Going About Envisioning | New World of HR

Perhaps the most important thing we have learnt about this phase is the importance of actually doing it! Many HR functions embark on the HR transformation journey without really engaging business colleagues and the broader HR team in shaping a vision for HR.

Here are the three principles that should underpin your approach to envisioning:

1. Adopt a systems mindset. HR transformation is about change, and change cannot be effected in isolation; for example, technology-driven change inevitably impacts structure, processes, capability and culture. Change in HR impacts and is also impacted by change in the wider organisational system. 
2. See HR transformation as a process that needs to be worked through step by step. This process is not predetermined. There is no schematic approach that sets out in advance every step: a form of 'painting by numbers' approach to change. The broad stages of change are clear and are reflected in the change cycle but the detailed steps needed to effect change will be unique to each organisation. When we refer to 'transformation', we refer to a significant shift in changing the way HR contributes in organisations. But this will not be an end-game — a final destination. There will always be another step beyond.
3. Focus on the unique circumstances of each business. Learn from the experiences of others, yes, but do not become obsessed with 'me too' external benchmarking. Too many organisations blindly follow supposed 'best practice'. What is right for one organisation is not always right for another. The most powerful results will be driven through a strong identification with the unique circumstances faced by your organisation at this point in its history. This highlights the need for an approach to change that is highly contingent, with the focus being on shaping HR in ways that will help the business now at this point in time.

So how do you combine the trends described previously with the practical steps set out above to ensure purposeful envisioning? In our change tool kit, we have a number of tools and frameworks which organisations have found helpful in creating an environment for effective envisioning.