Change management in HR
As an HR consultant, there are a variety of different types of assignments to take on. Björn Lindkvist, HR consultant, who works with many of the tough HR issues related to change management, has the motto “do the right thing and not the easy thing”. To dare to have difficult discussions and reorganize because it is the right thing to do even when no one wants to, to reduce or increase the workforce or to develop staff who for various reasons do not deliver. Björn describes this as one spectrum of HR that he most often works with, and the other as structures through databases, contracts, salaries, rehab and the daily HR work. Both spectrums of HR are equally important and needed for the other to work.
Björn Lindkvist, HR Consultant
Björn has for many years worked with HR issues both as a consultant in his own right, through consulting companies and as an employee. With a broad experience of different companies, he works today with change management in HR and supports organizations in both large and small change projects.
What kind of assignments do you usually get as an HR consultant?
My assignments are usually about making some kind of change,” says Björn.
I have been involved in closing down both companies and parts of companies. Been there during and after takeovers. During major redundancies, reorganizations or when other major internal changes occur. Or during an interim period when a new manager is to be appointed.
It is common that they do not know exactly what the assignment will be about and that the assignment changes once you are in the project.
How did you start working in HR?
I was an officer and that’s where the interest in personnel came from. As an officer, it’s all about making sure the right person is in the right place, at the right time with the right stuff and with the right task. That’s exactly what we do in personnel and HR,” says Björn.
Björn says that thinking about how we can get people to do things without either shouting at them or forcing them, but instead motivating them was something that arose early in his career. His interest in leadership was awakened already during his time in the military and from there he entered UGL, became a supervisor and worked with developing leadership and organizations.
Since Björn started his civilian journey, he has worked in different types of HR, both as an employee and as a consultant. He describes the field of HR as dynamic and as a constantly evolving profession.
What are the benefits of bringing in an interim HR?
The advantage is obviously that you are temporary and can then take on more difficult situations,” says Björn.
“Take, for example, when you need to make major cuts within the organization and need to engage in tough negotiations with the union. In that case, an HR consultant can come in and do a one-off job without the organization’s internal HR being, so to speak, tainted,” says Björn. Their focus can then be on supporting those who remain in the organization and continue to focus on the day-to-day HR work.
What is the most important advice you would give to companies looking for an HR consultant?
First, they need to know what it is the organization actually needs help with. Is it in the administrative area that the support is needed, i.e. with systems, salaries, contracts, etc. or is it a change process that is needed? Because HR is so broad, there are also different competencies required,” explains Björn.
My advice is therefore to try to define what you need help with, and bring in interim staff accordingly. Or you can bring in a consultant to help you both define and bring in the skills you need.
What do you see as the challenges and benefits of HR becoming so integrated into businesses?
“One of the great advantages of HR being so integrated into companies today is that many problems can be avoided or solved at an early stage,” says Björn.
Today, we often work very closely with managers, and when problems arise, we rush in like an ambulance. The key is to find solutions as early as possible and to work on problem solving even before the problem arises. This is where the daily HR work comes into play, many problems can be avoided through good routines and a good administrative HR structure.
We see a competitive advantage when HR is involved from the start in many decisions, and we’ve noticed a clear shift where HR is requested in all kinds of different contexts. We are neutral and want the best for the company without blinders. We don’t think in terms of the manager’s specific pipe or in the matrix organization and can therefore offer a different perspective. I think the key going forward is to become even tighter so that all managers feel they can call HR when they encounter an HR issue before the problem has arisen,” says Björn.
“Since I started in HR, taking care of your staff has only become more and more important because it is in many cases the most expensive resource we have,” says Björn. With a twinkle in his eye, Björn compares hiring staff for a full-time position to getting married. “It’s important to get it right, because it’s hard for both parties to end the relationship.
What is the most important advice you would give to someone who wants to start working as an HR consultant?
“The most important thing is the ability to quickly build a network and trust with your client,” explains Björn. “It’s also important to gain a clear understanding of what it is they want me to do as an HR consultant. It is not uncommon for it to differ slightly from the assignment you were hired from. Talk a lot, and to many people. Not just with your client, but connect with people around you to build your brand as a good partner.
“My next piece of advice is to be honest about what you can and cannot do,” says Björn. “It’s really stupid to go in, especially as a consultant, over your competence and step in and say that you’ll take care of various different things. When you fall flat on your face, you’re out and there’s a risk that you’ll have a stain on your name for a long time to come. Honesty and transparency are incredibly important.
Then it is important to be a bit brave. I’m very impressed by many of the younger ones today who stand up in front of 100+ managers and talk. I would not have done that myself at their age. The courage to dare is important. Dare to ask, dare to step forward and dare to show your competence, combined with a little humility.
What tips do you have for people who would like to work in change management in HR?
When learning new things in a field, it’s always important to find your own workhorse within the organization. Find an experienced person that you can learn from. Experience doesn’t necessarily have to do with age, but identify people who are good at what you want to be good at and make sure to draw on their experience. And a tip for the younger generation is to not always be as cocky as many tend to be. Dare to be more humble and listening. Take advantage of the experience that is around you and it will go much easier.
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