This article is written by Amanda Bernardo, Public Sector Leader in Change Management and Service Design.

  • The problem: Knowing how to operationalise change management in the context of the public sector can be hard. With so many tools, templates and learnings out there, you may not know where to begin.
  • Why it matters: With change being a constant in today’s day and age, we can no longer omit change management from our attempts to modernise or transform government. Learning how to make the most of this growing discipline is therefore crucial to our success.
  • The solution: Creating a dedicated ‘change office’ in your organisation can help upskill employees internally to deliver the much-needed change management support that organisations need. This playbook offers advice on how to do just that!

Over the last five years of my career, I’ve specialised in implementing complex digital solutions while focusing on the people side of change.

Specifically, I've worked with teams to understand and translate the distinct challenges they face in designing and delivering new or existing programmes and services to ensure that they are adopted and sustained long-term by relevant stakeholders.

💬 Let the author know what you think about the playbook's strategies for creating a change management office in the public sector by leaving a comment below

To achieve this, I enable teams to leverage human-centred approaches such as change management and service design to enhance their project/programme design. Navigating the use of these methodologies can be, however, difficult, as employees often do not have the training nor the operational experience to enable them. As a result, we’re seeing more and more organisations establish transformation teams to effectively deliver this service.

A playbook to steer success

As a public sector leader in change management and service design, I've had the opportunity to develop a change management office from scratch within the public sector. In doing so, I've realised how difficult it can be to operationalise change management as a service and frequently meet with others trying to do the same.

As change becomes a constant in the public sector, our work is not just valuable, it is an indispensable asset in steering successful and meaningful transformations that contribute to the greater good of society.

The playbook I have created (available to download at the end of this article) aims to guide others looking to establish a change management office, particularly in a public sector setting.

It was built with best practices inspired by others in the field, as well as my own personal experiences in leading change across the Canadian federal public service.

It is important to use this playbook as a guide, as change practitioners will always need to apply flexibility and judgement to their work in order to tailor change management tactics to project realities.

In addition, checkpoints have been added within the playbook to support the delivery of change management as both a service and programme, building in the internal steps needed to position a team of change practitioners for success.

The playbook itself is organised into three parts:

  1. Defining your change office — here you’ll find an example of what this could look like.
  2. A general overview on change management, including a high-level introduction to various change management methodologies.
  3. A step-by-step approach on how to deliver change management as a service — here the section is broken down further into three main areas:
    1. Intake — how requests are reviewed and assessed for project support.
    2. Project support — this section is organised in four phases: defining the change vision and strategy; designing and developing change tactics with stakeholder engagement; delivering and supporting on change recommendations; and sustaining project success.
    3. Close-out — how change practitioners will eventually close out support.

**The reality is … change is hard. **

Navigating change is often a constant and difficult challenge but by sharing these best practices, I hope to equip change practitioners (new and seasoned) with the tools and insights needed to navigate these complexities effectively.

Change often demands practitioners to work in the proverbial 'grey', where clear answers may be elusive, and solutions require adaptability. Yet, within this challenging terrain lies the essence of our work — the ability to untangle the mess, find clarity and guide organisations through their transformation efforts. In recognising the demanding nature of this field, it's imperative for change management practitioners to understand the value of their roles.

As change becomes a constant in the public sector, our work is not just valuable, it is an indispensable asset in steering successful and meaningful transformations that contribute to the greater good of society.

My sincere hope in developing and sharing this guide is that it serves as a valuable resource in upskilling change management practitioners across the public sector.

**To download the playbook, please visit: **amandabernardo.ca/resources

Done reading? Make sure to share your own thoughts about the playbook's approach to operationalising change management. What aspects do you find most applicable or challenging in your context? leaving a comment below ⬇️

(Image credit: Amanda Bernardo)