Managing, Surviving
and Thriving on
Change within the I&R
Sector
AIRS Conference 2014
Faed Hendry - CIRS
Manager – Training & Outreach
Findhelp Information Services
Toronto, Ontario
416-392-4544
fhendry@findhelp.ca
Session Objectives and Outcomes
At the end of this session you will be able to:
 Identify your role in managing change within the I&R services
sector.
 Describe the need for change, why many people fear uncertainty
and how to overcome barriers.
 Identify emerging trends and issues in I&R that will require change
management.
 Develop change management skills & harness enthusiasm to bring
about successful change
Exercise: Identify and Managing the Change
• On the exercise sheet that you have been provided, please
identify up to 3 significant changes to the field of I&R or
your workplace that you have occurred since 2000 (or since
you were hired.)
• These should be fairly sizeable or significant changes.
Examples could include new programs new governance
models, organizational structure, technology or information
management systems, new policies or procedures, funding
changes, etc. Be as clear and concise as possible
Did You Know Video
…the top 10 in demand jobs in 2010 did not exist in 2004?
…the first text message was sent in 1992. Today more text
messages are sent and received everyday, exceeds the total
population of the planet.
…that 1 in 8 people that got married in North America last
year met on line.
…Facebook has just broken the 1 billion people account
barrier
Working in the Field of I&R
We all have seen change to:
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Standards and Quality Indicators for Professional I&R
Additional Programs
Channels of Access
Information Management Systems
I&R Computer Based Testing and Training
Funding
Technology and Telephony
Open Source/Open Referral
In the Past 25 Years I&R has gone from this…….
To This…..
http://
To This……
What is Change?
• To make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of
(something) different from what it is or from what it would
be if left alone
• Change is an alteration of an organization’s environment,
structure, technology or people.
• Change is and always has been an inevitable part of life,
especially in our work settings.
What is Organizational Change?
It is generally considered to be an organization-wide change, as
opposed to smaller changes such as adding a new person. It includes
the management of changes to the:
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Business processes and technologies
Job design and responsibilities
Organizational culture
Policies/Procedures
Mission, Values and Strategic Plan
Staff skill sets and knowledge base
If you are looking for the pace of change to slow, you are going to be
sorely disappointed because we would lose our competitive edge and
fail to meet the changing access needs of our clients.
Two Perspectives on Change Management
• Organizational change management - “I need results.” “We
need to do things more efficiently.” “We need greater
accountability and transparency”
• Individual change management – “What will this mean to
me?” How will this impact me? “What if I can’t adjust to the
new transformation?”
• Internal and External Forces
Change Forces in I&R
External
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Funding
Demographic Characteristics
Technological Advancements
Client and market changes
Social and political pressures
Internal
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New Program Development
New Ways of Doing Business
Organizational culture
New Staff/Management
Strategic Plan
Common Reactions to Workplace Change
Resistance - The most common and initial response is resistance.
We resist because somehow we feel change is beyond our
control. We are all creatures of habit, comfort and security.
Change is resisted through the absence of effective
communication
When changes are made, many employees lack the broader
context or knowledge base of why the change is being made
What makes change so hard?
Change can impact on many aspects of an organization:
Structure
Strategy
Systems
Shared values
Skills
Style
Staff
The McKinsey 7-S Framework
Checklist Questions
Structure -How do the various departments coordinate activities?
How do I&R team members organize and align themselves?
Where are the lines of communication? Explicit and implicit?
Strategy - How do we intend to achieve our objectives?
Systems - What are the main systems that run the organization?
Where are the controls and how are they monitored/evaluated?
Shared Values - What are the core values? How strong are they?
What is the I&R team culture?
Style - How participative is the management/leadership style?
Staff – What specializations are represented within the team?
Are there gaps in required competencies?
Skills - What are the strongest skills represented within the team?
How are skills monitored and assessed?
Other Reasons Staff Resist Change
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Fear
Not being consulted
Poor communication
Changes to routines
Low trust
Misunderstanding about the need for change
Exhaustion/Saturation -‘Here we go again”
Others?
Debriefing the Icebreaking Exercise
Many of you responded to the Icebreaking Exercise. The most
common changes identified were as follows:
Let’s Take a Moment to Take Stock
Wow – that’s a lot of change!
Take a moment to think of an example of organizational change
that you have experienced.
– Was it successful? Did it go smoothly? Why?
– How would have you done it differently?
– What were your feelings early on? Later on?
– What did the people around you say about it?
Changes that you may have Experienced
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New Lines/New Projects
Role out of 211 and ADRC’s
Load Balancing
New Standards for I&R
New Accreditation Criteria
Database Inclusion Criteria
New Governance Structures
Social Media/Access Channels
New Style Guide
Open Source/Open Referral
Dara Dashboards
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Partnership Development
CIRS/CRS Computer Based Testing
I&R Online Training
Call Recording
Telecommuting/Work from Home
SQM Reporting
New IMS System
New Call Tracking Systems
New XSD Data Transfer Standards
Disaster Preparedness
Technology and Telephony
What I&R’s Can Change
 Technology/Channels of Access
 Mission, Vision, Values and Strategy
 Task-Job Design: The way work is performed in the I&R can be
changed with new procedures and methods for performing
work.
 Human-Behavioral Changes: Training can be provided to
managers and employees to provide new knowledge and
skills, or people can be replaced or downsized.
 Organizational Structure/Culture/Offerings
Change is about Process but more importantly People
• The fact is that organizations don't just change because of
new systems, processes or new organization structures.
They change because the people within the organization
adapt and change too.
• Only when the people within it have made their own
personal transitions can an organization truly reap the
benefits of change.
• All sources of resistance to change need to be
acknowledged and people's emotions validated
Change from the I&R Management Perspective
I&R Managers’ perspective on change is results oriented. Their
primary concerns are:
 When can the change be completed?
 How much improvement will be realized?
 How will this change impact our financial performance?
 What is the required investment?
 How will this change impact our clients?
ADKAR – 5 Elements for Individual Change
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Awareness of the need for change (why).
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Desire to support and participate in the change (our
choice).
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Knowledge about how to change (the learning process).
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Ability to implement the change (turning knowledge into
action).
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Reinforcement to sustain the change (celebrating success).
An I&R Work Scenario
Take for example the implementation of an Information
Management System (IMS). If the change is implemented and
you believe it was not needed (i.e., you were not aware that any
changes were required), then your reaction might be:
“This is a waste of time.”
“Why change if it was working just fine before?”
“If it ain't broke, don't fix it.”
“They never tell us what’s going on”
An I&R Work Scenario
If someone had taken the time to explain that the old IMS would
no longer be supported by the vendor, or that new IMS was
necessary for improved service delivery, coordination and
reporting, then your reaction (based on this awareness) would
likely be very different:
• “How soon will this happen?”
• “How will this impact me?”
• “Will I receive new training?”
An I&R Work Scenario
You have decided to implement call recording. You know that
this will not be a popular decision with your front-line I&R staff.
How would you communicate the message?
What would you do to try and get buy-in?
What will the end result be?
Three Phases of Change
Current
State
Transition
State
Future
State
Successful change in I&R addresses both the
technical and the people side
Solution is designed,
developed
and delivered effectively
(Technical side)
Project management
Current
Transition
Change management
+
Future
Solution is embraced,
adopted and utilized
effectively
(People side)
= CHANGE SUCCESS
Individual PEOPLE change, NOT organizations
Individual Change Management is the Centerpiece
of Success
The secret to successful change lies beyond
the visible and busy activities that surround
change. Successful change, at its core, is
rooted in something much simpler:
How to facilitate change with one person.
From ADKAR: a model for change by Jeff Hiatt
A
D
K
A
R
I&R Trends/Issues That You Will Need to Manage
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Open Referral/Open Source
Load Balancing
New Technology and Telephony (Mobile Apps, Chat, IM)
Telecommuting Practices
Quality Assurance Practices (Call Recording, KPI’s)
Discussion Boards
Collaboration and Partnerships
Disaster Preparedness/Emergency Management
Faed’s 10 Tips for Embracing Change in I&R
 Respond to change, don’t react to it
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Recognize why change is needed
Choose optimism over fear
Use the “Balance of Rowing” Principle
Be Patient
Be willing to learn something new
Keep the lines of communication open
Increase your adaptability factor – be accepting of the now
Change or Perish (Think MySpace)
I&R is Change. Growth is Optional. Choose Wisely.
“Everyone thinks of changing the
world, but no one thinks of
changing himself.”
- Leo Tolstoy
Thank you for participating!
Faed Hendry
Manager – Training and Outreach
Findhelp Information Services
543 Richmond Street West Ste 125
Toronto, Ontario M5V 1Y6
416-392-4544
fhendry@findhelp.ca