Empowering Employees for Change Acceptance

Welcome to the Vantage HR Influencers Podcast. This podcast is sponsored by Vantage Circle, the simple and AI-powered rewards and recognition platform for employee engagement. As organizations undergo transformative changes, driven by technological advancements, shifting market dynamics, or evolving workplace cultures, the success of these change initiatives largely depends on employees' ability to adapt and embrace the new ways of working. The degree to which employees accept the changes not only influences the effectiveness of the transition, but also shapes the overall health and agility of the organization moving forward.

Hello everyone, welcome to another episode of the Vantage Influencers Podcast. Today we have the pleasure of speaking with Akram Abdelmonem, the Regional HR and Talent Acquisition Manager, GCC at Americana Restaurants. Akram will help us explore the factors that drive or hinder employee acceptance of change. His insights are essential for HR leaders and organizations striving for success in today's dynamic environment. From fostering engagement during transitions to championing diversity and inclusion, effective change management necessitates a multifaceted approach, and Akram will shed light on how to navigate these complexities. Let's begin.

Susmita Sarma: Hi Akram, it's fantastic to connect with you today.

Akram Abdelmonem: Hi, how are you? Thank you for having me.

Susmita Sarma: I'm good, hope you're doing well. Thank you so much for joining me for this podcast. First of all, I'd love to learn about your journey in the corporate world. Akram, what experiences or influences led you to choose a career in human resources, and how have your early professional experiences shaped your understanding of the pivotal role HR plays in fostering workplace culture and employee development?

Akram Abdelmonem: Basically, it goes back to when I was a bit younger, during my college years. A lot of my friends, colleagues, and even my teachers noticed that I genuinely liked helping people, seeing their progress, and supporting them. So right after I finished my university and my bachelor's degree, I started some courses in human resources at an early stage, and I began connecting with people a lot. That's when I really started to understand the different aspects of human resources, and it inspired me to continue in this career and to keep helping people.

Susmita Sarma: In your current role at Americana Restaurants, I'm curious to know how your previous roles have shaped your approach. Are there any specific challenges or lessons from your past experiences that have particularly influenced or guided your strategies for talent acquisition or engagement in such a dynamic environment?

Akram Abdelmonem: Basically, every step of my career was an inspiration in itself. I started my career in hospitality, working in a couple of hotels, including five-star properties, and I learned about the details of hospitality and how much attention to detail matters in human resources. I also had experience in retail and other service industries, and all of that helped me understand the food and beverage industry I work in now, and how to deal with a large number of employees across different markets, and how to interact and engage with them. So my strategy for all the engagement and recruitment activities really comes down to employer branding: how we treat our employees well, how we bring out the best in people, and how we handle day-to-day operations in the smallest, most human way possible.

Susmita Sarma: It's great to see that your past experiences have equipped you for your current position. But I'm sure you'd agree that the workplace landscape has evolved dramatically in recent years.

Akram Abdelmonem: A hundred percent. You can see the markets changing, and the changes are happening so fast. Business is very dynamic, so we need to be dynamic too, even in human resources. We need to be able to adjust and adapt to change quickly. We're kind of the link between top management, the market, and the employees, so we need to be flexible with both sides and able to adapt to both.

Susmita Sarma: How do you think this requirement for employees to engage with and accept change and management initiatives reflects broader societal trends around work and employee expectations?

Akram Abdelmonem: Usually, any employee, and I'd say even management, is afraid of change because they can't see what's coming next, or the logic behind the decisions or the change that management or the culture is implementing. So I think everyone will be afraid of change, and everyone will have a lot of questions. The most important strategy you can implement here is involving people and letting them know what it means for them.

Susmita Sarma: Maintaining employee engagement during times of significant change can be quite challenging. What other strategies do you implement, or would recommend, to ensure employees stay informed and motivated, and can you share specific practices that help foster a positive atmosphere despite the uncertainty that often comes with change?

Akram Abdelmonem: The most effective strategy I've applied, in my previous role as well as my current one, is involvement. Everyone is afraid of change, as I mentioned, so if you involve them and are transparent enough to explain why the change is happening, what impact it will have on them, what the benefits are, how smooth the transition will be, and the timeframe until completion, that makes a real difference. It's also very important to open a communication channel, especially with the key stakeholders who will be implementing the change. Communication, I believe, is the main strategy: effective communication makes everything easier.

Susmita Sarma: And even after taking that approach, which is a solid one, if there are still people who resist the change, how do you deal with them?

Akram Abdelmonem: HR needs to understand how to actually listen to people. Communication isn't just about broadcasting information, it's two-way. You need to communicate the reasoning behind the change and all its benefits, but you also need to listen. If someone has concerns, isn't clear on something, or resists the change, we need to understand why. Once they're clear about it, they usually come around in the end, so you need to take a somewhat slower approach depending on the situation. Whether it's one-on-one or in a group, you need to listen to the reasoning behind the resistance and then address their concerns. That alone will solve about 60 to 70 percent of the problem.

Susmita Sarma: That's quite a solid approach, Akram. Diversity and inclusion also play a very important role in managing change effectively, and you've expressed a strong commitment to fostering DEI within organizations. In your view, how does a diverse workforce impact the acceptance of change management initiatives? What specific benefits have you seen in terms of employee engagement and collaboration when organizations prioritize inclusivity during times of change?

Akram Abdelmonem: Human resources, especially in this part of the region, needs to understand different cultures, races, genders, and now also different generations. You need to be able to deal with different generations. Building a strong, healthy environment to work in makes all of these differences disappear. It brings the team together in one shape, moving toward one direction and one goal. If you're able to bridge the gap between people and get everyone celebrating each other's culture, for example we have colleagues with their own celebrations, from Europe, from Asia, each with its own way of doing things, and if you educate people with a generic, inclusive approach across the organization, so they don't see any type of discrimination or separation, everyone ends up working toward one goal and everyone is engaged. That's the main task of human resources. If everybody is aligned, the transition becomes very smooth.

Susmita Sarma: So when we bring in a diverse team, it gives us different perspectives, and we can better anticipate the various reactions to change. That probably lets us tailor our communication and support strategies, which ultimately enhances buy-in and encourages innovative solutions during adjustments.

Akram Abdelmonem: Totally agree. That's what actually helps us tailor and move between one strategy and another, to see which one works best, and go towards that.

Susmita Sarma: Speaking of leadership style, I understand your leadership style emphasizes dedication, flexibility, and empathy, encouraging open dialogue and adaptability. How do you think these qualities in a leader influence team dynamics and employees?

Akram Abdelmonem: I believe transparency is one of the main keys, both for the leader and for my leadership style. Within the team, we have multiple channels of communication: one-on-ones, group meetings, outings, and even team chats and gatherings. All of this increases connection, which is really my style: increasing connection with the team and communicating every detail to them. I'm very transparent with them, and I involve them in every decision. For every action we take, we run it almost like a small project, so everyone knows and feels comfortable with their role and understands the flexibility required. When you put all of that together, the attention to detail and everyone's individual strengths coming together, the project runs very smoothly and transparently.

Susmita Sarma: Do you adjust your strategies based on real-time feedback from your employees?

Akram Abdelmonem: It depends. There's the major or main strategy, the overall goal we want to reach, and then there are the people actually doing the execution. We try to run a small project management process for each task, not just for the project as a whole, and for each little task, everyone brings their own strengths. As a leader, you need to understand the strengths of every part of your team and use them for the benefit of the larger project.

Susmita Sarma: That's quite a brilliant approach. We're also seeing more HR process automation. I'm interested in understanding how technology has transformed the way employees interact with change initiatives, and what specific tools or practices you've found most effective in enhancing transparency and engagement.

Akram Abdelmonem: For HR process automation, automation is key, it's the new direction for everybody worldwide. It's very important to involve technology in the way we do business and manage human resources. The process used to be manual, using basic tools to help us run the business, and technology has made it much easier, we're able to get a lot of data from it, which enhances our decision-making. When employees see automation coming, a lot of them worry that their role might become redundant, and that fear often takes us back to the same issue we discussed earlier. So again, automation makes it crucial for us to explain the steps and benefits that come with the technology, how it will positively impact the business, and how it will impact employees' day-to-day lives, for example, instead of a task taking ten hours, it can now be finished in a few minutes. It's really important to communicate this with the employees who are using the technology, as well as with leadership, on how the data will enhance decision-making. For example, when we present data to leadership for decisions on human resources, diversity, and so on, we can show it as a simple, dynamic chart that they can read easily and use to make an immediate, even more advanced, decision. That really positively impacts the company and how leadership looks at the future direction. So the key takeaway for leaders listening is that involving employees from the beginning can turn them into advocates for change, and successful change management is about people just as much as it is about processes.

Susmita Sarma: That's quite a powerful lesson, Akram. As we wrap up today, what advice would you give to HR professionals looking to enhance their strategies for managing change and fostering acceptance among employees?

Akram Abdelmonem: My only advice, honestly, is to treat it like a project: set a goal, set KPIs, and have a clear guideline, timeframe, and rules for every person on the team. Communicate in and out, communication is always two-way, so let people know what's in it for them and how it will impact them. Throughout the change, it's crucial to keep following up and getting feedback continuously on how it's working for them and how it's improving their experience. And give it time to be trial and error until it's perfected, be patient and smooth through the transition.

Susmita Sarma: Recognizing that change management is an ongoing process can really help foster a culture of continuous improvement and adaptability in the workplace. Thank you so much, Akram, for sharing your insights with us today. Your knowledge, energy, and the time you dedicated to this discussion have been truly inspiring. We truly appreciate the practical strategies you provided and your passion for fostering positive change in the workplace. Thank you so much once again for being here and for your impactful contribution.

Akram Abdelmonem: Thank you so much for having me, it was a pleasure talking to you.

Susmita Sarma: Thank you, Akram.

Akram Abdelmonem: Thank you, thanks.