Organisational change is accelerating. Whether it’s the rise of AI, new ways of working, or the pressure to innovate, organisations today are navigating a landscape that is constantly shifting. For those in the public and not-for-profit sectors, the challenge is even greater. These organisations must evolve, while staying true to their mission, values, and the scrutiny that comes with public accountability.
At GatenbySanderson, we are often asked to support clients through change, especially for restructures. These times can be unsettling, but with the right approach, they can also be transformative.
In this article, Alison Sortwell, Principal Consultant in our Assessment and Talent team at GS, shares her top 10 tips for using assessments to support successful change.
1. Communicate Early and Often
When change is on the horizon, uncertainty follows. Employees need to understand what’s coming, why it’s happening, and how it will affect them and their teams. Clear, consistent messaging is key. Share the vision, the goals, and the impact of the change – who is affected, what is changing, and what the future will look like. And don’t just say it once, use multiple channels and make sure the message comes from the top.
2. Be Transparent About the Purpose
If you’re running assessments as part of a restructure, be upfront about why. Is it for development? Selection? Identifying potential? In times of uncertainty, people will fill in the blanks if you don’t, and those blanks are often shaped by past negative experiences. Confidentiality is also key, be clear with whom the outputs will be shared. We advocate being very clear and upfront with participants through briefings explaining the process, who will be involved, how they will know the outcome, answer questions, and ease concerns.
3. Define What “Good” Looks Like
Change usually means new expectations. What behaviours and skills are needed for the future? What will be different from today? We help clients define the criteria and translate them into clear competencies and leadership behaviours for assessment. And sharing these openly with participants helps people prepare and builds trust in the process.
4. Make the Assessment Relevant and Robust
Assessments should feel relevant, and not generic. Whether it’s group exercises, role plays, stakeholder sessions, or psychometrics, assessment methods should reflect the real challenges ahead, while measuring your pre-defined criteria. We guide our clients in identifying and developing the assessment methods that are right for them, often co-creating bespoke exercises with clients to ensure we’re measuring what matters.
5. Prioritise Inclusion
Inclusive assessment is not just a legal requirement; it is a reflection of your values. Getting this wrong can be damaging for your organisation and can result in missed talent. Make sure your process is accessible and that reasonable adjustments are offered. Candidates may not know what to expect, so give examples and talk to individuals about their needs. Our team at GS have experience in successfully supporting candidates with various disabilities through assessments.
6. Use Qualified Assessors
To protect the integrity of your process, use experienced assessors. We follow the ORCE method and work with accredited occupational psychologists. If you would like your internal managers to be involved, we provide training and pair them with our external assessors to balance organisational insight with objectivity.
7. Decide On Your Output
Before assessments begin, decide what outputs you need. Will you use ratings, rankings, and/or narrative feedback? Will reports be shared with participants or just the selection panel? This will often be contingent on the purpose of the assessment and the decisions it needs to inform. The output format needs to be agreed prior to the assessments to support its integrity.
8. Support Development Beyond the Assessment
Whether the process is for selection or development, participants should receive feedback. We provide supportive, developmental reports with actionable insights. This can be accompanied with verbal feedback and coaching support. We also encourage Personal Development Plans and ongoing support from line managers.
9. Learn and Improve
After the process, gather feedback from participants. What worked? What didn’t? If themes emerge, consider what could be done differently for improvement if future rounds of assessments are needed. If individual concerns arise, address them through dialogue.
10. Evaluate
Consider how you can measure the impact of assessment to show the benefit and savings that it leads to. Making the wrong decisions can cost in terms of replacement hires, managed exits and the negative impact on poor morale on team performance. We are keen to agree up front with you what data we can capture before and after to support you in showing a return on investment.
We hope these tips resonate and that you have found this article useful. If your organisation is considering change or re-structure and you are seeking support in using assessments, please do not hesitate to contact Neil at neil.majhu@gatenbysanderson.com