from the case below discuss limitations and recommendations for the future using evidence and note limitaStelpro$,$ a well$-$known name in the heating solutions industry, stands as a leader of innovation and reliability. Established in $1981$ in Montreal, Quebec, this family$-$owned business has grown into a formidable force with over $500$ employees and four factory locations spanning North America.

Jumping into Stelpro's strengths, brand recognition represents their commitment to excellence, which symbolizes reliability and innovation, earning consumer trust nationwide. Stelpro is dedicated to exemplary business practices, putting forward its core values, respect, collaboration, passion, excellence, and creativity. Despite its strengths, Stelpro faces challenges in innovation and organizational efficiency. A lack of new product development and failure to adapt to technological advancements threaten its market relevance and growth potential. Amongst challenges, Stelpro has promising opportunities for growth. Being able to tailor their product offering to align with the increasing demand for heating solutions and smart home technology would be Stelpro$$s most favorable growth path. Stelpro faces threats from the influx of new entrants introducing advanced products, necessitating agility in innovation to maintain relevance and market share.

In navigating these challtenges and opportunities, Stelpro remains committed to excellence and at ease to maintain their leadership in the heating industry. Nonetheless, our team decided to interview five managers and members of the human resources team to better understand some of the challenges. Currently, Stelpro is undergoing a major change in the internal operating services, which comes with its loads of challenges. We asked the team to elaborate on the impact of the presence of change agents in this implemeThe presence of change agents can significantly impact and benefit the implementation of the new operational system within Stelpro. $$The HR change$-$agent role is argued to be the most strategic, and has the greatest potential to develop organizational capacity, such as engendering employee behavioral flexibility, to meet the changing environment $($Zhang$,2019,$ Page $2).$ They need to be resilient and show agility to quickly respond to changes $($Dhanpat$,$ Buthelezi, Joe Maphela, & Shongwe, $2020,$ page $6).$ One of their goals being to focus on strategic value, which includes improving efficiency and effectiveness of an organization$$s human capital to exploit market opportunities $($Acikgoz$,2024).$

Many would agree that the introduction of a new operational system can $$have a negative side, the complexity and uncertainty $($constant change$)$ of Information and communication technology $($ICT$)$ can cause employees to suffer from stress. The rapid pace of ICT advancement often requires changes to work practices, creating a constant stream of new job demands for employees$($Chiu$,$ Tan, Hsu, & Cheng, $2022,$ page $1).$ The hiring of a change agent can help with dealing with these types of episodic changes. $$The agents will assist with making bold choices about systems and processes in which they help solve the vexing nature of integrating organizations over the long term$($Baran$,$ Filipkowski, & Stockwell, $2019,$ Page $4).$ All the while, they are ensuring that employee engagement levels remain high by providing them with proper training, positive overall corporate culture, career development opportunities, open lines of communication, inclusiveness and many more $($Acikgoz$,2024).$

In a study conducted by Human Resource Professionals, tests were made to see if employees had a more positive reaction to implementation of change when there was a change agent active and present. $$The results of the empirical analyses showed that employee perceptions of HR system strength are crucial during periods of change because they elicit both cognitive and affective processes that encourage problem$-$focused coping with change, which in turn leads employees to actively support the change $($Alfes$,$ Shantz, Bailey, Conway, Monks, & Fu$,2019,$ page $8).$

Stelpro would see great benefits from hiring change agents. They serve as guides, motivators, and facilitators throughout the change process, helping to navigate resistance, foster employee buy$-$in$,$ and create a supportive organizational culture conducive to successful change implementaA qualitative research approach was employed, utilizing semi$-$structured interviews with five HR professionals working at Stelpro. The participants included Dominic England $-$Training and Development Manager, Marie$-$France Rochon $-$Director of Human Resources, St$$phanie Camirand $-$Head of Human Resources & Manufacturing Division, William Tardif $-$Director of Customer Experience, and Patrick Charest $-$Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Business Development. This allowed for capturing diverse, relevant perspectives and experiences. One$-$on$-$one interviews lasting approximately $45-60$ minutes wetion.