Organizational change management is primarily reliant on the knowledge of people professionals (Cipd, 2021). People managers play an important role in an organization’s development since they are the unseen but widely recognized acting stage directors of change. They act as change agents because they are close to the workforce, allowing them to easily influence leadership and create an environment that supports change. Many have assumed that the traditional function of human resource (HR) managers is counterproductive to introducing change within an organization. In fact, many corporate executives considered that human resources acted as a barrier, preventing managers from achieving their goals or taking on new tasks. However, it is critical to recognize that HR’s gatekeeper role is only a watchdog duty, and thus a means of introducing new procedures while monitoring management change.
Human resources professionals, in their capacity as gatekeepers, are responsible for the analysis and evaluation of the proposed change. Their task is to determine whether the change will meet the intended standards by considering its impact on both the workforce and the organization. Should the perceived change not correspond to the predetermined objectives, it becomes the responsibility of the Human Resources department to re-establish it in a way that ensures it remains consistent with the company’s goals and is well received by its staff. It is critical that HR professionals, in their capacity as mediators, exercise objectivity when making decisions, keeping in mind the optimal outcomes for both the organization and its workforce.
As change management facilitators, HR professionals serve as communicators in the change process by facilitating productive discussions between management and employees. To accomplish this, human resource professionals must stay neutral when facilitating an understanding of the goals and how to attain them. By refraining from taking a position in the debate, professionals in the field of human resources steer the meeting toward making decisions and accomplishing its objectives. This function is crucial because it regulates emotions during conversations, increases participant engagement, and fosters innovation for change.
Finally, as change champions, people professionals can help management build change initiatives. This entails raising awareness of the change while equipping employees with enough information to understand how it will impact their work. People professionals serve as champions by teaching employees on newly installed procedures and systems, allowing them to complete their responsibilities without disruption during and after the change. The role of people professionals as champions is crucial because it aids in tracking progress, identifying difficulties that arise during change implementation, solving problems, and creating a strong network through gaining the trust of employees and increasing their buy-in for the change.
