Leading change and transforming government
Change is continuous, from adapting to changing business conditions or entering new markets to gaining operational efficiencies. Planning for and leading change can optimize your organization’s capacity to survive and thrive. Maximus has helped many organizations land successful change initiatives and maximize the benefits of those initiatives using a structured change management approach.
Managing change is the biggest challenge now facing government
The Maximus approach to helping government has always relied on a balanced, pragmatic take on change management. Now more than ever, we focus on aligning people, processes, and technology in reasoned measures. Unlike tech-forward companies driven by their need to sell specific software solutions, Maximus serves as a trusted partner to federal, state, and local government agencies. Our strong focus on organizational change management (OCM) as part of our project management is a vital competency that has empowered our success.
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Offerings from Standardized Operations & Analytics Program Management Office (SOA PMO)
Through the SOA Program Management Office, Maximus can provide dedicated expertise for OCM and a framework for organizational change. The Maximus SUCCESS (Sponsor, Understand, Commit, Connect, Enable, and Support) framework is a practical guide for successful change planning and implementation.
Why does OCM mean so much to client success?
Every project we undertake for government clients presents some degree of change – from large shifts away from an established program operating protocol to a simple transfer of an existing contract from an incumbent to Maximus. Aside from the obvious change-related hurdles that every Request for Proposal (RFP) response and contract implementation plan considers, there is another critical factor: people. Organizations are remarkably resistant to change without carefully considering trust, understanding, communications planning, and other inherently interpersonal factors.
Attempting to make changes to processes or introduce new technologies can quickly bog down and delay the delivery of expected benefits if the expectations and buy-in of stakeholders, government employees, and agency leadership are not carefully managed.
Maximus can provide client agencies with next-level solutions to address the impact of change on employees, organizations, and project teams. OCM helps prepare people for change – which in turn paves the way for successful projects, predictable implementation timelines, and cooperation throughout the organization.
Is your agency ready for change? Things to consider:
The success of any transformational project depends upon comprehensive change management planning and execution that incorporate all key stakeholders and address all facets of change, including both structural and cultural transformation.
- Strategic Vision
- Is a process in place to coordinate with all key stakeholders in the transformation effort?
- Has a strategic vision for the short‐term (1‐3 years) and long‐term (4‐5 years) been defined?
- How well‐positioned is the agency to adapt to change (e.g., increase/loss of partners, budget, programs, etc.)?
- What are the agency’s top organizational strengths and challenges?
- What program changes are expected over the next 5 years? What will drive these changes?
- Are business and program plans aligned to the agency’s mission and strategic direction?
- Workforce
- Is the agency achieving goals and objectives? If not, why?
- What functions can be consolidated or performed through other mechanisms like private sector contracts?
- Does the agency have an overarching workforce strategy?
- What workforce metrics are tracked? Are these metrics reviewed quarterly with key agency stakeholders as a part of the agency performance management process?
- How will organizational performance be impacted by attrition or retirements?
- What talent is mobile and able to move across organizational lines to new functions and roles?
- What knowledge transfer efforts are in place to capture institutional knowledge?
- Transformation
- Is there a transformation team in place to guide the agency towards change?
- Is there a communications strategy to update and coordinate with all stakeholders involved in the change?
- What initiatives have you put in place to support the workforce and sustain employee engagement during the transition?
- What challenges and opportunities exist in the external and internal operating environment?
- As implementation plans progress, are the expected outcomes being achieved?
- Restructure
- Is the current structure the best structure to meet the needs of the organization?
- How does the organization need to respond to environmental demands to be successful?
- What type of leadership and culture are required to achieve the valued structure?
- Which organizational practices are required to reinforce the organization’s purpose?
- How can a revamped structure optimize talent, functions, and real estate opportunities in field office locations?
The Maximus SUCCESS framework puts change management at the very heart of the way we work.
All projects involve some form of change management
The salient questions are: Who will do the work, and how well will it get done?
Maximus prioritizes organizational change management by employing methodologies that focus on transforming how people, processes, and technology work together to deliver critical government services. Effective change management requires successfully transitioning an organization towards a more effective position. Technology alone rarely delivers the best results, and our holistic approach to helping government goes beyond implementing systems. The most impactful organizational changes typically involve processes, technology, roles, and organizational culture.
Maximus Organizational Change Management can assist agencies with:
- Defining the strategic vision for the change
- Analyzing change readiness and understanding how the change will impact people
- Carrying out a stakeholder analysis, and advising on how to manage key stakeholders within the organization
- Mitigating resistance to change
- Advising on best practices to align organizational leaders for commitment, direction, and support
- Defining and planning an effective communications strategy
- Developing the organizational capabilities needed to ensure the changes are adopted through training and other interventions
- Defining and measuring the benefits of the change
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Contact us
Gayla Napier, Ph.D.
Director
Standardized Operations and Analytics (SOA),
Program Management Office (PMO)
Christine Hawkins
Vice President
Standardized Operations and Analytics (SOA),
Program Management Office (PMO)