Employee Engagement research - Executive Briefing (next Thu in Sydney)

Want to learn more about how to use employee engagement research to inform and promote organizational change? Read on to discover how to secure your complimentary seat at this Executive Briefing on Employee Engagement. You'll gain valuable insight on how to create a culture that invites maximum staff engagement and also hear the latest thinking on how to develop and implement a strategic engagement program.

Next week in Sydney I'll be co-presenting a session entitled Using employee engagement research to drive organizational improvement. It's happening on Thursday 26 May 2011 from 09h00 to 12h00, finishing with lunch.

Sign up today at no cost for this Executive Briefing, part of a series of discussion forums put on by my Associate partners at ORC International. These sessions are designed to offer guidance and useful insights into how to use employee engagement research to inform and promote organizational change.

Drawing on recent case studies and contemporary thinking, we will offer a strategic framework and valuable insight on how to initiate change and maximize staff engagement.

The meeting will provide an excellent opportunity to:

• Understand engagement in your workforce
• Learn the processes for effective action planning
• Share best practice with your industry colleagues

The most challenging aspect of employee engagement research is delivering sustainable action. In this session we will use case studies and recent client experiences to isolate the obstacles for taking action, and outline how these challenges can be overcome.

Making Business Personal - People Engagement that Works
Effective people engagement is a hard thing to get right but the benefits are tremendous. Engagement describes a relationship, and like any relationship it takes time and ongoing attention to nurture its development. Making business personal means having a people-positive culture. This interactive discussion will give you some of the practical tools you need to build and sustain engagement. A few topics we'll cover include:

• The key role of people managers when implementing engagement strategies
• New ways of thinking about the emotional component of engagement
• Key components of a "culture of engagement"

If you are going to be in Sydney next week it'd be great to see you there!

Date: Tuesday 26 May 2011
Time: 09h00 - 12h00 followed by luncheon
Cost: complimentary

Fraser Suites
488 Kent Street
Sydney NSW 2000
map

Register for this no-cost event online here or contact Phil Pringle at (03) 9935 5729

Change management - the what and the how

Intranet projects address the whole organization and their holistic focus can offer a unique window into an organization's inner workings. Addressing the organizational issues that can emerge during this process involves both the "what" and the "how" of change management - to implement the intranet project itself and to ensure the organization's long-term success in achieving its strategic objectives. Read on to find out more...

During conversations this morning at Step Two Designs' inaugural Intranets 2011 conference in Sydney some interesting views on change management have emerged that I'd like to share.

The link between intranets and organizational change
A good intranet encompasses the whole of an organization, cutting across departments and functional areas as a tool for internal communication, social interaction and even community-building.

Intranet projects (whether new or renewed) are therefore about much more than "just" the intranet itself. These projects offer a unique window into an organization's inner workings. During intranet projects many organizational issues and internal tensions can swiftly rise to the surface, presenting an opportunity to identify and address key stumbling blocks that impede overall organizational success.

Intranet champions beware! It pays to be aware of these potential added elements and have the means and expertise ready-to-hand to address these issues when they arise. Demonstrating a thorough understanding of the client's context and offering value that goes beyond the intranet itself is a sure way to develop the coveted "trusted advisor" status.

What's more, it reinforces the value of a holistic view and positions the intranet itself as a key tool for change management and organizational success.


Effective change management - the power lies in the "doing"

When it comes to projects (intranet or otherwise), it's worth teasing out the steps involved between the stages of planning/strategy development and actual project implementation.

1. Develop the project plan/strategy (e.g. new intranet, org restructure, product launch, merger, new CEO/leadership team, etc.)
2. Understand what needs doing to make the project plan/strategy happen (change management plan)
3. Identify how to implement of the project plan/strategy (at the level of people's day-to-day behaviours, promoting interactions that get the outcomes needed to ensure project success)

The third bit is really handy. It helps to build change competence in the organization, with people who are able to handle all of the changes involved in this particular project as well as changes in other future contexts. That's value that goes well beyond a single project and makes a meaningful difference in the long term.

Look forward to discussing these and other points during the balance of today and at tonight's social networking event on Sydney Harbour. See you there!