With IQI’s support, Silta integrated change management into its established project management model

Silta wanted to develop its project management model by integrating a structured change management model into it. The collaboration originally began with Kumura, which has since become part of IQI.

“A customer relationship with us begins with an onboarding project that covers the implementation of both the payroll system and the payroll service. This means that a technical workstream and a people-focused workstream run in parallel at the start of the relationship, even though they are very different in nature.”

Tanja Tuukkanen
Head of PMO

“The changes taking place within the customer’s organisation also present a challenge for Silta’s experts. They need to learn the customer-specific solutions, including payroll processes and collective agreements, which increasingly involve locally agreed arrangements.”

Silta has used IQI’s ABC Project Management Model successfully for more than ten years. For Tuukkanen, it was important that the change management model was integrated into a familiar and proven project framework.

“This makes change management an integral part of our projects rather than a separate activity. We can deliver the technical implementation effectively while also supporting people through the changes involved in moving to a new payroll service.”

Silta worked with IQI Lead Consultant Virpi Elers, who holds a Prosci ADKAR® change management certification. Tuukkanen sees the value of the consultancy in the fact that the change management model was developed into a practical way of working.

“Virpi brought strong knowledge of change management theory. With her support, we were able to introduce concrete change management activities at different stages of our projects,” Tuukkanen says.

Interactive workshops produced a change management model tailored to Silta

Silta developed its change management model through four workshops. The work resulted in:

• A change management model integrated into Silta’s established project management model, together with a stronger capability to support people through change.
• A method for assessing the complexity of change that aligns with the ABC classification used in the project management model.
• A change impact assessment form and a method for measuring the success of change management.
• Updated project management documentation.
• Clearly defined roles and responsibilities to ensure that the right people participate in each project.

Silta also developed its communication plan and updated the work breakdown structure in its project management system by adding change management activities at task level.

“Between the workshops, we completed assignments provided by Virpi through a virtual Howspace workspace. The assignments allowed us to consider the topics internally and develop our ideas further before the next workshop,” Tuukkanen explains.

“I designed the workshops to be interactive. Silta’s project professionals and service managers participated actively and contributed their own perspectives and experiences. This enabled us to create a change management model specifically designed to meet Silta’s needs.”

Virpi Elers
Change Management Consultant

The change management model differentiates Silta and strengthens employee commitment

Investing in change management benefits Silta’s customers. Tuukkanen says that change management has become an important priority for many organisations. Silta can now demonstrate that its projects address the human side of change through a clear and structured approach.

“Choosing Silta as a payroll service provider involves much more than a technical solution. This has also come up in discussions with our sales team. A project with us does not end when the service goes live. Our model ensures that embedding new ways of working into the customer’s day-to-day operations continues throughout the onboarding phase.”

In addition to helping customers implement change within their own organisations, the model has delivered significant internal benefits for Silta. Although it was developed primarily for customer projects, it can also be applied to internal projects. Collaboration has become more effective, and communication with customers is easier.

“Our projects typically last between six and twelve months, and sometimes longer. The change management model has improved both our project practices and the quality of our customer deliveries,” Tuukkanen says.

“Internally, incorporating change management has helped our employees commit to the projects, which naturally improves the quality of service our customers receive. Members of my own team have said that this was something we genuinely needed and should have done sooner,” Tuukkanen adds with a laugh.