Strategic HR Review

Purpose – This article aims to explore how learning from social movement theory might be applied to large-scale rapid organizational change.

Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on a recent evaluation by the Institute for Employment Studies (IES), this article considers a methodology designed by Janice Stevens and Ginny Edwards based on mobilizing principles, which has been trialled in six NHS (the UK's National Health Service) Trusts to introduce evidence-based high impact actions (HIAs) in specific aspects of patient care. It starts by considering the underpinning social movement theory, goes on to describe the rapid spread methodology and then illustrates its application through one of the case studies.

Findings – The outcomes from the six pilot sites are extremely positive in terms of the metrics used to evaluate change in service improvement, patient satisfaction and cost reduction and also the behavioral legacy of increased staff confidence and pride in delivering nurse-led change.

Originality/value – The theory behind social movement suggests that tapping into emotions is powerful but needs to be channeled carefully through meticulous organization, empowering leadership and attention to sustainable outcomes.