How to be prepared
The final section, How to be Prepared, provides actionable guidance. It covers key enablers for transformation, strategies to attract the next generation of railway professionals, the role of Human and Organisational Factors (HOF) in change management, a maturity scale for assessing readiness, and innovative training methods to support future skills.
For further insights into the nature of upcoming changes and the generational shifts expected within your workforce, please refer to What is Happening.
Here’s a short, practical guide on how to use an action-oriented maturity scale to assess an organization’s readiness to develop a Mind for Change in the railway context:
- Understand the Purpose: The scale helps organizations evaluate their current maturity level in adapting to rapid technological change (e.g., digitalization, automation, AI in rail operations) & generational change (e.g., diverse workforce needs, retirement waves, new skill sets). It is action-oriented, meaning each level includes specific behaviors and practices that indicate progress.
- Define the Dimensions: the scale includes technology readiness:
- Ability to adopt and integrate new technologies. cultural adaptability:
- Openness to change, innovation mindset.
- Generational Integration: Addressing diverse workforce needs and knowledge transfer.
- And leadership & governance: Commitment to change and structured decision-making.
- Identify maturity levels: Talk to subject matter experts in your organisation (managers, frontline staff, trainees), brainstorm, allow all ideas.
- Use the Scale Step-by-Step: select the dimension, review descriptors, assign a level, identify gaps and plan actions to close gaps.
- Make it action-oriented: for each gap define specific actions, assign responsibility and timeline and monitor progress.
- Repeat and integrate: reassess periodically and integrate results in strategic planning and training programs. Note that you can also fall back on the levels (decline).
