Company: Google

HR situation: The company is facing a shortage of qualified engineers.

Kotter’s eight steps:

1. Establishing a sense of urgency. The first step is to create a sense of urgency among employees about the need for change. This can be done by highlighting the consequences of the company’s current situation, such as lost revenue, missed opportunities, and declining morale.

• Action plan:
  • Conduct a survey of employees to gauge their awareness of the engineering shortage.
  • Present the survey results to senior management and highlight the risks associated with the shortage.
  • Develop a communication plan to raise awareness of the shortage among all employees.

2. Creating a coalition. The second step is to create a coalition of people who are committed to change. This coalition should include leaders from across the organization, as well as employees who are passionate about the issue.

• Action plan:
  • Identify employees who are knowledgeable about the engineering shortage and who are willing to help address it.
  • Bring these employees together to form a coalition.
  • Develop a charter for the coalition that outlines its goals and objectives.

3. Developing vision and strategy. The third step is to develop a vision for the future state of the organization. This vision should be clear, concise, and inspiring. It should also be realistic and achievable.

• Action plan:
  • Conduct research on best practices in engineering recruiting and retention.
  • Develop a vision for the future state of the company’s engineering workforce.
  • Create a strategy for achieving the vision.

4. Communicating the vision. The fourth step is to communicate the vision to employees. This communication should be clear, concise, and repeated often. It should also be tailored to different audiences, such as managers, engineers, and HR professionals.

• Action plan:
  • Develop a communication plan that outlines the key messages of the vision.
  • Deliver the vision to employees through a variety of channels, such as town halls, emails, and videos.
  • Engage employees in discussions about the vision and get their feedback.

5. Empowering broad-based action. The fifth step is to empower employees to take action to achieve the vision. This means giving them the authority, resources, and support they need to make change happen.

• Action plan:
  • Create a culture of innovation and risk-taking.
  • Provide employees with training and development opportunities.
  • Reward employees for taking initiative and making change happen.

6. Generating short-term wins. The sixth step is to generate short-term wins that will help to build momentum for change. These wins should be visible and measurable, and they should be celebrated by employees.

• Action plan:
  • Identify low-hanging fruit that can be quickly addressed.
  • Implement changes that will have a positive impact on the engineering workforce.
  • Communicate the successes to employees and celebrate them.

7. Consolidating gains and producing more change. The seventh step is to consolidate gains and produce more change. This means building on the successes of the early stages of change and continuing to move forward.

• Action plan:
  • Identify new opportunities for improvement.
  • Implement changes that will have a lasting impact on the engineering workforce.
  • Continue to communicate the vision and engage employees in the change process.

8. Institutionalizing change. The eighth and final step is to institutionalize change. This means making the new ways of working the norm in the organization.

• Action plan:
  • Revise the company’s policies and procedures to reflect the new ways of working.
  • Provide ongoing training and development to employees.
  • Monitor the progress of change and make adjustments as needed.

By following these steps, Google can successfully manage the change process and address the engineering shortage.