Dell Company uses a functional organizational structure to enhance its functional productivity. Each department has a manager to whom all employees are answerable for the company to ensure the smooth running of all the departments. The company has also taken advantage of its structure to reap success and enhance sustainability. For instance, through specialization, the company has been in a position to maintain supplies for the changing demands for Dell electronics and accessories. The employees have enhanced their efficiency since the same tasks are performed often. However, not considering the functional organizations’ advantages to the company, it has developed the need to change to a flatter organizational structure. The need to eliminate the various command systems has been identified as one of the main reasons for implementing a new structure. In the new structure, the employees will participate freely in the overall decision-making of the company. However, what should the organization do to avoid resistance and ensure successful implementation of the new organizational structure? The paper thus elaborates on how Dell Company will implement the flatter organizational structure using the Kotter eight steps of change management successfully.
Establishing the Sense of Urgency for the Flatter Structure
First, since the company has already identified the need for change, it will determine the urgency of initiating the change. Creating urgency will enable the company to communicate to its employees on the need to change (Bucciarelli, 2015). For that reason, Dell Company will communicate to other employees the importance of changing the functional organizational structure to the flatter organizational structure through the manipulation of the human resource department. The old structure will be reviewed while identifying its importance and shortcomings. However, the human resource agents will emphasize the importance of the new structure to both the employees and the larger Dell Company. The employees will then be notified on how the system will affect them including how they will be highly involved in the decision-making process. Through proper communication with the employees, they will understand the need and urgency of implementing the flatter organizational to Dell Company.
Creating Coalition
Kotter identifies that upon creating the urgency of implementing change, a coalition should be created to lead in the change process (Bucciarelli, 2015). Since all the employees are aware of the company’s change plans, the management will identify leaders, who will lead other team members in implementing the change. Kotter identifies that not unless leaders are identified to direct the change, the plan will be unfruitful (Hayes, 2014). The human resource department will identify strong leaders from each department to manipulate the employees towards achieving common organizational goals. The chosen leaders will connect with the employees emotionally and understand the possible threat of resistance towards the new structure in each of the company’s department. The leaders will then perform various tasks to ensure successful implementation of the structure. First, the leaders will set a direction that should be followed by all employees irrespective of the department towards achieving a common goal. They will communicate to all employees on the strategies improvised that will enable the company to achieve the desired change.
Developing Vision and Strategy
Developing a vision will enable the organization to work towards achieving the desired objective Bucciarelli, 2015). After identifying the need and leaders, who will motivate the employees towards implementing the change, Dell company management will create a vision to empower action for the new plan. For that reason, the company will develop an illusion for the future of the company under the new structure. For instance, the leaders chosen will create a picture of the company after the adoption of the flatter structure. For instance, the leaders could imagine that through the advantages of the flatter system adopted, DELL company would increase its performance and gain a competitive advantage over its competitors, Lenovo and IBM Corporation. After identifying an illusion of the company, they would then create a period for achieving the desired vision. For instance, since the new structure does not involve much, they could put a period of six months for the complete conversion of the new structure and improved performances in the company as well. Therefore, departmental leaders would develop strategies needed to achieve the vision created. For instance, the company could identify the CEO, who would be in charge of all departments. All employees would be answerable to the CEO for an easy decision-making process. The leaders would then determine how to deal with resistance from the employees.
Communicating the Vision
Upon creating a vision, the Dell Company will communicate the vision of the company to the employees. The company will employ various means to create awareness of the new vision for the company to all the employees. For organizations to succeed in initiating change, they should develop communication plans, which are effective and comprehensive to avoid employee resistance (Hanson, 2013). The human resource department can achieve effective communication by printing newsletters containing the new vision of the company. Employees will also receive emails concerning the vision and importance of ensuring that vision is achieved. Other than written communication, the company will employ non-verbal communication systems to ensure that all the employees are aware of the new vision of the company. They will address the issue in company meetings, conferences and any other gathering conducted by the company. The employees will then be urged to work within the flatter structure to achieve the company’s desired goals. The leaders will act as role models for the company. They will work within the new structure while reporting all issues to the CEO and encouraging the employees to fully participate in the overall decision-making process for the company. The employees should be encouraged to provide feedback for the new structure. For the company to achieve success in changing the structure of the organization, it should receive the feedback positively and make necessary changes to ensure the successful implementation of the new structure.
Empowering Broad-base Action
Upon communicating the company’s vision, the management will encourage the employees to adopt the new flatter structure. The employees will be given the opportunity to own the change and be allowed to act accordingly to ensure success through the flatter structure. The employees will be constantly reminded of the new visions of the company and will be rewarded for their performances. For instance, departments that improve their performance by adopting the new structure will be rewarded collectively through retreats or seminars to enhance career development. The employees should hence be empowered towards enhancing successful change in the company. They will be motivated through career development strategies and constant communication of the benefits of the new structure to the company and all its employees as well. In the case where the employees resist the new change plan, the leaders should identify the reasons for the resistance. They should hence implement the resistance solutions defined in the case where the members object the new system. The solutions could be in the form of motivation, constant reminder of the importance of the flatter structure as compared to the functional organization structure. However, the company will encourage the employees to present solutions on how the new structure can be implemented. As identified by Merrell (2012), involving employees in initiating change will make the implementation method easier. Thus, by allowing the employees to present their views on the implementation strategies, the company will ensure success in the company’s change plan.
Generating Short-term Wins
For Dell Company to create enthusiasm for the new organizational structure, it has to celebrate short-term achievements of the change. The management should identify the improvements in the performance of the company after the implementation of the flatter structure. The short-term improvement will motivate the employees towards achieving the long-term vision for the company. The company can measure improvements by determining the positive changes in the organization as a result of flatter structure. The latter can be achieved through increased employee participation in the decision-making process. The human resource department can also initiate reward systems such as promotions or bonuses to reward the employees, who ensure excellent performances through the new structure. The organization will identify if the flatter structure is effective and if it is fully implemented into Dell Company or not by creating short-term wins.
Consolidating Gain and Producing more Change
After identifying the positive changes that have been made in the company as a result of the flatter organizational structure, the employees will be motivated towards achieving more change (Bucciarelli, 2015). The leaders will encourage the employees towards achieving the company’s vision. The employees will be reminded of more positive changes that will be experienced as a result of the new structure. As a result, the employees will work towards producing more change.
Anchoring New Approaches into the Structure
Finally, the human resource management for Dell Company will incorporate the flatter organizational structure and abandon the old structure. The structure will clearly be implemented while identifying the leaders to whom the employees will be accountable. The various command systems in each department will be eliminated to enhance coordination and cohesion among the employees irrespective of the department.
References
Bucciarelli, L. (2015). A review of innovation and change management: Stage model and power influences. Universal Journal of Management, 3(1), 36-42.
Hanson, S. (2013). Change management and organizational effectiveness for the HR professional.
Hayes, J. (2014). The theory and practice of change management. Palgrave Macmillan.
Merrell, P. (2012). Effective change management: The simple truth. Management Services, 56(2), 20-23.
