Providing Human Core Capabilities

This step puts in place new ways of providing more capable and adaptable human resources. During this step, the organization educates its staff on the fundamentals required for the new process to work. It also plans the strategy for replacing staff if that will likely be required.

Techniques

As in the previous step, the techniques used to provide human core capabilities are

• Project management

• Professional practices for core HR enhancement (training, hiring, and layoffs)

• Communication with other project teams

Lessons Learned

This step is part of the Human Resource Transformation program.

Review the strategies for human resource numbers, levels, and core capabilities, as well as for hiring or laying off staff, for the duration of the process renewal project. Coordinate activities with other strategies, plans, and initiatives planned and under way. After completion of the Vision phase for required human resource change, obtain funding/budget for HR enhancements referring to the process business case.

Build the plan for HR changes, including the phasing of results, according to logical business sequences (define clearly the interim transition points that provide business value).

Developing human core capabilities can commence as soon as the Architect and Align phase is completed. If the degree of changes required is substantial—for example, completely different jobs and skills are required at higher levels—or if the responsibilities will expand to more of a customer and outcome responsibility, there will be no choice but to start as soon as possible. This would include providing staff with the basic business training required or replacing those who can’t handle the new requirements with those who can. The potential ramifications of not acting include the possibility that the new process solution might not deliver the hoped-for improvements.

Implementation delays could also occur as the organization learns how to deal with raising the level of capabilities, so allow enough time for people to transition and get it wrong for a while.

Don’t underestimate how long it will take to change attitudes. Give people a chance to start the journey of personal change.

Make the collective bargaining units a part of the exercise if at all possible. You will have to deal with this sooner or later. It will become more difficult if you delay or put off what will be a tricky aspect of transformation.

Put in place an overall program of internal and external opportunities for staff to learn and grow.