Merging cultures in the public sector

A UK Government department had expanded rapidly and more than doubled as a result of a merger, bringing in staff from outside civil service. 

The HR model was being redefined along the lines of Dave Ulrich's model, with a move to HR business partners and shared services on a regional basis and specialist services, e.g. disciplinary and grievance, learning and development. 

The need was both to help HR staff from the newly-merged organisation to adjust to their roles in the new structure, e.g. business partner, and to understand how the new roles fitted together to provide one HR across a diverse department. Coping with the change of culture to a civil service approach was also an issue for HR people who were mapped into roles in the new organisation.

After analysing the development needs of the 80 HR staff involved at regional and area business partner levels, and in other specialist roles, an HR development programme was created. A development programme of two modules was designed to help people assess their new role and understand the interfaces between HR. One important area was the need to focus on change and transition. An early process of mapping oneself on the transition curve and mapping managers helped to bring out issues around the changes, as well as the role of HR in tackling them. Working in small transformational coaching groups, people focused on their current challenges, how to build key relationships, how to establish their role in their clients' eyes, how to let go of old parts of their role, or handle the difficulties of getting others to take on their old roles, including managers! Another major theme was influencing and increasing one's personal impact with an opportunity to review one's personal style and how to improve this.

Feedback from the programme included comments such as "Fast-moving and very relevant event - brilliantly facilitated."; "Came away feeling energised and positive about the future, my role within the structure and improved relationship/partnerships."; and "Wonderful opportunity to take stock, reflect and recognise what has been achieved. Can now see the shapes of the jigsaw pieces, and how they will fit together."

Creating a network across the new department was seen to be a great benefit derived from the programme. The initiative showed that it was far more effective to bring people together in a learning environment to understand the change and their new role than to leave people to muddle through. It enabled them to start to work across the boundaries which the role created in each region, and to avoid misunderstanding and barriers or blame that can easily arise in times of stress. Change is a constant in any area of work, especially central government and more changes are on the way but it will potentially be easier for the HR function to cope with as a result of this development approach.