Change Management Review 2022

In the last fortnight, the pace of hiring has started to calm following a frenetic year. We have been seeing a shift in the numbers of Contract roles to an increase in Permanent and Fixed (or maxed) Term requirements. This is not unusual for this point in the year as Organisations have set new budgets and headcount after financial year end in June.  

The demand remains high for Change Managers who are fielding multiple offers, we have witnessed Clients streamlining processes in order to secure talent at this level- across Permanent and Contract roles. Unfortunately, it has left the less nimble Organisations (and processes) losing out. We have seen an increase over the last 12 months of experienced Consultants exiting Big 4 to lucrative day rate roles or for Permanent salary uplifts. We expect to see a continued exodus of people at this level as travel demands increase and work life balance remains an emphasis.  

The day rate expectations of some Candidates across Change has been exuberant in comparison to years of experience. Perhaps this is indicative of the scarcity of talent? We have found ourselves educating the market at times to ensure that the Client get the years of experience, confidence and skillset required for the investment. This has been in an endeavour to ensure candidates are placed in roles within which they can deliver on requirements, flourish and ultimately delivery against expectations Change profession rate card provides someone who can confidently apply end to end Change.  

We have witnessed our Clients creating flatter structures across Change, where their hiring strategy is to build a team of Senior Change Managers which once might have had a hierarchy model including Change Analysts and Managers. This is to ensure they get the level of expertise required. The demand in the last 18 months at this level has definitely increased but with the caveat that this resource needs to be HANDS ON. This approach puts emphasis on Senior Change Managers delivering end to end change thereby eliminating the requirement for more junior resource. This sometimes can lead to an inflated workload for the Senior Change resource who is absorbing the delivery whilst creating the strategy and owning Senior Stakeholder relationships. Until access to off shore Talent opens up it is our view that other Clients may move to this structure too.

The demand for off shore talent is certainly being felt across our Clients, with the opening of borders we are now back to recruiting Globally again. Opening up pools of talent across the UK, USA, Asia and Europe that we have been speaking to since 2018/2019. We are grateful for our continued loyalty for those who have waited to be able to get into the country and refreshing to now be able to successfully find opportunities for them on sure. This approach and emphasis will continue for the Change practise- with deep pools of off shore talent and Australian returners we will continue to place people prior to them landing.  

The ‘hybrid workplace’ and ‘culture’ is still a topic of much conversation. The easing of COVID restrictions and the return to work being one we have much welcomed for Australia’s economy. We are seeing big corporates put in place more rigid communications around expectations for office days and going into next year we expect this emphasis to continue. That said, lifestyles have altered during COVID and Clients that continue to be open minded, inclusive and flexible to will continue to be favoured by top talent.  

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