Local Government Reform ‘Moving Forward Together’

Employee Engagement Workshops

Workshop 1: / Workshop 2:
Location / Roe Valley Arts & Cultural Centre / The Drummond Hotel, Ballkelly
Date / Tuesday 5th November 2013 / Friday 8th November 2013
Time / 9.15 – 1.00pm / 9.15 – 1.00pm

Workshops in Context:

What we know!

Local Government Reform is moving ahead in a positive direction and with a greater sense of urgency. The new councils will be in shadow format from April 2014 and the new Councils will come into existence by April 2015 (less than 18 months)

What best practice about change management tells us!

In a time of change and transition it is critical that all staff understand what is happening. Best practice suggests that all organisations should develop and roll out a localised communication strategy and action plan which is underpinned by the following guiding principles: -

  • Adopt a proactive approach to employee engagement and communication
  • Be open and transparent
  • Provide information and updates in a timely, regular and accessible manner
  • Provide relevant, clear and consistent messages and information
  • Be accurate and comprehensive in what is shared
  • Ensure the process is two way and ongoing

What will the workshops be about!

These initial workshops will ask staff to help the Council in identifying: -

  1. Staff’s concerns and queries about the change and transition process
  2. Staff’s communication needs – what are your communication needs and what are the best approaches to meeting your communication needs in terms of content, methodologies, frequency etc – responses to these questions will help the Council to develop its localised communication strategy and action plan
  3. Staff Attitudeto the Reorganisation Process – staff state of personal readinessfor change
  4. Staff’s development and support needs/requirements– responses to these questions will help the Council to develop its staff support and development programme

What will the format be for the half day workshop?

Update and overview by the CEO on Local Government Reforms – where we are currently and what’s next in terms of timelines etc

Consider four key questions

  1. What are staff’s concerns and queries about the change and transition process?
  2. What are staff’s communication needs – what are your communication needs and what are the best approaches to meeting your communication needs?
  1. What is staff’s Attitude to the Reorganisation Process – what is staff’s state of personal readinessfor change? (Including helping staff to understand the normal change and transition cycle and how any change process can be effectively addressed)
  1. What are staff’s development and support needs/requirements– responses to these questions will help the Council to develop its staff support and development programme

Next steps - we will pull together all of the information and circulate for your comments. The outputs from the workshop and the follow up consultation exercise will form the basis of the Councils

  • Capacity and Capability Plan
  • Communication Strategy and Action Plan

Session 1:

Introductions/Format and Icebreaker

Name:

Department

Years of Service with the Council

Session 2:

‘Update and overview by the CEO on Local Government Reforms – where we are currently and what’s next in terms of timelines’ etc

Notes on the above input:

0 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10
Not Ready / Somewhat Ready / Ready
Change Readiness Questionnaire
1 / 2 / 3
  1. Future
/ Likely to Leave LG
/ Undecided/Depends / Likely to Stay in LG
  1. Thoughts on LG Reform – April 2015
/ Have not given it any thought – it will sort itself out and I will have a job come April 2015 / Beginning to think about it – have some concerns about my future – but feel I will still have a job post 2015 / Giving it more and more thought and becoming concerned about either not having a job or having a job which will not suit me (e.g. location)
  1. Attitude to change generally
/ Generally speaking I do not deal well with change and I prefer to stick with what I know
/ While I do not like change for change sake I learn to deal with and accept change in time / I like change and welcome a new start and new challenge
  1. Benefits of change
/ I cannot see any benefits coming from the reform of Local Government for its ratepayers/service users
/ In time I think ratepayers/ service users will benefit from the reform of Local Government / I am confident that ratepayers/ service users will benefit from the reform of Local Government
  1. Benefits of change to staff
/ I believe staff will not benefit in any way from the reform of Local Government / I am unsure and remain to be convinced of how staff can benefit from the reform of Local Government
/ I believe the reform of Local Government will provide staff with a range of career and development opportunities
  1. Thoughts/feelings re LGR
/ I am dreading the reform of Local Government / I either have not yet given it too much time or thought and/or I think things tend to take care of themselves without much input from me
/ I am looking forward to the change to the new Council and I see it as an exciting time for all staff
  1. Attitude to LGR
/ I am not looking forward to LGR and I either intend to leave if I stay I intend to keep my head down and carry on as before until someone tells me different / I am still trying to get my head around what the changes will actually mean and until there is greater clarity and certainty I am not going to get too worked up one way or the other
/ I intend to embrace it and look into capitalising on the wonderful opportunities it offers all who are willing to look for them
  1. State of Readiness
/ I am definitely not ready and/or nor am I looking forward to the change and transitions ahead / While I am unsure of the specifics of the changes I feel I will be ready to go once things become clearer
/ While I am unsure of the specifics of the changes I feel I am ready as I have been working on getting myself ready for a wide range of possible outcomes

Sharing Circles

  • Ideas/solution generation exercise
  • Each Group will move around four tables
  • 15 minutes per table
  • Each table has a different question posed, with a facilitator
  • Responses will be noted at each table
  • Move clockwise around the tables


Q.1.What are staff’s concerns and queries about the change and transition process? / /
Q.2What are staff’s communication needs – what are your communication needs and what are the best approaches to meeting your communication needs?

Q.4.What are staff’s development and support needs/requirements– responses to these questions will help the Council to develop its staff support and development programme /
Q.3.What is staff’s Attitude to the Reform Process – what is staff’s state of personal readinessfor change?
Feedback /
  1. Question 1:Concerns and Queries:
  2. Question 2:Communication Needs
  1. Question 3:Attitude to Change and Transition and Reform of Local Government Specifically
  1. Question 4:Capacity and Capability Needs.

Dealing with Change and Transition:

Notes on Change and Transition:

Summary, Review and Next Step:

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Travelling Through White Water: Summary

Stages

/ Primary Issues / Observable Behaviours / Price to the Organisation / Outcomes / Specific Leadership Actions

Stage I Resistance

/
  1. Loss
  2. Anger
  3. Security
  4. Shock
/
  1. Sadness
  2. Resentment
  3. Anxiety
  4. Cautiousness
  5. Sarcasm
  6. Apathy
  7. Anger
  8. Withdrawal
  9. Rumours
  10. Stubbornness
  11. Complaining
/
  1. Decreased productivity
  2. No creativity and risk taking
  3. Increased absenteeism
  4. Sabotage
  5. Rumours and speculation
/
  1. Climate that allows resistance to be addressed openly
  2. Reason and meaning for change is better understood
  3. Employees receive a consistent message
/
  1. Listen carefully
  2. Make the change safe for discussion
  3. Accept employees reactions
  4. Hold meetings for information and questions
  5. Create opportunities for involvement
  6. Be visible
  7. Maintain communication and feedback with both peers and bosses.
  8. Offer support and reassurance
  9. Keep employees accountable for day to day results
  10. Tell the truth

Stage II Confusion

/
  1. Credibility
  2. Focus
  3. Clarity
  4. Relationships
/
  1. Questions, questions and more questions
  2. Grumbling and complaining
  3. Lack of co-operation
  4. Escalation of political behaviour
  5. Frustration
  6. Erratic performance
  7. Scepticism
  8. Reluctance to be accountable
  9. Making assumptions
  10. Poor listening
/
  1. False starts
  2. Duplication of effort
  3. Decline in quality
  4. Good employees leave
  5. Customer leave
  6. Competitors move in
/
  1. Clarification of new mission
  2. Redefinition of individual roles and responsibilities
  3. New work teams formed
  4. Priorities and expectations make clear
  5. Training needs identified and training started.
/
  1. Provide answers, answers, and more answers
  2. Repeat key information often
  3. Restate mission, objectives and priorities
  4. Spell out new responsibilities in detail
  5. Set short-term goals
  6. Make sure customer needs are being met
  7. Maintain standards; hold people accountable to new objectives
  8. Create opportunities for participation
  9. Hold meetings for planning and problem solving
  10. Stay approachable.
  11. Exchange strong commitment to the change effort
  12. Develop a “critical mass” in support of the change
  13. Create incentives to move toward change
  14. Identify knowledge and skill needs
  15. Get people trained in the most critically needed skills
  16. Attend to immediate career needs.

Stage III

Integration /
  1. Testing
  2. Recognition
  3. Stability
  4. Renewal
  5. Bargaining
/
  1. Renewed energy
  2. Excitement
  3. Willingness to take small risks
  4. Independence
  5. Reduced anxiety
  6. Optimism
  7. Acceptance of the change
  8. Self-worth restored
/
  1. Exaggerated budgets
  2. Unrealistic goals
  3. Loss of focus
  4. Things fall through the cracks
  5. Overstaffing
/
  1. Recognition of people’s efforts
  2. Organisation established
  3. Effectively functioning work teams
/
  1. Model integrity and demand it of others
  2. Encourage employees to recommend adjustments
  3. Established policies, procedures, and processes
  4. Encourage creating thinking
  5. Keep communication alive
  6. Make sure work teams have clear goals and priorities
  7. Continue to keep employees focused
  8. Solicit and encourage participation
  9. Give the change a chance.

Stage IV

Commitment

/
  1. Empowerment
  2. Flexibility
  3. Productivity
  4. Future Visioning
/
  1. Action orientation
  2. High energy
  3. High productivity
  4. Open expression of views
  5. Acceptance of differences
  6. Personal satisfaction
  7. Willingness to take risks
  8. Team independence
  9. Initiative on behalf of the company
  10. Share vision of the company’s future
/
  1. Complacency
  2. Inattention to new environmental needs
  3. Self-satisfaction
  4. Everyone in agreement
  5. People unprepared for the next change
/
  1. Customer needs closely monitored
  2. High levels of performance
  3. Job enrichment and satisfaction
  4. Employees flexible and ready for the next change
/
  1. Attend to the needs of customers and the environment
  2. Keep generating new ideas
  3. Stimulate creative interaction and involvement
  4. Place more emphasis on team work
  5. Reward high performance
  6. Continue to be involved with people
  7. Continue to celebrate successes

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