MEA launches practical toolkit to help businesses manage transformation

The Malta Employers’ Association has issued a new publication that aims to facilitate the transformation of local enterprises by helping them anticipate and manage change.

The Change Management Business Manual is part of a project called the Regeneration Plan for Workplaces, led by the MEA and involved SGI Europe and the General Workers’ Union. It is meant to increase the resilience and sustainability of firms’ business models and provides a practical tool-kit that supports employers to anticipate and manage change.

The manual incorporates a set of guidelines and procedures for organisations to follow during their restructuring processes or whilst implementing change. It covers various managerial aspects including communication, training, risk management, and stakeholder engagement.

The aspects covered in this manual reflect the gaps and consequent areas of intervention needing support which emerged during research conducted by the MEA. The research was demanded to ensure relevance of the manual to the questions and weaknesses manifested by employers during research phase.

The MEA said it is indebted to the input of over 250 organisations, 200 employees and the direct input of SGI Europe and another four national employer associations across Europe that contributed towards the contents and validation of this research.

The business manual offers practical guidance on managing change to employees and other stakeholders from the development of a strategic plan that outlines the key messages that need to be communicated, the channels to be used, and the timing of these communications.

“By making use of this manual, organisations may build the necessary safeguards to ensure that employees and other stakeholders are informed about changes as these occur. This, in turn, serves to reduce uncertainty and anxiety,” said the MEA.

In today’s complex and highly competitive business scenario where change is the only constant, the MEA said it “is confident that the practical organisational insights provided in this manual shall serve as a valuable tool for businesses seeking to tackle transformation and continuous improvement in a planned and structured manner to minimise risk and disruption.”

In an effort to keep the reference document alive and render it even more comprehensive, the organisation is encouraging users to contribute further to its contents by submitting further knowledge and ideas through a dedicated feedback form that can be accessed directly from the manual by entering the link or scanning the QR Code provided on the back cover.

The MEA is now encouraging businesses, particularly its members, to make best use of such tools being made available.