Embracing Organisational Development to Expedite Business Growth

Growing a business and achieving its full potential is a slow process marred by setbacks. A planned organisational development programme can expedite growth. You may be inclined to think of this as a task for your human resources department, but that would be a mistake.

In practice, the strategic responsibilities of HR are regulation, recruitment, terminations, compensation, internal policies, health and safety, grievances, performance assessment and management. Its tasks differ significantly from those of a business development (OD) specialist. While the two share some common goals, the latter focuses on different but equally vital aspects of the company relating to its overall culture. These include current practices, systems, structure and talent management.

Both are people-centric, and each plays a role in the learning and development function. However, while human resource managers will usually outsource this responsibility, a dedicated organisational development company will generally include training and coaching among its essential services. In essence, one could think of OD as a more strategic and holistic discipline of which human resource management might be considered a subset. In short, ensuring close cooperation between the two bodies will be the best way to guarantee success.

The process of organisational development

Imagine a family-owned business that has grown over two or three generations. Its culture is well-established but outmoded, and it is now faced with the challenges of keeping pace with the rising demands and aggressive competition typical of the 21st century.

This example is an extreme case in which the business has no choice but to adapt or die. However, even large, successful companies constantly encounter similar setbacks that require them to change or risk reduced market share and negative growth. The role of OD is to identify the necessary changes, devise appropriate interventions and assist companies in implementing them. Specific approaches may vary but will generally involve most, if not all, of the following steps:

• Identifying areas needing improvement: Any practices not fully aligned with a company’s strategic goals must be modified. Often, the best way to achieve this is by conducting staff surveys and analysing the feedback.

• Investigating problem areas: The next step involves tracing the root cause of each problem identified, any barriers to its resolution, previous attempts to overcome it, devising more effective alternatives and testing them.

• Developing an action plan: An organisational development team will create a plan detailing each contributing employee’s roles, allocating necessary resources and setting individual measurable performance goals. This step should include any additional coaching or training sessions for individuals and teams deemed essential to achieve the desired change.

• Motivating staff and generating a shared vision: It is not enough for management to demand change; all staff members need to be told precisely why it is necessary and how their compliance will benefit them and their careers in the short and long term. Leaders must become role models whose enthusiasm inspires and motivates others to embrace the company’s goals and share its vision.

• Implementing change: At this stage, the need for expert supervision is often the most crucial. Any weaknesses, like key personnel lacking an essential skill, will be exposed while there’s still time to take remedial action. Once all minor glitches are resolved, the plan can be actioned.

• Evaluating the initial results: Even if, on implementation, the planned strategic changes show promise, there will likely be room for improvement. Now is the time to reflect on how effective those changes have been in meeting the company’s business goals. Only by completing this step can you be sure how well your changes have worked and spot those areas where some refinement may prove necessary.

• Modifying or continuing the plan: If the planned changes have helped you meet or exceed your desired goals – well done! No further action should be necessary in the short term. However, changes in the global business environment are inevitable, and a new organisational development initiative will likely be needed in time. If your expectations are not fully realised, now is the time to fine-tune your plan.

Professional help with development

Orgro fields a team of coaches, industrial psychologists, psychometrists and business experts. Dedicated to helping businesses and employees achieve their goals and grow through organisational change. Our core business is developing and implementing the plans and actions that make this happen. Why not contact us, and we can work on your organisational development together to build the resilience that will grow and sustain your company’s future success in this constantly changing world?

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