Free White Papers
Ask the experts
Got a question? Put us to the test
Organisational Transformation - beyond change
Change happens all the time but it is surprising how often things seem to stay the same. Change advocates promise far-reaching benefits. What happens to these between promise and delivery? This is where organisational transformation comes in.
Why does change fail?
Individual changes are often brought in to help specific processes, but:
- They have impacts beyond the process they were brought in to improve (eg, speeding data accumulation may produce bottlenecks further down the processing route).
- All stakeholders may not be involved sufficiently to make the change work.
- People still behave as if they are using the old process (how many people do you know who single-mindedly print out all their e-mails?).
- Benefits are lost by a failure to take on a 'whole system' approach to change.
Why organisational transformation?
Modern organisations are in a continual state of change. The introduction of new IT systems, for example, allow us to do tasks more efficiently, by saving paperwork, speeding communication and freeing resources. The efficiencies are welcome, but they represent often merely incremental gains, helping us to continue doing the old things.
Organisations need to do something radically different to realise the benefits from their investments. They must take on the challenge of whole-organisation transformation.
How does organisational transformation work?
The drive for efficiency, the delivery of new and better services and competition mean that organisations have to respond in radically different ways. This can only be achieved if the organisation is prepared to undergo radical transformation.
The keys to organisational transformation are:
- Looking at the whole system - typically these can be broken down into people, technology and processes. Any change will impact on all three of these areas and each must respond.
- Involving stakeholders at all stages and at all levels.
- Having a clear (and measurable) vision of a future state.
- Having a comprehensive programme to manage the change.
How Oakleigh has helped others:
- Oakleigh consultants played a major role in the development and application of an transformational change in the National Health Service, working at both a national and a local level.
- Oakleigh provided key mentoring advice to a global reinsurance company as part of their process harmonisation programme
- The establishment of the DWP delivery excellence function, aimed at providing methods and tools for business change projects across
- the whole department, was managed by an Oakleigh consultant.
- Oakleigh provided support to the complete transformation of the
- vocational training sector in the establishment of the sector skills infrastructure.
How can Oakleigh help?
Oakleigh can provide support to make organisational transformation a reality because:
- We can guide the creation of a realistic vision.
- We have wide expertise in people, technology and process issues, rather than focussing on a single aspect.
- We are experts in the creation and management of programmes and projects to bring about transformation.