Interesting is code for troubled and uncertain. So how do we make it less interesting? How do we future proof organisations? Future-proofing your organisation means anticipating change, increasing resilience, maintaining a competitive advantage, and mitigating risks. These initiatives help organisations succeed no matter what happens.
Anticipating change -Scan the horizon for emerging trends. This isn’t just about the impact of new technology, the insights offered by big data or the advance of AI significant as these are. It’s about keeping up with employee expectations such as a better work life balance and flexible working. It’s also about keeping in-touch with customers changing needs and wants. For example during my latter years as Director of Social Services there was a projected steep rise in older people suffering from dementia. At the same time there was a clear trend /desire form frail elderly people to stay in their own home with support rather than go into a residential care home. It was my job to anticipate how services would have to change in response. What would we need more of, what would we need less of, what new or specialist services would need to be developed/commissioned.
Increasing resilience – Agile organisations can adapt to changing circumstances quicker and smoother. Requiring employees to change working practices, undertaking service reorganisation, management restructuring are not new but they are increasingly frequent in a fast changing operating environment. If there is resistance to change, distrust of the motives of senior management then change will be slow, painful and disruptive and oportunites will be lost. Resilience born of an organisational culture where change and innovation are the norm. People are recruited for their willingness to rise to the challenge, adapt, and be flexible. Managers in particular need to recognise transferable skills and not get hung up on an individual’s or their own professional background. In the end it will be the levels of trust within the organisation that determines how quickly and smoothly change happens. Senior managers need to invest time and energy in listening and not just when there is a major change afoot.
Maintaining a competitive edge – Management development and retention are the key to keeping ahead of the competition. Managers make the difference when it comes to improving efficiency, increasing productivity and routinely hitting targets. They achieve this by getting the best out of their employees and they do this through their people management skills. Managers are not always appointed due to their skills in this area so it makes sense for an organisation to invest in management focused on people management skills.
Mitigating risk – compassionate Management and retention will play a significant role in reducing the organisations risk of failing. Loosing your best employees increases the organisations vulnerability. A stable workforce is better able to cope with uncertainty and change. So reducing turnover over is a priority . They say people leave managers not organisations and there is some truth in this. Basically if people get on with their manager, feel valued and supported and have the opportunity to progress then they have no desire to move. The opposite is also true. Compassionate management where managers are not ridged in their response to absenteeism, dips in performance, family/personal circumstances and problems at work tend to generate loyalty and commitment.
Finally don’t be an insular organisation, part of the, “ not invented here “ brigade. Read the professional press, attend conferences, keep up with what similar organisations are doing and most important what organisations that don’t share your local circumstances, recent past, or customers because that’s how to future proof your organisation.
