The Process Improvement Pyramid illustrates the decision steps one should take to help staff become more productive and effective.

1. Identify 'Mission Critical' Processes
2. Review for value/waste--simplify or eliminate process steps
3. Reallocate responsibilities to staff

For more information on Process Improvement, please contact 335-2085.

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The purpose of Using Change Management to Assist Employees and to Maintain Productivity Through Change is to take a very complex series of events, internal and external forces and then overlay these occurrences, feelings, process steps, highs and lows in a meaningful way to view the larger system at work.

The X axis represents time moving forward.

• Along the X axis is our consulting model which includes the following phases beginning with: consult and create vision; then, evaluate current status; develop communicate and plan for future; implement the proposed changes; review, and finally to adjust, adapt, and evaluate success of this effort.
• Also shown is the subtitle of commitment on one end and effectiveness at the other end of the X axis.
• Underneath the consulting model, the stages of change are shown with unawareness at the far left continuing towards awareness, understanding, buy-in, and finally acceptance.

On the left side of the Y axis, morale is shown, from low to high.  On the right end of the Y axis, productivity is shown. A relationship is seen between morale and productivity: as morale is reduced, productivity is also reduced. And as morale gradually increases, so does productivity. While there is a relationship between these two, it is not the only factor affecting morale or productivity and is explored in other parts of the model.

In contrast, is a curve showing how productivity begins at the current state, drops during the change, and slowly increases towards the right of the scale moving through time.

During change, personal feelings may move from a current state of immobilization, denial, anger and panic to depression before reaching the nadir where people can begin to let go and accept reality. Then begins the slow climb toward testing, merging the past and the present toward reaching internalization and commitment in the workplace. A simpler three stage version of this model includes: present, moving toward transition, and then the future. Reviewing multiple models provides an opportunity to compare and contrast them and see how the variables affect each other.

In the end, we understand how complex the system is and that there are many factors to consider in how to manage change to moderate the dips in productivity and morale to make the change less painful for everyone.