Embracing Organisational Change at Geelong Regional Libraries
Client: Geelong Regional Libraries Corporation.
The Geelong Regional Library Corporation is Victoria’s largest public library service,
providing library and information services to residents and visitors across 19 libraries in the
Geelong region. This dynamic and diverse region is home to around 365,000 people.
Challenge:
Geelong Regional Library Corporation (GRLC) recently upgraded its Library Management System (LMS). The aim was to implement the change smoothly while maximising the new system’s benefits without disrupting day-to-day operations.
Approach:
The approach included a comprehensive strategy designed to drive meaningful and lasting
organisational change. It included:
- Tailored Change Framework and Plan: Customised to GRLC’s specific needs, integrating change management and human-centered design, lean and agile methodologies. This flexible approach ensured adaptability throughout the change process.
- Coaching the Project Team: Providing guidance to the project team, equipping them with the necessary skills and mindset to effectively utilise the change framework and tools. This also supported their leaders in navigating the change.
- Reporting Tools: Developed executive and project-level reporting tools to ensure consistent, transparent, and comprehensive communication.
- Guiding Principles of Change: Collaboratively designed guiding principles with input from a diverse group of employees, including senior leaders. These principles served as a guide, continuously measured to anchor progress in alignment with
project success measures. - Lessons Learned and Insights: Incorporated a thorough lessons-learned phase, highlighting successes, challenges, and insights gathered during the implementation. This information was crucial for embedding adoption, mitigating risks, and informing future organisational changes.
Outcome:
The adopted approach resulted in impactful outcomes:
- Positive Satisfaction Ratings and Preparedness: GRLC achieved an impressive 82% overall satisfaction rating for the LMS implementation. Ninety per cent of employees found information about the changes sufficient and clear, with 80% stating that the training prepared them well.
- Strengthened Change Capability: The establishment of guiding principles and practical change tools significantly enhanced GRLC’s change management capability, setting the stage for future changes and organisational maturity.
- Empowered Leadership and Continuous Improvement: Change leadership and continual measurement against guiding principles facilitated proactive decision- making. Insights from staff engagement informed ongoing enhancements, fostering a culture of sharing creative ideas for continuous improvement.
Conclusion:
The outcomes not only ensured a successful LMS implementation but also equipped GRLC with enhanced readiness and adaptability for future change initiatives. The approach taken reflects a commitment to a smooth and effective organisational transition.