How to communicate HR change, big or small

Create content based on employees’ needs

Human Resources (HR) change can run the gamut from simple to complicated — from a dress code update to a new bonus program. Some changes (like redefined career paths) affect employees’ jobs — while others (new guidelines for a wellness program) touch people’s personal lives.

That means that every HR change has an impact on employees. So it’s no wonder that you’re tempted to share every detail. By providing all the information, you’re making sure employees have what they need, right?

Wrong. Busy employees avoid spending the time needed to sift through lots of information — it’s way too much work. As a result, overloaded employees end up feeling overwhelmed, unprepared to make decisions and dissatisfied with communication.

So how do you decide how much information to share with employees? Here are three simple steps to provide just enough content:

1. Build your knowledge about the change.

Learn everything there is to know about the change: What is changing and why? When will it take effect? Immerse yourself in the details — review source materials and interview key decision makers to understand:

· How the change will benefit the organization

· All of the components that must come together for success

· Potential obstacles that could derail the effort

· What employees need to do differently

Engage with teams managing the change efforts. Request a seat at the table as those teams discuss and make decisions. You’ll hear firsthand the reasons and rationale behind various aspects of the change. And you’ll be present to offer expert advice on how communication will be implemented.

The more you learn about the change, the better you’ll understand how it will affect employees. That way, you’ll be able to communicate only what they need, rather than burden them with all the details.

Here’s an example: When a large insurance organization was planning to roll out a new HR IT system, HR communicators worked closely with the change management team. The collaboration provided key insights that shaped the comprehensive change communication strategy. Despite the depth of details, communication to employees included only what was changing, when to start using the new system and what support was available.

2. Learn about stakeholders.

Before you jump into creating communication about HR change, remember that employees will have different needs based on how they will be affected.

Take time to identify your stakeholders so you can create communication that meets their needs:

· Who will be directly impacted by this HR change? This group of employees will need to know what’s changing and when, why it’s changing and what they’ll need to do differently.

· Who will be indirectly impacted? These employees will need to understand what’s changing and when, and how the change will affect the way they work with those directly impacted.

· Who will need to support the change?

-Managers will need to interpret how the change will affect their teams’ day-to-day work.

-HR business partners will need to answer employees’ questions and direct them to the right resources.

-Change champions will need tools to facilitate discussion and feedback.

-Leaders will need to know why the change is good for the organization and receive advice about their roles as advocates.

For each group of stakeholders, think about how you typically reach them. Do employees have easy access to electronic communication like email or your company intranet? Or are they manufacturing or retail employees who have limited access?

By understanding your stakeholders, you’ll be able to communicate to each group with targeted messaging that is relevant to their needs.

Here’s an example: When a multi-national financial institution needed to move some employee teams away from headquarters, success relied on ensuring the right groups of employees got the information they needed:

· HR business partners received resources to help them answer employees’ questions.

· Leaders received higher-level information about which teams were moving and when.

· Directly impacted employees received communication about why and when they were moving, as well as details about the new building, the neighborhood and transportation options.

Each stakeholder group got the information it needed without being overloaded with every detail and was ready for the move when the time came.

3. Create your communication program based on what your stakeholders need, not what you think they should know.

Now you understand the change, you’ve identified the stakeholders and know what they need from communication, but you need to resist jumping right into tactics.

Why? Without a change communication plan — the road map marked with your destination and how you’ll get there — you’ll likely get lost. Your plan should include:

· The situation: Briefly describe what is happening in the organization and why the change is necessary.

· Stakeholders: Include the groups you’ve identified that are impacted by the change and what they need from your communication.

· Objectives: Describe your desired end state. For each stakeholder group, define what you want that group to know, believe and do as a result of your communication.

· Key messages: Develop your overarching message — your elevator speech — that tells the change story — the what, when, why and how. Then create stakeholder-specific messages and supporting points.

Once you’ve defined objectives and messages for each group of stakeholders, now you can plan your tactics. What type of communication will you create for each group? When and how will you distribute the communication?

Here are some examples of tactics to consider:

For directly impacted, wired employees:

· Develop a series of emails, using an eye-catching, consistent design, that provides helpful information about what employees need to do. Include links to more resources and distribute when employees need to take action.

· Post reminder ads on the intranet homepage.

For directly impacted, non-wired employees:

· Develop a brief video about the change for breakroom screens.

· Design a series of table tents and posters with key information and dates.

· Provide managers and supervisors with talking points to share with employees during morning huddles or other team meetings.

For indirectly impacted employees:

· Publish a brief article about the change in the company newsletter with links to more information if employees want to learn more.

For HR business partners and change champions:

· Develop frequently asked questions (FAQs) and talking points to aid conversations with employees and help answer questions.

· Conduct regular check-in meetings to facilitate feedback from employees.

For leaders and managers:

· Conduct a workshop to get them engaged with the change, especially if the change will require their buy-in.

· Develop a toolkit that provides key information about the change, as well as talking points and tips for communicating with employees.

· Develop a core set of PowerPoint slides with talking points to share at team meetings.

By planning and executing a variety of tactics, you’ll be able to tailor your communication — the content and delivery — to reach your stakeholder groups in ways that work for them.

Create HR change communication with confidence

If you followed these three smart steps, you can stop worrying that your messages will get lost. Why? You’ll have deep knowledge of the change, an understanding of your stakeholders and a comprehensive change communication plan to manage tactics that provide stakeholders with the content they need.