Implementation

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Discuss the future plans for project team members after the project concludes.
  • Project Plan
  • Resource Plan
    1. Discuss with the Sponsor and other senior management what is to happen to resources after the project concludes.
    2. Discuss with each team member.
    3. Identify actions to migrate people out of the project.
  • Forward plans for each person in the team

This may seem like a strange activity to undertake at this point but there is a very good reason. This is likely to be the point where the success of the project is most vulnerable to people leaving due to uncertainty about their future role in (or outside) the company. It is critical to the success of the project that people understand what is to happen to them once the project concludes.

If the team has a number of people on contract only for the project, it should be made clear that either there is no other role planned for them beyond the project, or that they will be offered another contract for another project. If the situation is unclear, tell the person that a decision has not been made, and give a timeframe for the decision to be made.

For permanent staff who may have been seconded to the project, there may have been someone moved into their role on either a temporary or permanent basis. If they do not see where they will fit back into the organisation they will probably be looking for another job. Should they leave before the project concludes, the impact may be significant.

In some cases, management will want the person to fill their previous role after the project. In other situations, there may be no role, or an alternate role is being proposed. In other cases, nobody has thought about the person.

For some people, working on a project is in fact a career changing move. They may decide that project work appeals and they want to change career path from a business role to a project role. A discussion needs to take place with each person to decide what they want. If management merely say you are moving to this new role after the project - take it or leave it - they might leave it. A key resource walking away from the project just as you are moving towards Go Live is not something you want to deal with.

While it is unlikely that everything can be resolved in one meeting for each person, a plan forward should be developed and ongoing discussion held to resolve the situation.

Resource Career Path Spreadsheet to track the resolution of resource relocation or termination post project.
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