Training Industry Magazine - May/June 2021 - 25

is about people and processes. There
are many definitions, but - at its core -
workforce transformation is the shifting of
a workforce's talent, roles and functions -
through its knowledge, skills and mindsets
- to align with an organization's changing
strategic initiatives.
Transformational work is exciting, but
it's also disruptive. To be successful,
it requires a systemic transformation
framework and processes, such as
collaborative design thinking. After all,
while pushing boundaries and creating
the workforce of the future, day-to-day
business must continue. What might a
transformation framework look like?

Transformation frameworks
provide a systemic look at
your organization.

All transformation efforts should start
with an in-depth intake process before
diving into a current- and future-state
analysis to create a transformation
blueprint. With the blueprint in hand,
you can start executing on it. You will
systematically work through each phase,
collaborating with key stakeholders and
develop necessary outcomes in an agile
manner. Let's look at each of the phases
in more detail.

INTAKE PHASE
It is crucial that organizations identify the
overall goal of workforce transformation
and align activities accordingly. At
this stage, you are level-setting to
understand the main players, identify
objectives and possible obstacles, and
create a document detailing areas of
focus to complete in each phase in
order to move forward in the framework.
Start this phase with an intent and
clarity workshop to answer the following
questions:

* What are you hoping to achieve with
this transformation?

BUILDING YOUR
TRANSFORMATION
FRAMEWORK
Transformation frameworks provide
a systemic look at your organization.
To
strategically
approach
any
transformation effort, first identify the
areas of focus within your organization
that will drive transformation. Examples
include organizational effectiveness
and processes, business and partner
alignment, leadership development,
talent management, and measurement
and analytics.
Although you may choose only one
or two dimensions, it affords you the
opportunity to capture related issues.
For example, an organization may focus
on business and partner alignment
and realize that they have related
governance issues. Additionally, the
work done by performance consultants
directly impacts the learner experience;
however, it is crucial to understand the
fluid boundaries between the areas.

* What current challenges are you
facing daily?

* From your perspective, why are we
embarking upon this transformation?

* What are the consequences if we
continue with the way we work today?

* What industry changes are impacting
employees?

* What does success look like?
Ensure you align all internal stakeholders
not only to get their buy-in but also to
confirm that everyone is clear about
which elements will be prioritized, what
the initiative is all about and how to
support the effort along the way.

CURRENT-STATE
ANALYSIS
Once equipped with the strategic
direction, shift your focus to the
current state of your workforce. During
collaborative working sessions, take
stock of the current state of your areas
of focus. Returning to the performance
consulting example, identify the current
processes and documents used and
uncover what works and what doesn't.
You can also leverage data sources to
tell you more about the current state

BUILDING YOUR TRANSFORMATION FRAMEWORK
Transformational work is both exciting and disruptive. To push boundaries while
still focusing on day-to-day business, a transformation framework can help guide
organizations through a collaborative approach. Keep the following phases in mind:

* INTAKE: Identify overall objectives and areas of focus, then align with
stakeholders.

* CURRENT STATE: Gather information through interviews and data analysis, and
create a current-state map.

* FUTURE STATE: Envision how the desired state looks; create a future-state map
identifying existing gaps and high-level solutions.

* TRANSFORMATION BLUEPRINT: Bring your high-level solutions to life through
envisioning sessions.

* TRANSFORMATION PLANNING: Select and prioritize initiatives; prepare for
change management and communication plans.

* TRANSFORMATION EXECUTION: Execute your transformation blueprint.

T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MAGAZ INE - CLOSING SKILLS GAPS I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE

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Training Industry Magazine - May/June 2021

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