IAIABC Perspectives

NextGen Profiles: Brad Morse

Perspectives / December 2019

The Department of Labor and Industry is replacing a custom-built, 25-year-old system. The department still has many staff members who worked on the original implementation of the current system, which is reliable and well-liked by the staff. Identifying why department staff liked the current system, or why they didn’t like the idea of a new system was our top priority. Through staff surveys and a SWOT analysis, we were able to identify their top three concerns. 1. The current system allows them to provide complete and timely service to our stakeholders. 2. The new system will bring new processes and could lead to a loss of job positions. 3. Knowledge of the current system and the history of how the system was developed makes them experts. This information allowed us to build an organizational change management strategy that would address staff concerns by: • Acknowledging the past. • Identifying and addressing fears. • Identifying early adopters and super-users and coaching them to become change ambassadors. • Ensuring buy-in through repeated system demonstrations and conference roompilots. • Building user profiles to quantify the change impacts for each group of users, functions, locations, etc. • Utilizing the executive sponsor to regularly communicate strategy and vision. • Providing training, coaching, and tools to support managers, supervisors and employees through the process of change they experience when the program impacts their day-to-day work. • Creating a communication plan for immediate managers to utilize and prepare their employees for how changes will specifically impact them.

BradMorse has 10 years’experience working in state government and is currently the ProgramManager at the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) overseeing the delivery of theWorkers’CompensationModernization Project. Before this role, Brad was the Deputy Director of theWorkers’ Compensation division at the Utah Labor Commission, where he oversaw the implementation of the departments EDI claims reporting systemand online waiver application program. MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY NextGen Profiles: BradMorse PROGRAMMANAGER,

What potential do you see for an agency transforming its use of data to improve the system through performance measurement and management. A focus on data collection will give the agency the ability to change the key performance indicators of the system, shifting the focus from processing to real-time compliance. There are multiple areas where a shift to a data-driven system can help jurisdictions monitor and achieve the goals of the agency. • State agencies now can share data with other state agencies. • Shared data can be used to identify bad actors in the system before there are major issues and agencies can work together to ensure compliance. • Data can now be used to track the journey of our customers in the system. • Pain points can be identified and corrected much more quickly In your role in Minnesota, you are leading a major transformation of the state’s information technology systemwhich requires change management on an enterprise scale. How have your overcome resistance to move the agency forward? The goal of change management is to help staff move through the stages of change to achieve a high level of system adoption. As a project manager, you generally focus on activities that directly affect delivery, scope, or budget. However, a lack of empathy in terms of what people experience through the stages of change often leads to rework, delayed decisions, and in some cases a failed project. As such, it is critical to integrate change management into a project.

• Re-engineering business processes to allow managers and supervisors to determine howwork will be done in the future. • Establishing a culture of continuous feedback, allowing for the ability to quickly pivot to address concerns or issues. The loss of the past and fear of the unknown can make people resist change, but by giving them time, information, training, and reinforcement is key. Ultimately, we strive to provide an environment where transformation creates opportunities that inspire people to think and act differently. Quick Facts • First Job: Lifeguard • FirstWork Comp Job: Utah Labor Commission, Workers’ Compensation Division Manager • FavoriteTravel Destination: Costa Rica • Favorite Social Media Platform: Instagram • Hashtag: #rad “Brad has a reputation for being forward-thinking, composed and unfazed by challenges, many of which he has had to overcome to deliver amodernized technology systemtoMinnesota. He has the drive and qualities needed by theworkers’ compensation industry entering into this next century of policy development and innovation.” - Jessica Stimac, Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry

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