Consulting on change

What is consultation on change? – This is about engaging in meaningful dialogue with those likely to be affected by proposed changes in the workplace. Meaningful dialogue is the sharing of information, informing on proposals, promoting the need for change, and importantly, the receiving of feedback to influence decision-making. It does not mean that managers lose the right to manage – on the contrary. If carried out genuinely it could provide an assurance to staff that their views and opinions will be sought before decisions are made.

Please note that this guide has been written to advise on best practice ‘change consultation’ – it does not expand on the legal requirement to consult with staff for specific work-related issues e.g. redundancy, health and safety etc.

Why consult at all?

There are many reasons why consulting with staff is a good idea.

Valuing staff and allowing them to be involved in the decision-making process and express their views can help organisations make sound decisions which are widely supported.
Improved management / employee relations can be achieved with greater levels of trust and commitment.
It provides an opportunity to acknowledge the potential negative impact of change and to talk about ways to minimise this.
To promote the need for change – doing this clearly and effectively will help to allay fears and reduce potential resistance. It could also help to ensure the transition to change runs smoothly with increased commitment from staff. A key achievement in managing change well will be to get staff engaged and enthused about developments.
To explain what’s influencing the status quo – there will be real reasons why changes need to happen but often these are not clearly explained to those affected. Don’t just focus on what’s now being proposed – try to show how a current process, for example, is ineffective or no longer fit for purpose.

When to consult?

Consultation is not a one-off duty but should be carried out:

Firstly at the beginning (stage 1) of any change process and before any decisions are made (i.e. consulting on the nature of change, the reasons for change, and the impact of change). At this stage it is very important to be as clear as possible about what your intentions are and why. Being able to answer the basic questions early on could help to minimise potential barriers to change.
Secondly, during (stage 2) the change process (i.e. the implementation of, for example, new processes or activities);
And thirdly, the conclusion (stage 3) of the change process (i.e. the reviewing and evaluation of all steps and to consolidate learning for the next change event). This will also be an opportunity to assess how staff are coping with the change.

Who to consult with and what methods to use?

When consulting on change it is important to consider which staff will be directly or indirectly affected. This might mean that you are consulting with all staff in a small department, for example, or meeting with a representative group for a whole-school initiative. Consultation, however, is not the medium for dealing with minor or individual issues or grievances – the focus has to be on the bigger picture and the impact on all affected.

Managers should also take care to ensure that part-time workers, seconded employees, those on maternity / paternity leave, and those absent from work through ill-health, for example, are given the opportunity to input to any discussions.

Consultation can take place in many forms:

Consulting verbally by discussing issues with individuals face-to-face or by phone for example, or more formally at face-to-face meetings/briefings to a wider audience. Quality circles and a cascade method could be adopted where a small number of people are initially consulted with who are then tasked with obtaining feedback from others. A real example of this would be briefing department heads who then brief staff in their own departments.
Written forms of consultation could include e-mail, staff surveys/questionnaires, letters to individuals etc.

An important point to make here is that if and when staff views are rejected then managers need to be able to explain the reasons why. Similarly, where a member of staff has made a suggestion that will make a positive difference to the process or proposal then this should be recognised and acknowledged.

Positive Outcomes

Improved decision-making – valuing staff and allowing them to be involved and express their views can help organisations make sound decisions which are widely supported.
It could help to create greater levels of trust and improve management / employee relations.
Staff may feel much more aware of what is happening and have feelings of being involved, empowered, and trusted.
It identifies issues that perhaps management hadn’t thought of.
It could alert management to unidentified problems quite early on.
It emphasises collaborative working and collegiality.
It could foster good working relationships and symbolise genuine openness.

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