In studies of organizational change, there has been a growing recognition of the fact that the processes of change involve much more than simply changing formal organization structures, and that changes in human resource management practices are almost invariably an important dimension of the change program. This paper considers the findings of a study of how one large public sector organization in the UK, HM Customs & Excise, has sought to use changes in HRM practice, in particular changes in its pay and grading system, to help drive an organizational change program, and reflects upon the degree to which this strategy for change has proved successful. If the organization's employees may be regarded as a barometer for gauging the success or otherwise of Customs & Excise's new pay and grading system, then it must be said that the preliminary findings are somewhat inconclusive.