As an organisation’s workforce grows, it begins to operate differently and new challenges arise. This
is especially the case when it comes to people management and the need to balance formal systems
and processes with the desire to preserve the entrepreneurial spirit within an organisational culture.
Keeping the following in mind can help organisations navigate successfully through change:

• Understanding Organisational Context

Anticipation is key: in order to be prepared for the key stages of organisational growth and
transition, managers need to understand the organisation’s context, strategy and vision.

• Keeping the Goal in Mind

Organisation values and purpose should always be the foundation on which the business
strategy is based. An organisation’s vision should form the basis of its culture and ingrained
into the people management process. It should be part of how the organisation and its people
work on a day to day basis.

• Aligning Strategy with People

In the early days of an organisation, people management issues are likely to be rather limited.
However, it is important to consider that these problems will inevitably arise. There should
be a clear people management strategy in place right from the beginning so that managers
understand exactly how they should be looking after their people.

• Keeping Processes Fluid

When an organisation keeps its structures and processes simple, it preserves the spirit of
innovation and entrepreneurship. While it is inevitable that more processes and structure
will be needed as an organisation grows, it’s important to find the right balance between
structure and fluidity so that agility and entrepreneurial spirit are not stifled or undermined by
bureaucracy.

• Anticipating and Managing Change

When it comes to organisational growth, it is important to strike a balance between
preservation and evolution. Rather than being sentimental about what has always been, it can
become necessary to let go of processes or aspects of the organisation’s culture that no longer
support its vision and priorities. Change may be inevitable but it doesn’t have to be negative.

During periods of growth, it’s essential that organisations keep on top of how well their employees
are coping with and managing change. One way of doing this is run regular 360 feedback reviews
that measure and track performance against the criteria that are important to the organisation.
360 reviews can be created completely from scratch to measure exactly what’s needed in an
organisation – download our free white paper ‘Top 10 Tips for Running Effective 360 Degree
Appraisal Projects’ for insight into how you can use 360 feedback during times of growth.