A flowchart was designed as an implementation model to illustrate the adopted idea for this change initiative.
How differently would be the then employee engagement model for employees to embrace the ERP and its successsful rollout be in today's context is my quest.
The organisation leadership team embarked upon the implementation of SAP ERP to manage our country's favourite brand and its team with close to 6000 associates for coordinated and smooth functioning of more than 80 business locations comprising plants, warehouses and offices. Business is conducted in these locations with the help of varied and stand alone business systems and processes,which vary from location to location-some supported by IT systems -some manual. To provide the best for its associates a ERP was to be implemented. In a never ending quest to provide bests for its associates the company presents a IT based management program. The objective is to have a fully integrated, standardized, on- line Cola System which make processes more efficient and decision making more effective.
This story limits to the sharing of the implementation MODEL adopted for the implementation.
The project SWIFT was about leveraging technology to significantly enhance the business performance in the manufacturing and sales operations. The need for the business to be fully intergated operations across the country,running on standardised processes across all locations with the help of common sharing of information. These business were in various stages of maturity. Some operations were acquired, some brown field and some green field. The business had a mixed bag of skilled associates. This was to be an intergral part of the then new Business Model. The general impression is that ERP implementation takes long and there would be job cuts. This SAP implemention would provide timely and accurate information for efficient planning and control. The implementation was started in 2001 in a phased manner.
This was to bring about changes in some roles and scope of responsibilites to many associates. Hence, an participative approach was needed to bring these changes critical to its success. ERP failures in many large organisation were heard of and we wanted employees to embrace this change designed.
Is there a way of Doing all this Better? Making all this Easier? For results that are Faster?
This was the rallying factor of business persuading employees to embrace the proposed ERP SAP implementation internally branded as "SWIFT" program.
The How: The Model (As an attachment in the material section)
As seen in the model, classifying our targetted group in three categories in terms of "impact" was done. The mode of communication was the workshop methodology. We customized the workshops to maximize the delivery to the targeted group. The overall objective was to build consensus and win concessions. The project team also had to establish its credibility.
A. Implementation Acceleration Workshops/ 3 Impact Groups:
Initiated over 12 ‘Change Management’ workshops named as SWIFT covering 26 business managers(Location Anchors)with their functional managers(System Enablers) and 300 End Users. These were the target audience how subsequently create a supportive enviornment where additional efforts were required.
The focus and scope of the content for the three identifed groups were as below:
For Location Anchors
- To understand the ramifications of the Role and Competencies of them as a Location Anchor, in facilitating the Implementation.
- To introspect, share and benefit from feedback and suggestions for being a more effective Internal Change Agent.
- OD intervention - Stabilization of teams at locations
- To facilitate change leaders at locations to enhance quality of work environment and willing to make changes
- To recognize the importance of ‘People Issues” and ‘organizational culture issues’ during implementation
- To proactively visual/anticipate any hindrance/Psychological issues that might arise due to implementation at individual, teams and location levels dealing with IQ,EQ and AQ( Intelligence, Emotional and Adversity)
- Issues related to perceived loss of control ‘Dialogues being taken away
Locations Anchors needed to make the right decisions based on the right data. Their decision making effectiveness was needed to be enhanced. They were driven more by the need for control then by need to innovate
For End Users
- To appreciate the business potential of the Cola System, and the leadership role needed for realizing that potential.
- To enhance one’s managerial effectiveness as the system user; and leadership impact in the Implementation and Stabilization of Cola in one’s area of authority and accountability.
For System Enablers
- To appreciate the business potential of the Cola System, and the leadership role needed for realizing that potential.
- To enhance one’s managerial effectiveness as the system user; and leadership impact in the Implementation and Stabilization of ERP in one’s area of authority and accountability.
Putting it all together was the agenda of the workshop:
Sharing of the implementation plan
Management of Change Model(attached in the material section)for the change agents namely the Location Anchors
To appreciate the Role and Competencies required by the role for smooth ERP Installation and Stabilization and their individual contributions
To derive their consequent training needs.
To develop the required Trainer repertoire to impart the identified training to the end users
Defining suggestive organization for post implementation
To that end, the workshop elements consisted of essential elements of establishing credibility, framing to find common ground, providing vivid evidence, and connecting emotionally for their commitment.
B. Adapting to Change by Adopting New Roles
Defined emerging roles at unit level with job descriptions and grade for impacted roles with focus on skill gaps if any wrt pre implementation and post implementation
C. Communication:
The ERP communication model was designed with the objective of creating an awareness and educating associates about the ERP, in order that the "change"(from the old to the new way of doing business) is owned and "embraced" by each associate. This model consists of the following:
Newsletters – Released at the prior to the first roll out, and then throughout the entire implementation period
- One Audio Visual was viewed at all the workshops and which the Location Anchors were requested to arrange for viewing in their respective locations.
Both, the newsletter and the audio visual will communicate about ERP systems, benefits, what will ERP do for the Company, address from Steering Committee members expressing commitment to the initiative. and create a sense of fun and anticipation about this initiative. Subsequent newsletters will build the ERP success story by communicating periodically, progress of implementation across Regions sharing success stories and best practices etc.
The leadership team commitment as observed through their AV communication screened during the workshop
Sensitized to the pre-conditions and risk factors- Infrastructure,
From underestimation of change to an appreciation of the Revolutionary potential of way the business is done.
Fear of loss of jobs and hence resistence
Frustration of many employees that they cannot operate the ERP software.
Reluctance or let go of home grown systems with the the SAP ERP
Solutions:
The SWIFT Workshops described above
A well designed implementation of change management workshops for implementation of such ERP projects need the leadership commitment and there must be no room for mismanagement and fickle goals.
The experience of this porject leads to two lessons that amy organisation can use to help implement change successfully:
Change the pivotal people first: Indentifying what your change program's pivotal roles are and making sure that the people in it have both the tools and the willingness to change to enusre that the rest of the organisation changes. In our case the Location Anchors, End Users, and System Enablers were the centre of the revenue stream that the business wanted to improve. Once they had the right skills and attitude, they drove change quickly. Without this step, even the best organisational model will fail.
Build a comprehensive program: You must also ensure that the goals of the chnage program are clear,
meaningful and that the links between the people in the pivotal roles and the changes teh rest of the organisation must make are addresses clearly and comprehensively. Otherwise,the intial postive momentum won't last-no one can create change in vacum.
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