Why storytelling is so important in the world of HRIT
HRIT transformations are crucial if you want to change the way in which employees work, collaborate and grow. But despite the technological aspects of these transformations, it is always the central human element that defines its success. This is where storytelling comes into play. In this blog, Nina van de Burgt and David Myers from SuccessDay explain why storytelling is so valuable in HRIT implementations, and about the best way of going about it.
Nina and David have both worked for SuccessDay since September 2022 and now hold the position of medior business consultant. They completed the SuccessDay HRIT traineeship, after which Nina chose to focus on change management within HRIT implementations, while David moved towards the sales side of things. Both are convinced that storytelling can play a crucial role in the smooth implementation of HCM packages.
Both are strong communicators and enthusiastically share their stories. “Everyone at SuccessDay is on the frontline of HRIT transformations and works together intensely with all parties involved. This is why it is essential that everyone working here properly understands the customer’s story, so that they can offer the best possible advice. What problems is the customer experiencing? What does the customer want to achieve? They must also be able to tell the SuccessDay story”, says David. Nina adds that this rapidly growing company from Eindhoven strives to get the very best out of each and every consultant. “Because we want to elevate the level of storytelling here, David and I decided to develop a training course for the entire staff.”
What is storytelling?
But what exactly is storytelling? It is the art of telling stories. It is a communication technique that uses stories to share information, ideas, emotions and values with an audience. Stories come in all shapes and sizes, including written text, verbal narration, visual presentations, films and more. They often have a beginning, a middle and an end, in which characters are introduced, challenges are presented and ultimately solutions or insights are reached.
People love stories, emphasises David. “Almost every Hollywood film is based on the aforementioned structure. In the Lord of the Rings, for example, Frodo Baggins, a young hobbit, embarks on a dangerous journey together with his companions. Gandalf helps him bring the ring to the volcano where it was forged, and destroy it, in order to defeat the dark ruler Sauron. The same narrative structure is used in Harry Potter, Star Wars, and so on. And things can go well or go horribly wrong, but most people love a happy ending, as is so familiar in Disney films. Of course, the same is true for HRIT transformations: we want to support the customer towards their own happy ending.”
Why is storytelling so important?
There are various reasons why storytelling is so important:
- Human connection
Stories have the power to create an emotional connection. They make abstract concepts personal and recognisable by presenting characters and situations that people can empathise with. This creates a strong connection between the narrator and the audience. - Retention of information
Stories have a narrative structure that is easier to remember than hard facts or statistics, making the message easier to remember and pass on. - Better understanding
More complex concepts and ideas are easier to understand and internalise when presented in the form of a story. Stories provide context and show how things are connected, making it easier to understand the essentials. - Inspiration and motivation
Stories have the power to evoke emotions and inspire people. They can spur people into action, bring about change and open-up new perspectives. - Enhance corporate culture
Stories transmit values, convictions and history from one generation to the next. In a business context, they can enhance the corporate culture and connect employees with the mission and values of the organisation. - Overcome differences
Stories can bring together people with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. They can create a feeling of sharing common ground and promote understanding between different groups.
The role of storytelling in HRIT transformations
In the specific case of HRIT transformations, storytelling helps by bridging the gap between technical changes and human involvement. Using stories to illustrate the impact these changes have on individuals and teams, HR professionals can promote acceptance, limit resistance and increase employee involvement. Nina: “Storytelling is a powerful tool for making complex information understandable and engaging people in a process of change.”
Storytelling goes further than hard statistics and technical details. It enables HR professionals and managers to create an emotional connection with employees and stakeholders. Emotions are a powerful way of involving people and making them enthusiastic about change. With the help of well-chosen stories, employees can identify with the challenges, opportunities and successes that an HRIT transformation brings.
A successful HRIT transformation requires the involvement and cooperation of all involved parties within the organisation. Storytelling helps create a shared vision that everyone can identify with. By sharing stories about the future impact of the transformation and how it will benefit the organisation and its individual employees, managers can enthuse people and get them moving.
Eliminating fear and resistance
Nina: “Change can awaken fear and resistance in employees, especially when it disrupts their daily routines and familiar way of working. Storytelling can eliminate this fear and resistance by communicating honestly about the challenges and opportunities that can arise during the HRIT transformation. Success stories can also help build trust and show that change is possible.”
Finally, storytelling increases engagement and gets people involved by making employees’ voices heard and giving them an active role in the process. David: “The use of stories as an essential communication strategy can transform the HRIT implementation from an abstract idea to an inspiring and meaningful change process. This is how organisations can pave the way towards a successful HRIT transformation that is driven by employee engagement and empowerment.”
Nina and David’s approach
The duo devised a brand script exercise for the entire SuccessDay product range: from software supplier selection, Phase 0/Target Operating Model, the actual implementation – divided into phases – the Smooth Landing (shortly after the go-live), AMS (Application Management Services) up to and including Tenant Optimization. This script focuses on the main characters, their problems, a guide who understands their problems and can help (in this case SuccessDay), a plan or solution, the steps to be taken, the risks and threats to be eliminated and the opportunities and chances that are within reach.
The script is based on the book by Donald Miller: ‘Building a Story Brand’. David: “We gave everyone this book and then asked them, in groups, to write a script per service or product. Because we are quite competitive at SuccessDay, we decided to add a competition element to the task. The group that scored highest for their script and presentation won the first prize: a beautiful cup, a photo-session and eternal glory.”
Pleasantly surprised
“To inspire the SuccessDay-ers to tell their story in an inspiring way, we enlisted the help of Ronni Gurwicz. He gave an online masterclass in Storytelling & Communication and shared some useful tips with us”, explains Nina. And it clearly paid off: the jury was peasanty surprised with the result. The Smooth Landing group took the win. David: “Their content was very strong, and the presentation was really creative.”
The intention is that storytelling and the brand script will continue to be a topic of conversation, also in the coming years. “The strength of the message is in repetition. And as we’re growing fast, it can’t hurt to do this more often”, says Nina. The training course may even become part of the onboarding process for new employees. And the customer? They also benefit, because in the end they will be helped by even better consultants with even more understanding.
More information about storytelling?
Nina van de Burgt
Junior Business Consultant
David Myers
Junior Business Consultant
