A Dynamic Framework for Workforce Transformation

We are living through a period of fundamental transformation in the way we live, work, and interact with the world around us. The rise of digital requires us to keep pace with disruptive change daily and these changes are finding their way more and more into our work lives as well. As a result, organizations are planning and implementing workforce transformations to keep up with increasing demands, automation, and new skills.  

While workforce transformations can be exciting, they are also disruptive and messy. If not properly planned, they will have an adverse outcome. According to McKinsey, 23% of all transformations fail during the planning phase. This number jumps to 55% during implementation. The key is to tie your transformation efforts into the day-to-day business as much as possible, while engaging your employees and properly managing change.   

One crucial element, aside from the importance of planning your workforce transformation, is to keep in mind that people are at the heart of it. Transformations are linked to a shift in talent, roles, and functions, which presents itself in your employees’ knowledge, skills, abilities, and mindsets. Without bringing your employees along for the ride, your transformation efforts are likely to fail. 

No matter if your transformation is focused on organizational, leadership, cultural, information systems, or business process changes (you can read more about this in our blog The 5 Types of Workforce Transformations) having a flexible transformation framework in place is essential. 

At Ardent, we use a dynamic, four-phased approach that can be adjusted to any size organization and transformational project. We partner with our clients to ensure transformations are successful by empowering employees with the tools and knowledge they need to thrive throughout the transformation experience.  

• Discover: During this phase, we first identify the areas of focus for your transformation. These could include new skills and competency frameworks, content strategies, knowledge management, or measurement and analytics. We collaborate on your vision, goals, and measures of success to ensure all stakeholders are aligned. This initial phase is crucial to set the tone for the employee and team engagement. 
• Analyze: We look at the current state of your specific focus areas to better understand what works well and where improvements are needed. We contrast that with the possibility of the future state as it relates to the worker, the work environment, and the work itself. The output of this phase is a robust and actionable current-to-future state report, which is grounded in the realities of today while reimagining the possibilities of tomorrow.  

• Plan: We create a blueprint with high-level timelines for your learning and training strategy, which includes recommended approaches to successfully implement and operationalize your areas of focus. During this crucial phase, we think through rollout, adoption, and communication strategies as part of the broader change management approach to your transformation. 
• Execute: We design, develop, implement, and operationalize all elements of your blueprint. Throughout execution, we’ll partner with you to ensure a successful rollout of your learning and training program as part of a comprehensive change management plan focused on getting your team excited and engaged from the beginning.  

We recognize that the future has not yet been written, but with proper vision, strategy, and execution, we can help shape the direction it takes. Preparing your people for these new ways of learning and working should be your highest priority.  

If you want to learn how Ardent can help you prioritize your people, reach out to one of our Ardent Experts today.