Joaquin Singer is a leader in business transformation with over 16 years of hands-on experience, most recently specialising in HR. His expertise lies in assessing, designing, and implementing change and technology solutions for large-scale enterprises. Despite his busy schedule, Joaquin graciously agreed to share his insights with us in an exclusive interview for Transformation Journeys.
I assist organisations in designing and delivering their HR Transformation program, from developing the transformation business case to designing and implementing a business and technology solution.
My role often extends to ensuring that the HR change integrates strategically with business-wide change programs.
My primary task is managing the program side of things, which involves ensuring the deliverables align with the business outcomes and objectives. I’m responsible for the overall delivery of a program accountable to the business, and working with system integrators when applicable.
The key to a successful transformation program lies in building a compelling and relatable story that resonates with everyone involved. While leaders may be fully committed and ready to embark on the journey, it’s crucial to recognise that change means different things to different people, leading to some discomfort among employees. Although most individuals in the business understand the necessity of change, the challenging part lies in navigating through the added workload and adjustments in day-to-day operations.
To be successful in change projects, mapping stakeholders is crucial. It is essential to identify key stakeholders who are supportive and understand the proposed changes or stand to benefit directly from them. These are the individuals you need to collaborate with to effectively communicate the message and drive the change forward. They can also serve as valuable pilots for your implementation efforts. By ensuring that your initial wave of change is successful with these stakeholders, you can onboard the business smoothly and demonstrate early wins, setting a positive tone for future implementation phases.
Lead and lag indicators play an important role in assessing progress and success in transformation programmes. Take HR for instance, where you can easily track key stages in the employee journey, from submitting CVs to onboarding and beyond. By monitoring these lead indicators, such as the time taken for each stage of the hiring process, organisations can benchmark themselves against past performances and identify performance improvements. On the other hand, lag indicators focus on outcomes that may take longer to measure, like changes in company sentiment or increased employee loyalty. For instance, if a company introduces new benefits as an indicator for retention or recruitment, it may take at least a year to gather meaningful data for year-on-year comparisons.
One area that stands out is the integration of AI technologies, which I’m sure is what most people would say to you! Right now the focus is on streamlining repetitive processes and tasks that traditionally required human intervention. Although still in its early stages from an industry perspective, the potential for growth and development in this field is, of course, vast.
One tip I received from a mentor 15 years ago, which still resonates with me today, is the notion that a career is more of a marathon than a sprint. Now, I must confess that marathons are more suited for those who actually run them, unlike myself – even a 10K run is quite the challenge! However, the essence of pacing oneself and understanding that success is not about quick wins but rather about long-term consistency still holds true. Rushing things may bring temporary gains but might not be sustainable in the long run. It’s about finding a balance between pushing yourself and pacing yourself, knowing that it’s not just about how fast you start but also about how well you maintain your momentum towards your goals.
As we conclude our insightful discussion with Joaquin, it is clear that his wisdom serves as inspiration for those navigating the ever-evolving landscape of business transformation. We extend our gratitude to Joaquin for sharing his invaluable insights with us, shedding light on innovative strategies and approaches in the field. We eagerly anticipate witnessing the continued impact of his work as he paves the way for transformation in the HR world.
