two points for your next and one point for
your third). The points which have attracted votes are then
grouped into three or four main themes eg
communications, working arrangements, training. This
creates a joint change agenda that all have contributed to.

Syndicate
work

The workshop breaks into mixed syndicates to discuss

and analyse further the priority issues. They work on how
weaknesses or threats can be reduced, strengths built on
and opportunities exploited.

As well as providing practical

solutions to real workplace problems,
workshops can also help to break
down cultural barriers such as
overly hierarchical organisational
structures and promote employee
engagement (see p24).

DO YOU MANAGE OR LEAD PEOPLE THROUGH CHANGE?

22

Joint decision
making

Syndicates work on
each main theme to
produce solutions

Workshop made
up of anywhere between
8-20 managers and
employee reps

Members vote for

their priority points
and key messages are
grouped together

Employer sets out the

challenges facing the
business in the form of
a mission statement or
organisational target

The group uses a

SWOT analysis in the
form of a brainstorming
session to get a balanced
picture of the problem
faced see p30

23

HOW TO MANAGE CHANGE

How important is

employee engagement?
The Macleod Review, publishedin
July 2009, found that engaged
employees often perform better in
the following areas:

Employee engagement is about

creating opportunities for employees
to connect with their colleagues,
managers and the wider organisation.

customer service
innovation
adaptability
quality and speed, productivity.

Rees et al 2009 Kingston Employee

Engagement Consortium

What is employee
engagement?

Adaptability is critical to successfully

managing change. Engaged
employees are likely to adapt better
to change and have easier emotional
journeys because they know they will
be consulted regularly and given some
say in the decision-making process
and because they identify with the
future success of the organisation.

Employer provides:
job satisfaction
training
equal
opportunities
flexible working
fair pay
regular
communication
and consultation

The Chartered Institute of Personnel

Development describes employee
engagement as a combination of
commitment to the organisation and
its values plus a willingness to help
out colleagues.

Engagement is very much a two-way

process, based upon the recognition
of mutual needs and a certain degree
of give and take:

Engagement =
higher
productivity
better trust and
cooperation
greater ability
to adapt to
change

Employee provides:
hard work
loyalty and
motivation
pride in a job well
done
flexibility
understanding of
bigger picture
regular feedback

HOW IMPORTANT IS EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT?

24

Engagement can be directed

towards the organisation wherean
employee works but it is often
triggered by line managers whoare
usually responsible for the way
policies are used in practice andfor
developing good working
relationships.
Positive discretionary behaviour is
behaviour which
goes beyond the requirements
of the job to give that extra
performance which can boost the
bottom line
Chartered Institute of Personnel
and Development
Employee engagement is not
something you can conjure up outof
thin air. It requires the nurturing ofa
working environment based on
openness, personal development,
involvement and trust. What limits or
damages engagement is:

job insecurity and fear

jobs with very short cycle times
jobs causing high stress little
autonomy, inflexibility

unfairness especially in pay and

rewards

bullying especially poor line

management behaviour

being stuck in the same job for

long periods and unable to move.

25

HOW TO MANAGE CHANGE

The role of line managers

Line managers are particularly

important during periods of change
because they provide the local
context in other words, they can
translate organisational issues into
personal issues and relate to the
particular circumstances of individual
employees.
Line managers are also responsible
for the exchange between employers
and employees (shown in the
diagram above) that forms the basis
of employee engagement. Line
managers deal with things like:

training
equal opportunities
flexible working
communication
performance management.
The level of trust developedbetween
line managers and employees
enables the process of transition
described by Fisher (see p3) tobe
smoother and less traumatic. The
University of Bath has undertaken
research on the role of line
managers. Many of the skillsthey
identified as being critical to
developing employee engagement
are also vital to managingchange.

To encourage the kind of

discretionary behaviour from
employees associated with higher
performance, front line managers
need to:

build a good working relationship

with their staff. They need to lead,

listen, ask, communicate, be fair,
respond to suggestions and deal
with problems

help and support employees to

take more responsibility for how

they do their jobs by coaching and
guidance

build effective teams.

Line managers do not work in
isolation. To be effective they need
good teams around them and senior
managers who espouse the same
kind of values and demonstrate the
same kind of behaviours such as
open communication, regular
positive feedback and an emphasis
on personal skills and development.

HOW IMPORTANT IS EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT?

26

Appendix 1:

What does the law say?

If your change
involves:

You will need to:

Redundancies

o Consult with your employees:

if you plan to dismiss as redundant 20 or more employees
at one establishment over a period of 45 days or less you
must consult representatives of any recognised trade union
or, if no union is recognised, other elected representatives

For further
information see
the Acas guide
How to manage
redundancies at
www.acas.org.
uk/publications

if 20-99 employees are to be made redundant over the 90

days or less consultation must begin at least 30 days
before the first dismissal takes effect
if 100 or more employees are to be dismissed consultation
must begin at least 45 days before the first dismissal takes
effect.
o Disclose information to the appropriate representatives about:
reasons for the proposed dismissals
how the dismissals will be carried out
the criteria used for selection.
o Seek to avoid job losses wherever possible
o Have fair redundancy selection criteria:
use objective criteria, precisely defined and capable of
being applied in an independent way, when selecting
employees for redundancy
it is illegal to select an employee for redundancy on
grounds relating to many issues, including maternity rights,
trade union membership, part-time and fixed term-working
and asserting a statutory employment right (see Acas
guide How to manage redundancies for a list).
NOTE: Case law has shown that dismissals have been found
to be unfair where a union has been consulted but not the
individual.

27

HOW TO MANAGE CHANGE

Business transfer o remember that the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection

of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) protects employees
For further
terms and conditions of employment when a business is
information go to
transferred from one owner to another. Employees of the
www.gov.uk
previous owner when the business changes hands
automatically become employees of the new employer on
the same terms and conditions
o inform and consult employees affected directly or
indirectly by the transfer.
Changing
contracts of
employment
(lay-offs and
short-time
working)

o agree any changes to existing contracts of employment

with your employees. Changes may be agreed on an
individual basis or through collective agreements

For further
information
see the Acas
guide Varying
a contract of
employment at
www.acas.org.
uk/publications

o if an employer imposes changes in contractual terms

without the agreement of the employee, there will
be a breach of contract. This may lead to a claim of
constructive dismissal at an employment tribunal. Refer
to the appendix 4 which outlines important changes to
making Employment tribunal claims.

o fully consult with an employee (or his or her

representatives) and explain and discuss any reasons for
change

NOTE: It is best to put any agreed changes to contracts in

writing.

Other major
o the Information and Consultation of Employees (ICE)
changes such
Regulations were introduced on 6 April 2005 and give
as restructuring
all employees of undertakings (which are normally
businesses) with 50 or more employees the right to request
For further
an information and consultation agreement. An employee
information visit
request must be made by at least 10 per cent of the
the contracts
business employees, which must amount to at least 15
and hours
employees. You must start negotiations with representatives
section of the
of the workforce for an agreement no later than three months
Acas website at
after a valid request has been made by your employees
www.acas.org.uk
o if your organisation already has in place one or more
pre-existing I&C agreements, your employer may hold a
ballot to see whether a new agreement is needed

o you need to talk to trade union representatives or

employee representatives (or both) about reviewing your
existing systems or setting up new procedures for
informing and consulting staff.
APPENDIX 1: WHAT DOES THE LAW SAY?

28

Appendix 2:

Some tools for managing change

Force Field Analysis

What is it?
Force Field Analysis is a useful tool for weighing up the forces working for
and against change and assessing the balance of power between these
opposing forces.
The first step is to make a list, using a diagram as follows:
Forces against change

Current situation

Forces for change

Future vision
You also need to set out your vision for the future where you would like to
be after the planned change. As well as forces that relate specifically to your
proposed change there are often generic forces at work that apply to most
change situations, such as:

cost
resources
attitudes of managers and staff
29

HOW TO MANAGE CHANGE

 vested interests ie stakeholders

legal or regulatory factors
timescale
current practices in other words, how they are done now or have been
done in the past.

You may be able to reduce the impact of any mitigating circumstances

holding back change and promote those enabling factors that make change
more likely. Some employers use the force field analysis as the basis for an
action plan, others use it as a starting point for more in-depth discussions
and problem-solving using techniques such as SWOT analysis and brainstorming.

SWOT analysis

What is it?
SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats andis
effective tool for testing out new ideas and problem-solving. SWOT often
works well in a workshop setting (see p21 on using workshops) and can be
combined with brainstorming (see below).
Before you start, be clear about the problem or situation you are going to
analyse: this can be very broad such as wide cultural issues within an
organisation or very specific such as reducing customer response times.
Strengths

Weaknesses
9

Opportunities

Threats

APPENDIX 2: SOME TOOLS FOR MANAGING CHANGE

30

You may find that many of the strengths and weaknesses relate tointernal
factors such as resources, relationships and training while the
opportunities and threats are more likely to be linked to external factors
such as customer demand, market competitors etc.
The key issues that emerge can often be grouped into a few prominent
themes. These can be look at more closely in smaller groups.

Brainstorming

What is it?
Brainstorming is a method of getting a large number of ideas from a group of
people in a short time.
Brainstorming is beneficial because it gets members of a team involved
in bigger management issues, and gives each member an equal voice in
putting forward ideas and suggestions.
Tips for brainstorming:
7 dont criticise as it only inhibits ideas
3 use freewheeling imagination make mental leaps and connections
freely
7 dont adhere to logical thinking
3 build on others ideas combine ideas, hitchhike, piggyback one idea
on another.
Brainstorming often works best with a facilitator in charge of the process.
The process usually works in the following way:

define and agree the objective the clearer you can be the better, even ifit
is something like what will be the impact of the new system on staff

allow people five minutes to reflect on the question

brainstorm by allowing each person an equal say for example, by going
round the table until all the points have been listed

identify the main themes

31

HOW TO MANAGE CHANGE

 prioritise the most important themes this can be done by voting

agree action plan and timetable
if a large group, split into syndicates or smaller groups to find solutions to
the problems identified

monitor and agree follow-up action.

The five whys (root cause analysis)

What is it?
The five whys is a technique for probing behind the answers to sometimes
intractable problems. For example:
Problem

We have high levels of absence

Why?

Frustration

Why?

Dont listen to problems

Why?

No forum to express

Why?

No communications strategy

Solution

Improve communications

This technique may help you to get beyond the symptoms to problems and
get to grips with the root causes.
9

APPENDIX 2: SOME TOOLS FOR MANAGING CHANGE

32

Appendix 3: Sample internal

communication strategy

You will find below an example communications strategy to illustrate the

guidance given in this publication. This example is fictitious and designed
only as a basic outline structure.
This strategy focuses on internal audiences only and does not consider
external audiences or other stakeholder groups such as investors or customers.
Please note this sample communications strategy should complement any
formal consultation required by the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of
Employment) regulations (TUPE) when considering changes that may impact
an employees role (see section on I&C Agreement)
A sample communications strategy

33

Company profile

X company is based in Greater Manchester. It employs 100

staff mainly in roles as carers, several qualified nursing staff,
administrative support and reception staff and housekeeping
staff.

Issue what is the

situation that is in
need of
communication
support?

The company has secured a deal to buy Y, a small chain of

care homes which will make X the biggest provider of
residential nursing care in the local area. The merger is likely
to mean that staff will increase to around 145. The company
will be seeking to retain all posts. However the merger will
involve looking at service provision and the possibility of
making efficiency savings to avoid duplication in service
delivery. They have made assurances that no redundancies
will be made although some roles may change.

Research what do
you know about your
staff already? What
about staff morale,
attitudes. Beware of
making assumptions.
Is there any previous
research that could
help you with this?

What kind of picture do you already have of your staff?

Perhaps you have carried out staff surveys in the past. These
may give you useful information about how employees feel
about important workplace issues particularly if they have
been involved in mergers in the past.

HOW TO MANAGE CHANGE

Communications
objectives what
do you want to
achieve? Do you
want to raise
awareness of an
issue, influence
behaviour or form a
particular attitude on
an issue? Dont
forget these need to
be SMART (specific,
measurable,
achievable, realistic,
and timely)

Staff will want to know what impact the change will

have on their role; what their jobs may look like in future;
whether their job is safe and if so and how their role fits
into the new, bigger organisation. Staff in Y company
might feel particularly vulnerable and have concerns
about whether they will be keeping their jobs if this is
perceived as a takeover. Employees need to be on
board. If they become disengaged this may very well
impact on patients and their families.

Audiences who
do you want to
communicate with?

You will need to consider all internal audiences that

you need to communicate with. Dont forget to include
everyone that makes up the organisation from managers
to volunteers.

Example objectives might include:

To raise awareness of the merger
To address anxieties or concerns
To maximise acceptance and understanding from staff
in X and Y company following announcement and in
the lead up to implementation

Managers are a vital channel themselves during any sort

of change. However they need to be on board to deliver
success. If you havent engaged your senior team in the
changes this wont filter through to the local teams in
each care home.
Likely audiences that you may want to consider in this
type of organisation are:
In company X
Senior management team
Carers
Qualified nursing staff
Administrative and other support staff
Housekeeping staff
Volunteers

10

In company Y
Residential care home managers (in each care home)
Careers
Qualified nursing staff
Admin and other support
Housekeeping staff
APPENDIX 3: SAMPLE INTERNAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY

34

Key messages
what do you want to
say?

Different groups may have different information needs. For

example admin staff might feel particularly vulnerable as
there may be more positions than work available in contrast
to qualified nursing staff for example.
Some general likely messages might include:
X company has 20 years experience of providing quality
care to residents. This merger will provide a valuable
opportunity to enhance our service to residents.
We appreciate you will have concerns. We want to keep all
posts. However some roles may look different in future.
The merger will bring about new ways of working and
opportunities for developing specialist services.
In the longer term it will provide an opportunity to invest in
staff development and share good practice.
The merger will enable us to continue to provide the best
one-to-one care but with the back up of a wider professional
expertise, support and infrastructure.

Tactics/channels
how are you going to
communicate your
key messages to
staff?

What current mechanisms does each company have? You

will probably need to do a quick audit of what processes are
in place in company X and Y. It is likely that you will need
to introduce specific mechanisms during this time. Have
opportunities for feedback been incorporated?
What about timing? When should you start communicating?
Communications activity will broadly focus on three key
stages announcement, transitional arrangements and
following implementation.
Possible tactics might include:
Announcement big picture messages delivered by
company director to senior managers and staff in local team
meetings.
This is followed up by a letter from Chief Executive to all staff
outlining the changes. Depending on reaction of local teams
managers could dedicate regular slots to walk the floor
speaking to staff and addressing their concerns.
How can staff provide feedback and raise concerns? Is there
an anonymous feedback box in the staff room or feedback
facility on the company intranet?

35

HOW TO MANAGE CHANGE

Transitional arrangements regular briefing notes

issued to senior managers on the changes to share with
their teams.
Company intranet and staff magazine
Updates on company noticeboards
Larger informal lunchtime meet and greet sessions for
the staff to meet each other
Implementation onwards regular communication
through all channels.
Risks what could
potentially stop
you achieving your
objectives?

Some of the likely communications risks might include:

What about staff morale?
How will you address the culture change?
Staff will have concerns about the quality of care
patients receive in the new structure.
What if there are delays in implementation?

Measurement
how will you know
that you have
achieved your
objectives?

Set up mechanisms to capture feedback and evaluate

the strategy.

Review do I need
to change anything?

Regular reviews will help determine whether you need to

change your objectives or tactics as the change moves
from announcement to implementation.

Staff feedback at area briefing meetings.

Through feedback facilities on the company intranet.

What new opportunities are there to communicate

internally following implementation and with change in
culture? What worked well and could be introduced on
a more regular basis?
10

APPENDIX 3: SAMPLE INTERNAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY

36

Appendix 4: Important

changes to making
Employment Tribunal claims

Previously, an employee could go straight to the tribunal service, but this will
change. From 6 April 2014, if an employee is considering making an
Employment Tribunal claim against their employer, they should notify Acas
that they intend to submit a claim.
Details of how and where to do this are given below.
Acas will, in most circumstances, offer to assist in settling differences
between employee and employer. Employers intending to make a counterclaim against an employee must follow a similar procedure.
The process for agreeing settlement is called Early Conciliation. It is handled
by experienced Acas conciliators and support officers and is:

free of charge

impartial and non-judgmental

confidential

independent of the Employment Tribunal service

offered in addition to existing conciliation services.

Early Conciliation focuses on resolving matters on terms that employee and

employer agree.
Early Conciliation may not resolve matters in every claim. When this is the
case Acas will issue a certificate that is now required for a claim to be
submitted to an Employment Tribunal.
From July 2013, employees have been required to pay a fee to lodge a
claim at the Employment Tribunal, followed by another fee if the claim
progresses toa tribunal hearing. In some cases, other fees may also apply. If
a claim is successful, the employee may apply for the costs of the fees to be

37

HOW TO MANAGE CHANGE

covered by the employer. Some employees, including those on low incomes,

may be exempt from fees.
Remember, when a claim is lodged with a tribunal, Acas will continue to offer
conciliation to both sides until the tribunal makes a judgment and, if the claim
is successful, a remedy decision (usually financial compensation) has been
made.
To find out more about Early Conciliation, go to
www.acas.org.uk/earlyconciliation
To find out more about Employment Tribunal fees, go to
www.justice.gov.uk/tribunals/employment

11

APPENDIX 4: SAMPLE INTERNAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY

38

Acas Training
Our training is carried out by experienced Acas staff who work with
businesses every day. They will show you the value to your business
of following best practice in employment matters and how to avoid the
common pitfalls. We also run special training sessions on newlegislation.
Look at the Acas website for up-to-date information about all our training or
if you want to book a place online, just go to www.acas.org.uk/training or
call the Acas customer services team on 0300 123 11 50.
Training sessions are specially designed for smaller companies and our
current programme includes:

Managing discipline and grievances at work

Managing absence at work
Employment law update
HR management for beginners
Having difficult conversations
Contracts of employment: how to get it right
New employment legislation
Redundancy and restructuring.
We also have free online learning to help you just go to
www.acas.org.uk and click on e-learning to look at the topics covered.

39

HOW TO MANAGE CHANGE

Legal information is provided for guidance only and should not be

regarded as an authoritative statement of the law, which can only be
made by reference to the particular circumstances which apply.
It may, therefore, be wise to seek legal advice.
Acas aims to improve organisations and working life through better
employment relations. We provide up-to-date information, independent
advice, high quality training and we work with employers and
employees to solve problems and improve performance.
We are an independent, publicly-funded organisation and
many of our services are free.
March 2014

Acas offices:
National

Scotland

East Midlands


South East

East of England

South West

London

Wales

London

Glasgow

Nottingham

Fleet, Hampshire

Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

Bristol

Cardiff

North East

Newcastle upon Tyne

West Midlands
Birmingham

North West

Yorkshire and Humber

Manchester

Leeds

North West
Liverpool

Helpline

0300 123 11 00

18001 0300 123 11 00

Acas Helpline Text Relay
To view a full list of Acas publications
go to www.acas.org.uk/publications

0300 123 11 50
Acas Customer Services Team who
can provide details of services and
training in your area or visit
www.acas.org.uk/training
08456 00 34 44
for questions on managing
equality in the workplace

Ref: B23

www.acas.org.uk
03/14