Can a Change Manager Be on the Payroll?
When major change is in the offing, the first step for many organisations is to appoint a permanent change manager or, alternatively, hire an external consultant. But there are many reasons why this might not be the best route to go – and is unlikely to deliver the best result. Consider first the implications of appointing a senior change practitioner to the payroll. By the very nature of their role, change managers are charged with changing the situation they come into. Over a shorter or longer timeframe, they’ll duly take the organisation from A to B on a journey of greater or lesser complexity. And when this journey is complete, the need for their services will, by definition, have been removed. Thus the requirement for a change manager is invariably for a finite period. Consider also the typical scenario for a major change project. The board or site management will have recognised a requirement for change – to business processes, manufacturing processes, front and/or back-office pr
