Approaches to inspire and motivate total workforce transformational success in large organisations
Introduction – Why you should inspire and motivate people as part of a workforce transformation
In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, organisations constantly face the need to transform to remain competitive and relevant. Whether it is adapting to disruptive technologies, changing customer expectations, or navigating market dynamics, successful transformation requires more than just structural and procedural changes. It requires the inspiration and motivation of the entire workforce to make the transformational journey a success and sustain the benefits.
1 – The role of inspiration and motivation in workforce transformation
1a – It takes effort to change
Workforce transformation entails substantial changes in mindset, behaviours and work processes. It demands employees venture beyond their comfort zones and embrace new roles, ways of working and even identities. However, change can be daunting – often leading to resistance and fear of the unknown among employees. For organisations to effectively engage their workforce in the transformation journey, they must provide compelling reasons for employees to willingly embrace change. By inspiring and motivating employees, organisations can create a positive environment that eliminates barriers and makes the transformation journey more manageable. A positive environment for change is a minimum requirement for real engagement.
1b – We want people to put the effort in
Inspiration and motivation are key drivers in mobilising employees to make the effort required for successful transformation. When employees are inspired, they become more engaged, proactive and willing to invest their time and energy in driving the transformation. Motivated employees are more likely to embrace the necessary changes, take ownership of their roles, and actively contribute to the organisation’s goals. As people put the effort in, we see:
- change champions emerge – which accelerates change by providing insights into where more work is required and instilling the needs for change at the grass roots level
- an increase in ownership and accountability – which builds a culture of improvement and collaboration improving the quality change outcomes
- growth in adaptability, innovation and creativity – which lifts change benefits as internal ideas on how best to leverage the opportunity are uncovered
1c – We want change to stick
While transformations may be seen as a one-time event, sustaining them is an ongoing process. The transformation outcomes must be embedded in the organisation’s culture through the daily processes, behaviours and practices of its employees.
By inspiring and motivating employees, organisations can create a sense of purpose, commitment and resilience, ensuring that the transformational changes become lasting and embedded in the organisation’s DNA.
2 – Areas of workforce transformation
Workforce transformation needs to address various areas to achieve holistic and successful change. The development of a robust workforce planning approach requires an understanding of the work to be done, how teams will collaborate and deliver, how people need to interact and what capabilities are required in the future.
2a – Ways of working
Transforming the ways of working involves shifting from traditional hierarchical structures to flatter cross-functional team-based structures that break down silos. It involves delivery iteratively, working collaboratively, and empowering employees to make decisions. By inspiring and motivating employees, organisations can foster a culture of innovation, adaptability and continuous improvement.
An effective ‘ways of working’ framework describes how people synchronise their effort and coordinate to plan and deliver their work, and includes details on:
- team structures and roles
- team planning and communication cadences
- interactions between and within teams
- work breakdown principles to inform planning and delivery
- delivery practices and methodologies
2b – Organisational interactions
One of the aims of organisational transformation is to improve interaction. This involves making cross collaboration easier and more valuable. Some mechanisms to achieve this, such as reducing dependencies, focus on organisation design. Others focus on improving communication rhythms and culture. Redefining interactions can include:
- improving communication channels through greater clarity on who needs to talk to whom and when
- encouraging open dialogue through creating a culture of transparency and trust
- displaying leadership behaviours where employees feel valued, heard and are encouraged to contribute their ideas
2c – Capability building
Workforce transformation needs development of the capabilities and skills required to thrive in the new business landscape. Organisations need to invest in continuous learning and development programs that empower employees to acquire new skills, adapt to evolving roles and stay ahead of industry trends.
A strategic workforce plan is required to map future needs to just-in-time capability.
A practical way to embed ongoing capability growth is to establish this as part of the ways of working model by:
- creating Chapters where knowledge leaders actively develop team members’ skills through ongoing mentorship in both specialised areas and in broadening T-shaped skills where s uitable
- developing a roadmap of future capabilities to enable chapter leaders to recruit, train or plan outsourcing to ensure skills and knowledge will be available when needed
- establishing centres of expertise for niche and highly specialised capabilities that can be shared across the organisation
Effective planning and chapter lead development inspires and motivates employees to embrace learning and growth; organisations can build a workforce that is agile, versatile and future-ready.
3 – Ways to inspire and motivate
To inspire and motivate employees for total workforce transformational success, organisations can adopt various approaches.
3a – Employee value proposition (EVP)
Craft a compelling employee value proposition that communicates the organisation’s purpose and values, and the benefits of being part of the transformational journey. A robust EVP is more than financial rewards for employees. It is a way to:
- differentiate your organisation in an authentic manner
- align employee needs and inspiration with their employment agreement
- clearly articulate expectations on the organisation’s brand, remuneration and benefits
Highlight opportunities for personal and professional growth, meaningful work and a positive impact. A strong EVP helps attract, engage and retain talent, inspiring employees to align their aspirations with the organisation’s transformational goals.
Developing an organisation-specific EVP adds additional benefit as it focuses on the right capabilities, industry and context. Running an EVP design and rollout as an Agile project creates value quickly while building Agile skills within the HR team.
3b – Challenge and interest
Creating an environment that offers employees exciting challenges and fosters their interests is a powerful motivator.
- Opportunities for employees to tackle meaningful projects, solve complex problems and contribute their unique skills inspire a sense of purpose and engagement
- Experiences that enable employees to make a difference through achieving something tangible and valuable provide a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment
- Challenges and interests create a stimulating work environment that encourages creativity, innovation and personal growth, fuelling the workforce’s motivation for transformational success
3c – Career development
Investing in employees’ career development is a significant driver of inspiration and motivation. Demonstrating clear career pathways enables employees to plan their development while adding value to the organisation. Pathways highlight the skills and knowledge that must be acquired, and create an understanding of the roles that will need to be performed in the future organisation.
Organisational change often includes redefinition of roles and changes in accountability. These adjustments may affect the parameters on which people based the decision to join the organisation. People may find the role they joined the organisation to perform has changed to a more generic role which may not align with their self-image.
Clear career paths provide a way to:
- explain the difference between position and job title – This helps address changes and redeployments in a way that informs people that they are still valued
- plan an immediate move to another role – During transformation, it provides a way for people to stay engaged with the organisation as they ideate internal movements
- plan development – Helps people understand how adding valuable skills, knowledge and experience will prepare for future roles
4 – Conclusion – the future of work
ADAPTOVATE understands that the workforce will change in the next few years
Changes in technology, demographics and post-Covid working practices will drive changes in who participates in the workforce, what roles there are, and which organisations acquire the best talent.
- Digitisation, automation and AI – Routine and repetitive tasks will drive a need for new, complex and creative roles across industries
- Remote, flexible and hybrid working – Many employees desire the ability to work away from the traditional office and will continue to drive demand for flexibility in time and location
- Extended workforce – Freelancing and ‘gig’ work has continued to grow and will continue to be a consideration in workforce planning
- Lifelong learning – Changes in technology and job requirements have created an environment where tomorrow’s job may require skills that do not exist today
- Diversity, inclusivity and values – In tight markets, employees have more choice in who to work for and with
ADAPTOVATE understands different measures that can work to inspire workforce transformation for success.
A focus on specific EVP elements can support transformations by building commitment and loyalty. These include aspects that show effort is valued by recognising contribution and showing an interest in employees’ careers by supporting growth and development.
- Reward and recognition programs – Implement a program that highlights the hard work people are doing, especially during times of change and ambiguity, to let people know they are focusing their effort on the right things
- Skills development and training – Provide insights into the skills the organisation will require in the future, to enable employees to participate in preparing for the future
- Engagement events – Team activities, social events and pulse surveys all sustain teaming and provide insights into the level of connection people have to the organisation, and provide opportunities for employees’ concerns to be addressed by peers and leaders
- Career advancement opportunities – Secondments, new roles and mentoring all provide mechanisms for the organisation to move transformations forward at speed while retaining knowledge and talent, and providing employees with positive experiences that inspire others
- Work–life balance and wellbeing initiatives – Standard EVP components such as flexible working arrangements, and financial components like gym memberships, are always a positive; however, access to services such as counselling during times of stress can be a great advantage to employees, especially where these services may not be covered by their health insurance
- Transparent communication – Open and timely communication is generally a positive practice; however, for employees in ambiguous environments, 2-way communication is a core EVP component
Inspiring and motivating employees is a fundamental tool in driving total workforce transformational success in large organisations. By recognising the role of inspiration and motivation in workforce transformation, focusing on key areas of change, and implementing effective approaches, organisations can create an environment that empowers employees to embrace change, put in the necessary effort, and ensure the transformation sticks.
Ultimately, a motivated and inspired workforce becomes a powerful catalyst for successful transformation, fostering innovation, adaptability and sustainable growth in the face of evolving business challenges.
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