Involving employees in change
The question 
The ANWB wants to improve its business processes and make them more customer-oriented and more efficient. Among other things, this involves client relations, product management, making recommendations and sales and logistics. A special programme team is responsible for redesigning these processes and constructing a supporting ICT system. How can we communicate the changes to our employees?
The answer 
Virtually from the outset, communication forms part of the programme. Our approach focused on the commitment of the employees who were to be affected by the changes. We informed them about the necessity to change procedures and working routines. We discussed the approach, wishes and consequences in working groups and at meetings. In this way were able to explain the expectations and the possibilities and impossibilities. We were, moreover, responsible for familiarising the employees with the new working methods in advance. Naturally we informed the entire organisation via the intranet and the in-house magazine about the preparations, progress and experiences.
The result
The switch-over to the first renewed business process, dealing with complaints, went smoothly. One month later members of the department in question were well accustomed to the new working methods. We are now working on the following cluster: the web shop. The programme will reach completion in 2009.
