The waste and resources sector is evolving fast, and the pace of change can sometimes seem daunting. As experts in change management, Optimo’s Danielle Heward explores how the sector can transform for the best.
There is an old joke: how many managers does it take to change a light bulb? Answer: What? Change!? Change!?
Resistance to change is a common human trait, but in business, it can be a serious problem – for organisations big or small. However, if we take on change and run with it, we can transform the way we think and work.
The waste and resources sector is going through a period of considerable change.
The waste and resources sector is going through a period of considerable change, fuelled by a desire to move towards a more circular economy and the need to manage resources better.
The types of waste we need to process are shifting, as is the technology available to us with which to do it. New legislation is here, including the landfill tax, the plastic packaging tax and bans on disposable plastic, and more is on the way in the form of DRS and EPR.
At times it can feel like nothing is standing still. So how can our industry not just survive this period of change, but actually thrive in it?
2022 saw a lot of change. How do you think we all coped?
I think 2022 was even stranger than the Covid pandemic in some ways. We finally started getting back to “normal”, but with Russia invading Ukraine, the cost-of-living crisis and the Hokey Cokey in parliament, we all found ourselves in uncertain territory again, which can be uncomfortable.
As humans, our natural reaction to unexpected change is often discomfort and resistance. With too much going on, we can quickly get “change fatigue” – and that’s not a good place to be. But I think the last few years have taught us a new level of resilience. I wonder if our readiness for change has improved at all as a result.
Realistically though, while we might all be weathering similar storms to one another, we’re all in different situations. But I believe we have all recognised the importance of community and the support of others; we have found stability in establishing routines, where possible, and have realised the importance of accessing trusted sources of information.
What’s the key to managing change in an organisation?
It’s a bit like putting together a jigsaw. The pieces are things like clear processes to follow, new technology to use and easily accessible information about the incoming change. Change management often boils down to how we support the people involved or who are impacted.
Reasons for making change vary, but ultimately it can be a very healthy habit for an organisation or industry to adopt. You may have heard the famous phrase by Heraclitus “change is the only constant in life” and most sectors often have new regulations, emerging competition or customer demands to deal with.
It’s important to have robust leadership and a strong vision.
From the outset, it’s important to have robust leadership and a strong vision. If you can explain the desired outcome and key drivers in one or two clear sentences, you’re onto a winner.
Engaging with those who will help make the change happen is crucial. Understand and communicate the benefits to each stakeholder, and try to remove any barriers they may be facing. Listen to their concerns and provide a positive feedback loop that demonstrates how they’ve been listened to. Helping them to develop their own resilience and flexibility will prepare them for incoming changes.
The waste industry is expecting big changes in the next few years. What will be important in incorporating these new systems into the industry?
An added complication in the waste industry is the need to bring together stakeholders who aren’t part of a single organisation. That makes communication channels even more important. It’s helpful to adopt a “systems-thinking” approach by ensuring we understand where the connections exist within the system and how information flows.
The most important thing to have in place is vision: clarity of the scope of the initiatives and how they will work and be measured. Engage stakeholders so they understand the benefits of the change. Learning from other implementations will help you with the fine details as well as scale-up and standardisation.
Having a vision is pointless without action.
But having a vision is pointless without action. It may sound obvious, but after a sensible amount of research, planning and preparation, you just have to get on with it. That’s where you need the relevant skills and knowledge; communication and campaigns; and tools and processes.
Plus, it’s always worth considering how to support new projects with technology. There’s so much innovation in the waste-management space – Dsposal is a good example of software that streamlines mandatory waste-tracking processes and consolidates compliance information. Using technologies like these automates processes, encourages efficiency and helps scale up.
Do we need to be mindful of how we change the public’s behaviour as well as our own?
Behavioural science tells us that education alone doesn’t work when trying to change people’s behaviour.
There are a number of factors that determine our desire and ability to change the way we regularly do something: our level of skill and knowledge; our motivation; and the convenience of what we’re being asked to do. It’s important to be conscious of this when designing campaigns to “nudge” the public in the right direction.
Research the habits and lifestyles of those you want to influence and define the behaviour that needs to change.
How can we measure if the ways in which we are embracing change are working?
This is very important. It’s worth spending time, with input from stakeholders, defining exactly what change we want to see – ensuring we understand all of the potential connections and links involved. This helps ensure we’re monitoring the correct things, so we won’t attribute changes to the wrong actions or miss something.
These measures should be both quantitative and qualitative, and it’s important to make the data easily accessible, ideally available in real-time wherever possible.
Key performance indicators or objectives and key results are popular frameworks for measuring progress. Depending on the subject matter, they may include metrics around finances, volumes and quality of a product or service.
Some examples in the waste and resources sector include movement around the gap in the green skills needed for the future, or looking at the engagement of stakeholders around specific topics and whether this changes in the way we need it to.
What are Optimo’s views on the importance of moving to a circular economy?
Managing resources is going to be one of the biggest solutions to the challenges we face – today and in the future. The efficiency and effectiveness of the waste sector are essential. We’re passionate about supporting organisations in this industry, as well as the system as a whole, to move us towards a better future.
The waste and resources sector is evolving – are you? Contact the experts at Optimo and take a fresh look at how your organisation is embracing change.
