"Following their secondment to the change team, employees may develop different career expectations, the sponsor needs to be cognisant of these during and after the change programme"

An often-overlooked element in many change programmes is planning for the reintegration of seconded employees back into the organisation after the change comes to an end. It is up to the sponsor to ensure that any seconded change team members are recognised for their work on the change programme and that they will have a role when the change dissolves. This can cause problems for the sponsor both during the change and after it closes:

• Change team members often get nervous about having a position after the change team dissolves.
• Seconded employees leave the change programme before it closes.

Hopefully, the seconded change team members had a brilliant experience while working on the change programme. The change should have helped them to develop change management skills and knowledge, gain exposure to leaders, employees and impacted employees, as well as giving them the opportunity to undertake a different type of role from their previous work. Following this development and experience, their value to the organisation has increased. With the acquisition of new skills, employees may feel that going back to their old role is a step down, so the sponsor, their boss (pre-secondment) and the organisation will all have to acknowledge the employee’s work on the change programme and manage their new expectations going forward.

Other reintegration questions for the sponsor and the employee’s (pre-secondment) boss might be:

• How was the engagement between the seconded employee and their (pre-secondment) boss during their time on the change team?
• Did the employee’s responsibilities and activities on the change programme cause friction with their old department or team, which might impact working relationships after integration?
• What roles are available within the organisation that match the employee’s new experience, skills, and expectations?
• Has the employee missed out on a promotion opportunity while seconded to the change team?
• What are the challenges if an employee has to report to a former peer following their release from the change programme?

Blog Source: https://www.peterfgallagher.com/single-post/post-change-programme-reintegration-questions-for-the-sponsor

Peter consults, speaks, and writes on the Leadership of Change^®. For further reading please visit our websites: https://www.a2b.consulting  https://www.peterfgallagher.com Amazon.com: Peter F Gallagher: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle

Leadership of Change® Body of Knowledge Volumes: Change Management Body of Knowledge (CMBoK) Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, A, B, C, D & E available on both Amazon and Google Play:

~ Leadership of Change® Volume 1 - Change Management Fables

~ Leadership of Change® Volume 2 - Change Management Pocket Guide

~ Leadership of Change® Volume 3 - Change Management Handbook

~ Leadership of Change® Volume 4 - Change Management Leadership

~ Leadership of Change® Volume 5 - Change Management Adoption

By Peter F Gallagher

Keywords: Business Strategy, Change Management, Leadership