Change Management Case: Sampson Television

Case scenario:

You have recently joined Sampson Television as its HR Manager. The prior HR manager - Genevieve - retired after 40 years. You were interviewed by Genevieve and the Accounting Manager; to whom you report. You are working with four HR professionals and realize that you have your work cut out for you. Every time you turn around, you see the disrespect your HR employees receive from all levels of employees. You are determined to change this relationship. It seems that the HR department is viewed as a necessary evil and constantly is spending time trying to justify its existence.

You realize that the previous HR Manager had a lot to do with how HR is viewed in this company. You have discussed this with your boss and the HR employees and they shrugged their shoulders and acted like nothing needed to be changed. One employee commented that "If you rock the boat, it will make things worse." Tomorrow is donut day. You have inherited from Genevieve the job of picking up 900 donuts from the area bakery and personally delivering them to all of the break rooms throughout the plant and offices. "Enough is enough!" your thoughts scream.

Put together a 12-month plan of how to reverse this situation. (Hiring additional help, even part time, is not an option.) Be as specific as possible.

In changing a previously held "norm" of HR being the "necessary evil" will take time. The first step would be to engage the four people currently in the department in moving away from the mindset of negative treatment is "ok" - and ensuring all knew it was unacceptable for that type of behavior to continue. I would also focus on educating other managers as to how my department is treated by them, and their staff, to gain support for it to end. Finally, several months of the plan will involve "meet and greets" with staff, to "humanize" the face of my department, in hopes that the negativity will stop.