Leading the Human Side of Change - From Support Function to Change Driver
Why is HR seen as a key driver of Change?
HR is responsible for understanding individual mindsets, behaviors and motivation to drive an organization success. Most changes help employees to work differently, think differently and lead differently.HR is for cultural development through performance, values and employee experience which means taking an active role in shaping the change agenda, influencing leadership decisions, and ensuring that the people aspect is always a priority. "The ability to lead and manage change effectively has become a critical component of strategic HR leadership" (Weidinger, 2025).HR drivers' organization will successfully plan and align with future requirements. Further, it may help to assess leadership and development.
HR will always drive capability and new skills which leads to learning and development, talent management and future skills to ensure the right people have the right skills. In other word this also leads to connecting strategy with implementation.HR translated organizational goals into organization expectations, incentives and KPI (Strategic Human Resource Management Importance | Orange HRM, n.d.).
How is this concept evolving in Sri Lankan Airlines?
Sri Lankan Airlines is not only a business, but it is also the national carrier of Sri Lanka. It is maintaining national image, international aviation standards and facing continuous changes in the global economy. Therefore, HR plays a critical role in airline management of a diverse and service-critical workforce. As a hierarchical organization, HR acts as a change driver to set employees' mindset from work for life to performance-based based satisfied employees.HR redesigned the management system, awarded employees through the performance appraisal system. And also train leaders to conduct training programmes for continuous improvement.
The airline faced financial difficulties due to inappropriate political decisions made in the past decades. HR executed an effective planning process to improve productivity by introducing the VRS plan to reduce staff costs, negotiating with stakeholders, and future restructuring plans focusing on profit generation. Assessing the feasibility of adopting AI technology for regular operations from crew scheduling to final passenger services onboard is another substantial change done by organization in the past two-three years (“UL 1st “ - Sri Lankan Airlines Strengthens Employee Engagement to Drive Change, n.d.).
The airline faced financial difficulties due to inappropriate political decisions made in the past decades. HR executed an effective planning process to improve productivity by introducing the VRS plan to reduce staff costs, negotiating with stakeholders, and future restructuring plans focusing on profit generation. Assessing the feasibility of adopting AI technology for regular operations from crew scheduling to final passenger services onboard is another substantial change done by organization in the past two-three years (“UL 1st “ - Sri Lankan Airlines Strengthens Employee Engagement to Drive Change, n.d.).
Conclusion
As a changing driver, HR plays a critical part within an organization by managing processes to enable mindset, behaviors and engagement. Success not only depends on the introduction of transformation, but how this change adapts to the organization process is important. The changing process starts from empathy and understanding. So, the changing leaders should listen to employees' beliefs, fears and resistance, and psychological safety before any changes to policies. So HR, as a changing driver, should build alignment between organization expectations and employees' genuine feelings of the change process.
References
Weidinger, D. (2025, May 27). Navigating the Human Side of Change: A Playbook for HR leaders. American Society of Employers. Available at - https://www.aseonline.org/News-Events/Articles/navigating-the-human-side-of-change-a-playbook-for-hr-leaders
Strategic Human Resource Management Importance | Orange HRM. (n.d.). Available at - https://www.orangehrm.com/en/resources/blog/strategic-human-resource-management-and-its-importance
“UL 1st “- Sri Lankan Airlines strengthens employee engagement to drive change. (n.d.). https://www.srilankan.com/en_uk/corporate/news-details/216
The concept of HR as a driver of change is highly applicable to Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminals Limited (CPSTL) as well, where transformation initiatives such as ISO 9001:2015 certification and terminal automation require strong people alignment. Similar to SriLankan Airlines, CPSTL operates in a safety-critical and process-driven environment, making employee mindset and adaptability vital. HR plays a central role in managing resistance, building psychological safety, and promoting a performance-based culture. By introducing structured training, competency development, and KPI-linked appraisal systems, HR ensures that employees are prepared for technological and procedural shifts.
ReplyDeleteLeading the human side of change is essential for transformation. When HR moves from a support function to a strategic change driver, it helps guide people through transitions, builds resilience, and ensures successful, lasting change.
ReplyDeleteTransforming HR from a support role to a change driver is key to successful organizational change. Focusing on the human side ensures smoother transitions, stronger engagement, and sustainable results.
ReplyDeleteThis blog provides a clear and practical view of how HR drives organizational change, especially through mindset shifts, capability building and leadership development. I appreciate the link to Sri Lankan Airlines, as it shows how HR decisions directly support national-level responsibilities and operational challenges. The examples on VRS, restructuring and AI adoption are very relevant. One small area that could strengthen the post is adding more structure between sections and explaining how each HR action connects to measurable outcomes. Also, the conclusion could briefly tie back to the opening question for better flow. Overall, this is an insightful and meaningful reflection on HR’s evolving role as a true change driver.
ReplyDeleteHR's role in driving organizational change is increasingly strategic, requiring a deep understanding of employee mindsets, behaviors and motivations. The role of HR in shaping organizational change is increasingly strategic, requiring deep understanding of employee mindsets, behaviours, and motivations. Effective HR leaders act as cultural architects, ensuring that employee performance, values and experience reinforce the broader change agenda. values, and employee experience reinforce the broader change agenda. As Weidinger (2025) points out, the ability to lead and manage change is now at the heart of strategic HR leadership. notes, the ability to lead and manage change is now central to strategic HR leadership. By driving capacity building, talent development and future skills planning, HR aligns workforce skills with evolving business needs. capability building, talent development, and future skills planning, HR aligns workforce competencies with evolving business needs. By translating organizational objectives into clear expectations, incentives and KPIs (OrangeHRM, n. Through translating organizational goals into clear expectations, incentives, and KPIs (OrangeHRM, n. d. ), HR ensures that strategy is meaningfully implemented and that leadership development drives long-term organizational success. supports long-term organizational success.
ReplyDeleteA powerful perspective! Too often, organizational change is viewed purely as a strategic or technical transformation—systems, processes, and structures. But the true engine of change has always been people. When HR moves from a back-office support role to a proactive change driver, the transformation becomes more sustainable and human-centric.
ReplyDeleteStrategic HR leadership is central to driving organizational change and aligning people with performance goals. At Sri Lankan Airlines, HR has evolved into a change driver—shaping culture, redesigning systems, and fostering continuous improvement through training and performance appraisals. By balancing national identity with global aviation standards, HR ensures employees are equipped with future-ready skills while navigating financial challenges and restructuring. Initiatives such as the VRS plan and exploring AI-driven operations highlight how HR connects strategy with implementation, reinforcing its role as a catalyst for resilience and long-term success.
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ReplyDeleteThis blog clearly explains why HR is increasingly recognized as a key driver of organizational change. HR plays a central role in shaping culture, developing people-focused strategies, and preparing employees to adapt to shifting business needs. By leading communication, training, and talent development initiatives, HR ensures that change is not just implemented but embraced across all levels of the organization. The blog also highlights how HR’s understanding of employee behavior and motivation helps create smoother transitions and fosters a positive work environment. Overall, it shows that effective change cannot happen without HR guiding and supporting the human side of transformation.
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