Change Management Month November 2024 - Conversations that Matter

By the APS Reform Branch and APS Change Management Centre of Excellence

 

Illustrative use of graphically raised words, ‘change management month nov 2024 Conversations that matter’.

Change is part of every role in the public service. Change is fundamental to continual improvement, innovation and progress – so making sure we manage it well is very important.

Change Management month is about having conversations about continual improvement in the public service. It’s about offering you opportunities to build your capability to influence and manage change. Over the month, there will be numerous events to suit everyone and everything will be virtual – so you can join the conversation from across the country. 

By attending Change Management Month events you will have the opportunity to: 

  • Dive into the APS Change Framework
  • Access tried and tested tools and resources from colleagues
  • Hear from subject matters experts
  • Gain insights from senior leaders
  • Connect and collaborate with your peers
  • Build your capability through new learning and development courses

Explore and register for announced events below. 

More events will be added to the program, so check back soon!

Change Management Month Program

The APS Change Framework

| 7 November, 11:30am AEDT | For all interested SES and staff.

Join this introduction to the APS Change Framework and find out how the Framework can guide and assist your organisational change. Discuss key features of the Framework and the suite of complementary templates, and how they provide a consistent approach for managing all types and sizes of change. The APS Change Framework has been designed for government by government and is already used and accepted in Australian Government departments. 

 Register now 

Innovative Methodologies in Behavioural Science 

| 13 November, 11am AEDT | Change Practitioners, Policy, Project and Program Managers 

​When we make changes, be it through policy, project or program delivery we’re often trying to change the behaviour of people. Behaviour change is no mean feat. Over the last decade, a range of methodologies, frameworks and techniques have been developed to support the application of behavioural science in public policy. In this session, we’ll explore new and emerging directions, techniques and methods, their importance in an evolving world, and whether the methodologies of yesteryear still hold true today. This event is part of BI Connect 2024, an online behavioural insights conference hosted by the Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government (BETA). 

 Register now

Building an Enterprise Change Function from the Ground up 

| 18 November, 10:00 AEDT | Human Resources, Project and Program Mangers, Enabling Services, Corporate, Business Transformation, Change Managers, Sponsors and Senior Executives.  

​What is an enterprise change management function and why do you need one?  Managing change well is critical APS agencies to respond to bigger, faster and more complex change. Research from Gartner shows that on average organisations have experienced five major changes in the past three years, of which only 34 per cent were successful. A recent report from the McKinsey Centre for Government noted that the failure rate of government transformations, at 80 per cent, is far too high. Agencies with higher levels of change management maturity, have higher rates of success and increased return on investment. Join us to hear what an enterprise change management function can do for your agency, and gain insight on how agencies might accelerate their maturity to excel in a continuously evolving environment 

 Register now

MasterCraft Series - Leading Through Change and Uncertainty 

| 20 November, 11am AEDT | All Staff

Change and uncertainty are features of all workplaces and require effective leadership to ensure people remain engaged, motivated, healthy and productive. Andrew Beveridge is a psychologist and facilitator with over 25 years' experience specialising in the practical science of leadership and team effectiveness. 

 Register now

Working at the Margins 

| 26 November, 11am AEDT | Change Practitioners, Policy, Project and Program Managers  

​ ​When the government plans to deliver change to the Australian Public, it’s important to include and consider everyone who is impacted. Involving under-served cohorts in research is often difficult – designing or co-designing interventions is even harder. Join our panel discussion to explore how behavioural scientists are working at the margins to better understand hard-to-reach cohorts and design effective solutions. This event is part of BI Connect 2024, an online behavioural insights conference hosted by the Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government (BETA). 

 Register now

Implementing APS Reform, Learnings from the Perspective of Enterprise-Change 

| 27 November, 2:00pm AEDT | Human Resources, Project and Program Mangers, Enabling Services, Corporate, Business Transformation, Change Managers, Sponsors and Senior Executives. 

​APS Reform has been designed to further strengthen the Public Service through targeted and strategic change.  These changes are helping to build a stronger public service with the capability and capacity to better deliver for Australia, now and into the future. APS Reform will impact everyone in the public service, so how do you get on the front foot? The enterprise change management function of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water have been on the journey to implement reform since the start of 2023.  Join us to hear first-hand experience of implementing the APS Reform agenda including key take-away, lessons and guidance from your peers. 

 Register now

Change in Action - Delivering Whole of Government Change

| 28 November, 10am AEDT | SES and Managers managing broad scale or Whole-of-Government change

Lou Maconachie, Principal Organisational Change Manager, sits down with personnel from the Attorney General’s Department (AGD) to discuss their experience using the Change Accelerator program. The AGD used the Change Accelerator to engage with a broad range of stakeholders to support implementation of the new Commonwealth Fraud and Corruption Framework, which came into effect from 1 July 2024.

 Register now

Unprecedented Times: Global Change Impacts in 2024 

| 28 November, 2pm AEDT | All Staff 
 
Mr Patrick Hetherington commenced as Chief Operating Officer for the Department of Social Services on 19 April 2022, where he leads the delivery of the Department’s corporate functions and the Community Grants Hub. Pat moved to DSS from the Australian Public Service Commission where he was the Deputy Commissioner and led whole-of-service APS workforce reform. Pat joined the Commission following a secondment to Services Australia where he was involved in mobilising the Australian Public Service in response to COVID-19. 

Prior to joining the Australian Public Service Commission, he spent almost 20 years in the Department of Defence holding several senior executive positions across the finance, capability, and HR domains. His roles included delivery of the Defence budget, employment policy, enterprise cultural reform and management of Defence’s Integrated Investment Program. 

Join us to hear Mr Hetherington share his experiences and lessons learnt in a fire-side chat with Justine Curnow, Assistant Commissioner, APSC. 

 Register now

Introduction to Applied Behavioural Insights with BETA 

​| 29 November, 10am AEDT | Change Practitioners, Policy, Project and Program Managers 

​ ​Behavioural insights and change management may sound like two distinct fields, but there are far more similarities than you think. Join us for this session from the Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government (BETA) which will focus on:

  • Who BETA is and what we do;
  • the fundamentals of behavioural insights and how they align with change management principles; 
  • how to apply behavioural insights to public policy and support behaviour change using BETA’s 4D framework; and
  • where behavioural insights and change management can complement one another more than they already do. 

 Register now

Change Management Month – Networking and Reflections

| 29 November, 1:30pm AEDT | Open to all participants who have attended events in Change Management Month.  

Join us for the last hour of Change Management Month to discuss, share and learn with other government professionals passionate about change management. This session will allow virtual introductions and conversations on topics that have been raised during Change Management Month. Your insights and experiences from the month, and your experiences and learnings will be most valuable.  

 Register now

Change 101: Introduction to Organisational Change Management 

| 6 November, 11:30am AEDT | Staff interested in understanding Change Management in the workplace. 

This training focuses on the basic principles of Change Management, why change management is needed, different roles in managing change, and how to apply key change management concepts and tools to prepare for change. 

 Register now

Staff: Your Role in Organisational Change 

| 12 November, 1:30pm AEDT | Staff interested in contributing to change in the workplace.   

This training focuses on Change Management principles and methodologies, demonstrating the use of the APS Change Framework. It addresses the effects of change on staff well-being and provides practical tools to help navigate change successfully.   

By the end of this course, you will be able to: 

  • Explain the basic concepts and benefits of change management. 
  • Identify how you can actively participate in and influence change within your current role. 
  • Recognise how change can affect your wellbeing and that of your colleagues and apply strategies to cope with change stress and fatigue. 
  • Use the SCARF model to understand your and others' reactions to change and foster a culture of psychological safety and vulnerability in your team. 
  • Check in with yourself and your team members regularly, and advocate for your needs and concerns during the change process.

 Register now

Staff: Your Role in Organisational Change 

| 14 November, 2pm AEDT | Staff interested in contributing to change in the workplace.   

This training focuses on Change Management principles and methodologies, demonstrating the use of the APS Change Framework. It addresses the effects of change on staff wellbeing, and provides practical tools to help navigate change successfully.   

By the end of this course, you will be able to: 

  • Explain the basic concepts and benefits of change management. 
  • Identify how you can actively participate in and influence change within your current role. 
  • Recognise how change can affect your wellbeing and that of your colleagues and apply strategies to cope with change stress and fatigue. 
  • Use the SCARF model to understand your and others' reactions to change and foster a culture of psychological safety and vulnerability in your team. 
  • Check in with yourself and your team members regularly, and advocate for your needs and concerns during the change process.

 Register now

Managers: Supporting your team through Change 

| 19 November, 10:30am AEDT | EL2 and EL1 leading or managing change in their organisation/department.  

This training focuses on Change Management principles and methodologies, demonstrating the use of the APS Change Framework. It addresses the challenging role of Managers in implementing change and offers practical tools to understand change impacts and create a plan to support teams and business operations.  

By the end of this course, you will be able to: 

  • Explain the importance and benefits of having effective change management practices. 
  • Demonstrate change leadership using the APS Change Framework.  
  • Recognise how change can affect staff well-being and apply strategies to cope with change stress and fatigue. 
  • Use the SCARF model to understand staff reactions to change and foster a culture of psychological safety and vulnerability in your teams. 
  • Use appropriate tools and techniques to plan, facilitate, and follow up on staff conversations.

 Register now

Managers: Supporting your team through Change 

| 21 November, 10:30am AEDT | EL2 and EL1 leading or managing change in their organisation/department.  

This training focuses on Change Management principles and methodologies, demonstrating the use of the APS Change Framework. It addresses the challenging role of Managers in implementing change and offers practical tools to understand change impacts and create a plan to support teams and business operations.  

By the end of this course, you will be able to: 

  • Explain the importance and benefits of having effective change management practices. 
  • Demonstrate change leadership using the APS Change Framework.  
  • Recognise how change can affect staff well-being and apply strategies to cope with change stress and fatigue. 
  • Use the SCARF model to understand staff reactions to change and foster a culture of psychological safety and vulnerability in your teams. 
  • Use appropriate tools and techniques to plan, facilitate, and follow up on staff conversations.

 Register now

Executives: Your Role as a Change Sponsor

| 22 November, 10am AEDT | SES leading or managing change in their organisation/department.  

This training focuses on Change Management principles and methodologies, demonstrating the use of the APS Change Framework. It emphasises the crucial role of a Change Sponsor in effectively communicating and supporting change, and offers practical tools to understand staff reactions to change and foster a culture of psychological safety.  

By the end of this course, you will be able to: 

  • Explain the importance and benefits of having effective change management practices. 
  • Demonstrate change leadership using the APS Change Framework.  
  • Define, gain support and communicate change in your role as the Change Sponsor.  
  • Recognise how change can affect staff well-being and apply strategies to cope with change challenges. 
  • Use the SCARF model to understand staff reactions to change and foster a culture of psychological safety and vulnerability for staff. 
  • Explain and adopt the need to review and adapt your responses across the Change Framework.

 Register now

Executives: Your Role as a Change Sponsor

| 25 November, 2pm AEDT | SES leading or managing change in their organisation/department.  

This training focuses on Change Management principles and methodologies, demonstrating the use of the APS Change Framework. It emphasises the crucial role of a Change Sponsor in effectively communicating and supporting change, and offers practical tools to understand staff reactions to change and foster a culture of psychological safety.  

By the end of this course, you will be able to: 

  • Explain the importance and benefits of having effective change management practices. 
  • Demonstrate change leadership using the APS Change Framework.  
  • Define, gain support and communicate change in your role as the Change Sponsor.  
  • Recognise how change can affect staff well-being and apply strategies to cope with change challenges. 
  • Use the SCARF model to understand staff reactions to change and foster a culture of psychological safety and vulnerability for staff. 
  • Explain and adopt the need to review and adapt your responses across the Change Framework.

 Register now

Psychological Safety during Change

On 21 October Lynn Gunning, Director Strategic Programs, Strategic Partnerships and Engagement and Tamara Wakeman, Assistant Director, Strategic Partnerships and Engagement, from ComCare briefed the Change-X-Change on the importance of managing psychosocial safety during times of change.  The session was recorded to be made available to all APS staff during Change Management Month. 

By clicking on this link, you’ll be able to watch the recording and hear from Lynn and Tamara on:

  • Psychosocial hazards and why it’s so important to address them
  • Good work and work design
  • Introducing the SMART work design model and explore how it can be used to address psychosocial factors and guide change management activities
  • Other relevant good work design resources to support change

To learn more about this important topic visit: Poor organisational change management | Comcare and Managing change at work | Comcare

 Watch now

The change leader with Colonel Jennifer Harris 

| Work with Purpose | IPAA ACT 

On this episode, Colonel Jennifer Harris from the Australian Army gives us a masterclass in managing change in complex organisations, based on her experience with the Army’s Digital Twin. 

Change can be difficult – as individuals, we prefer stability and predictability. Particularly when working in large organisations, it can be both an opportunity and a great challenge to align everyone to achieve a common change goal. But the Australian Army’s ongoing Digital Twin project showcases how it can be done successfully. 

On this episode of Work with Purpose, Colonel Jennifer Harris explores how the Army, in response to the Defence Strategic Review, established a system that would enable the organisation to rapidly identify risks to warfighting and future capability – the Army’s Digital Twin. Together with host David Pembroke, CEO of contentgroup, Jen talks about the intricacies of managing change at this scale and what theories and frameworks helped her keep people at the centre of transformation. 

 Listen now

Assistant Minister Patrick Gorman: Change Management Month Address 

The Hon Patrick Gorman MP, Assistant Minister for the Public Service, marks the inaugural Change Management Month with a special address, recognising the importance of change management capability in the APS. The Assistant Minister shares reflections and experiences of cultural change in the public service, the change challenges ahead, and building a culture of change-ready and change-resilient public servants. 

 Watch now

Thriving in Uncertainty – Episode Four, Part One

| Trailblazing with CorbettPrice | 

Dr Rachel Bacon, Deputy Commissioner of Integrity, Reform, and Enabling Services at the Australian Public Service Commission, joins us for a special two-part episode to discuss a growth mindset approach to change. In this engaging conversation, Rachel shares unique insights and perspectives, blending evidence-based and consultancy viewpoints with her personal experiences.

In part one, we delve into the components of a growth mindset and integrity within the APS with Rachel. She explains how the literature on high-potential leaders has evolved over the past decade: once focused on high IQ as the primary predictor of leadership potential, the emphasis has shifted toward the importance of a growth mindset. Rachel discusses how a growth mindset is closely tied to learning agility, which involves curiosity, openness, and a willingness to continuously learn. This openness to new experiences transcends culture, age, and gender.

We also delve into integrity, exploring how making mistakes at an institutional level doesn’t necessarily undermine trust and confidence—but how those mistakes are handled certainly can. Rachel discusses the importance of vulnerability in leadership, emphasising how fear of showing it can stifle innovation and compromise psychological safety within an organisation.

 Listen now

Thriving in Uncertainty – Episode Four, Part Two 

 | Trailblazing with CorbettPrice | CorbettPrice 

 In this special podcast episode with Dr Rachel Bacon, Deputy Commissioner of Integrity, Reform and Enabling Services at the Australian Public Service Commission, we discuss a growth mindset approach to change. In part one, Rachel shared insights on what makes up a growth mindset and integrity within the APS.  

In part two, we continue our conversation with Rachel, discussing the APS Reform, which she has been heavily involved with, and how she keeps herself and others motivated on long-term projects that are hugely significant, have many initiatives attached to them, and require enormous patience and perseverance.   

Listen in as Rachel shares the details of the design approach for the APS Reform Agenda, including how they determined the six guiding implementation principles using extensive research they conducted into global best practices on similar-scale projects. She also provides an introspective look at how she remains resilient and perseveres on long-term change projects. 

This episode is a fantastic conclusion to our discussion on a growth mindset approach to change, and we hope you’ll take away as much from it as we did! 

 Listen now

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