The changemaker

As the change management advisory lead at PwC, Marie O’Donoghue knows how to prepare organisations for the challenges ahead. Here, she talks about the future of work, and how we can be ready.

Marie O’Donoghue understands the value of change. As an arts undergraduate at Maynooth University, studying English and Geography, followed by postgraduate studies in Communications, the Donegal student never imagined a career that would put the science of change at its heart.

Today, Marie works as a change strategist at PwC, the largest professional services firm in the country, drawing on a 20-year crosssector career that’s spanned multiple large organisations. Working at home and abroad, in financial services and the public sector, her experience and expertise don’t just demonstrate the sheer value of changing and embracing the new, they also make Marie an ideal fit for PwC’s People and Organisation Advisory Practice.

An interest in people-centric change strategy started early in her career, as she learned that while people are generally very focused on their job and the next steps to progress, few thought about the factors influencing the future of that role and industry. “Where big strategic organisational, HR or IT programmes or projects were happening, I was brought in to be that interface between the people elements of change and the strategic, technological and structural aspects of the organisation’s transformation.”

What is change management?

The disruption caused by advances in technology are a source of both opportunity and concern for organisations and their people. Marie’s role helps forward-thinking organisations to gain competitive advantage, building their business for the years ahead by developing strategies to adapt to the changing landscape while preparing their workforce for the future.

Starting out, she admits that change management was often seen as little more than a box-ticking footnote where training and communication appeared at the end of a programme or project plan. “Few organisations thought about change strategy: ‘Why are we doing this? Is it the right thing to do? Are the senior leaders on the same page? Are we involving everybody that should have a say?’ So for a few years, I was beating that drum. Today, change management is now a starting point for more and more organisations who recognise that while project management is

essential in planning and implementing the tasks that need to be done, change management challenges and validates the rationale for why the tasks are being done, how they impact people, the organisation, the bottom line and the customer and ensures the transformation goes smoothly.”

Joining PwC in 2016, she’s led the change management aspect of many large scale transformation programmes around the country, and has helped organisations to set up a change management function. “They now realise that there is a competitive advantage in having a strategic mindset around change.”

The challenges of remote working

We are living in an era of fundamental transformation in the way we work.

The Covid-19 outbreak hasn’t just expedited a conversation around the future of work, but has also seen the implementation of a hybrid workplace model, with companies required to allow their employees work remotely, where possible. “It’s a mass social experiment,” Marie believes, “and one that nobody would have ever envisaged being possible, because there wasn’t really the confidence in most organisations.”

The cultural impact has been huge, with Marie keen to harness that benefit so that proven flexibility is a feature of our future workforce, balancing company needs and employee preference. “The appetite for change wouldn’t have been there until the crisis occurred.

Yet we now have a real opportunity to change what it is that we’re doing and why we’re doing it.”

Making decisions based on purpose and values

PwC’s analysis reveals that adaptability – in organisations, individuals and society – is essential for navigating the changes ahead. It’s important that people feel supported by their organisation, through new structures, processes, upskilling and the introduction of new technology and a digital mindset.

At the same time there will be a requirement for organisations to lead consciously and with a much clearer focus on inclusivity. “We are seeing companies step up to bridge social divides through new workplace initiatives, such as more D&I training and creating safe spaces for difficult conversations. Leaders must also show empathy and avoid judgment as employees make choices about work arrangements in the post-pandemic economy”.

The future of work

Covid-19 has thrust the future of work to the forefront. Jobs will be replaced, new roles created, skills will need to be enhanced, and the workforce will need to be adaptable and ready to innovate. Disruption caused by these advances can prove unsettling, and Marie believes that a people-centric evolution is critical to retaining staff. “Organisations that pay attention to their culture, with a real purpose around their company’s values, are the companies that I’ve seen have greater workforce retention. When a company really knows its people, it creates a better environment, with people feeling trusted and more supported.” Strategies, processes and technology alone will not achieve results, and it’s critical that organisations look at how they engage, manage and inspire their workforce.

The hybrid model, such as working three days in the office and two from home, provides flexibility but presents a new set of challenges around hiring and promotions. “How do you ensure that the Tuesday people don’t just see the Tuesday people and only promote the Tuesday people?” Marie posits. “Equally, when someone who does work remotely gets promoted in an organisation, clearly on merit and it isn’t just presenteeism, in that office setting, that’s an important statement for the organisation.”

It is really important to guard against “faux flexibility”; where in theory organisations support (and promote) a hybrid, digital and inclusive culture; but in reality – being present in the office in front of leaders predetermines success and progression.

Faced with an array of choices when looking at the future, Marie believes that understanding the possibilities – both desired and undesired – and embracing change are the keys to any organisation’s success.

Managing employees in a hybrid environment could be one of your biggest challenges, but it also presents great opportunities. PwC Ireland delivers comprehensive people management solutions tailored to your specific needs and goals. To find out more about how they can support your workforce of the future, log on to: pwc.ie/people