More Of Naomi’s “Killer” Scenarios: Discontinuous Organizational Changes

Mohorovicic Discontinuity -- diagram by USGS, red line added by Geology.com

This is the last, at least for a while, post in a series I’ve been doing that suggest some “killer” scenarios for HR leaders and their teams to use when considering how to design their HRM processes and their HRM delivery system.  These are also excellent topics for the scripted scenario demos that I believe are the best way to evaluate HRM software and HRM BPO service offerings.  Having now covered some critical object model and architecture-revealing aspects of work and workers, the worker lifecycle, and ongoing organizational complexities, this final post in the series tackles what I call discontinuous organizational changes.  

Discontinuous organizational change scenarios are intended to demonstrate how the HRM delivery system, especially its software platform, copes with business-not-as-usual.  Even though acquisitions, divestitures, and facility relocations are not that uncommon, each such event is truly a one-of-a-kind organizational change whose characteristics cannot be anticipated fully.  With respect to HRM, each of these major changes not only creates the need for organizational design changes, but it ripples throughout the HRM domain model leaving a trail of policy/practice/plan issues and potential changes as well as considerable HRM delivery system impacts.  All too often these types of discontinuous changes are an afterthought when considering HRM software or BPO, only to become the oopsy that nearly brings down the house.

This scenario group includes:

1. Relocating facilities and equipment, within and across borders which bring changes in regulatory juridictions and, therefore, regulatory requirements;
2. Downsizing, which requires workforce reductions, where deciding who to let go involves not only succession planning/execution on steroids but also organizational KSAOC planning and deployment analyses;
3. Acquisition of a facility, including initial out-servicing;
4. Major regulatory change, e.g. an overhaul of health care or environmental or corporate income taxes;
5. New business startup by existing division, including short and long-term facilities planning, with or without opening up a major new geography;
6. Startup of a new division with first ever global facilities (i.e. not just sales revenues but actual activities based in several countries) or with first ever facilities in a new country;
7. Divestiture, including ongoing HRMDS servicing;
8. Outsourcing of major business processes and related staff;
9. Labor relations events, e.g. new union start-up, work stoppage, and/or facility closedown;
10. Establishment of a partnership or joint venture, with or without ongoing HRMDS servicing;
11. Major realignment, within and across divisions; and
12. Acquisition, with or without full integration.

Given the move to SaaS and outsourced HRMDS components, be sure to consider these scenarios not only in the evaluation of software platforms but also in your service level agreements, pricing arrangements, and/or any software licenses.