Preparing the organization for change

Purpose – This paper aims to draw on ChangeMaker's 20 years' experience of helping organizations around the world through a variety of organizational change processes. It aims to identify the role that HR can play to maximize the value of business transformations and motivate and retain key people. Design/methodology/approach – The paper offers best practice advice based on ChangeMaker's experience in the field and analyzes three major change situations in order to identify the best practice approaches used in each. Findings – HR needs to be involved on a strategic level from the start of any organizational change in order to influence and promote the development of the necessary people policies to gain full value from the process. This can range from working with the CEO or top team to encourage them to communicate a clear and consistent message with passion and enthusiasm to developing programmes to assist staff through the change process. Originality/value – HR needs to take a bold approach in terms of encouraging a top‐level focus on people policies and support, asking questions to ascertain the true requirements of the transformation, analyzing capability – including leadership capability – in the light of a changing business environment and being open and honest about any job losses or transfers.