5.2 Service Transition – Managing Communications and Commitment
5.2.1 Communications During Service Transition
The Service Transition team will soon become familiar with the need to change attitudes and the operation of converting culture. For them it is a routine task, holding no threat. It can be hard to remember that, for those affected by the change, it is not a usual situation and they will be worried and a shared understanding will help greatly.
It is important the Service Transition team members are capable of understanding the impact of their work on others, and therefore tailoring their own approach to the stakeholder audience.
Ultimately, the Service Transition team’s goal is to build enthusiasm and commitment to the change, while ensuring that all stakeholders are clear about how the changes will impact themselves, and what will be expected of them in the coming months. Clear two-way communication channels will help employees feel their feedback and ideas are valued.
Stakeholder management can consume significant amounts of labor, with up to 50% of staff effort often consumed by this task during significant organizational change periods.
5.2.2 Communication Planning
After establishing the strategies that will promote positive change enablers, and having understood the level of commitment within the organization, Service Transition must ensure that there is a detailed communications plan that will target information where it will be most effective.
The following considerations should be made for each statement you need to communicate when announcing information during a Service Transition change:
• How should the information be delivered? All at once or divided into segments and released over a period of time? If it is going to be released in segments, then what are the components and what is the sequence of timing for the communication message delivery?
• How should the information be delivered? What tone and style should the message be conveyed in – upbeat, cautious, optimistic?
• What actions could be taken before the communication that will increase the understanding and the acceptance of the information given?
• How and when will groups be involved during the cascading of the communication information to other levels in the organization?
• Are the communications successful in overcoming the particular communication barriers on this Service Transition (e.g. cultural differences, the added structure of large teams, the additional requirements associated with geographically dispersed personnel)?
• Is there consideration to address the communication needs of other stakeholders in the project (e.g. decision makers, opinion leaders, system users, internal and external regulatory bodies, and any other persons impacted by the implementation of the new Service Transition)?
The figure below shows an overview of the key elements for consideration when planning for effective communication.
In order to ensure that a communication strategy is effective, surveys and measures should be determined for regular monitoring. This will take the form of feedback from those people that have had any communication. It should also include how people are feeling on their ‘change cycle’ to establish that the target is right. At this point there may be individuals that are identified that should have more personal contact from the Service Transition Team in order for them to achieve an acceptable state.
5.2.3 Methods of Communication
Using multiple communication means will help understanding of the overall message. Common media types include:
• Large workshops – to deliver a clear and consistent message to the target audience on the overall Service Transition approach; this will generally be at the start of any communication strategy in order to build understanding, ownership and even excitement across the teams
• Organization newsletter – to reinforce any messages already delivered; however, care needs to be taken that this approach is used as reinforcement rather than as the first time that employees may have seen the communication cascade
• Training sessions – as part of the Service Transition, roles or processes will be likely to change; this requires targeted training, which should be planned giving sufficient time for employees to get to grips with any new ways of working
• Team meetings – giving support to team leaders from the Service Transition team, who will ensure at their own weekly meetings that they can reinforce any messages; it is at this lower level meeting that the questions that employees have may be better understood, as people will feel within their own comfort zone as they are used to this method of communication with colleagues they work with daily
• Face to face – key stakeholders to make time to visit staff in their work environment (floor walks), to set a positive example of the support by senior management, and allow employees to ask questions pertinent to themselves
• Q&A feedback postings – boards or mail boxes where employees can raise anonymous questions and receive feedback on any concerns they may have
• Corporate intranet
• Reinforcement memos – consistent memos form the senior stakeholder reinforcing key information, or giving an update on the implementation activities, will keep the Service Transition alive for those people not perhaps actually involved at all stages
• Posters/roadmaps – good-quality colorful communications at the end of office floors showing implementation activities, progress or general updates; these are a positive way of keeping communications alive and delivering a consistent message
• Pay advice notes – key communication attached to payslips to ensure a practical 100%
communication update
• ‘Z-cards’/encapsulated reference cards – small credit-card-sized documents holding key information and expected to be carried by staff in their wallets or purses
5.2.4 Motivation and the Importance of Communication
If people are to be motivated to make changes happen, they need to be kept up to date with the progress of those changes. People will be mobilized and engaged if they can see that progress occurring and thus short-term wins should be communicated and progress celebrated.
5.3 Service Transition – RACI Example for Managing Change
Role/Responsibility Change
Sponsor, e.g.
business and IT leaders
Change
enabler, e.g.
process owners, service owners
Change agent, e.g. team leader instructing
change
Change target, e.g. individual performing the change
Articulate a vision for the business and service change in their domain
A/R A/R C I
Recognize and handle resistance to change
A/R A A C
Initiate change, understand the levers for change and the obstacles
A/R A/R C C
Manage change and input to change plan
A/R A/R C C
Input to design of target organization or structure, etc.
A/R A/R C
Set up a system for communicating change
A/R A/R C
Steer change A/R A A C
Mobilize the organization
A/R C C C
Mobilize their department, unit, team
A/R A/R C
Lead workshops and group analysis of the current processes
A/R A/R
Run effective meetings
A/R A/R A/R A/R
Solve problems in groups
A/R A/R A/R