CHANGE MANAGEMENT
Question one.
Change management can be ideally looked at from two angles (Hiatt, 2011). One of the perspectives involves the individuals who are implementing the change in the specified organization. The other perspective involves the recipient of the conducted management change. The personal view of change management differs to a large extent especially if one is the executive who is demanding the alterations and the other case scenario of the frontline employee. This is because the frontline employee might even be uncertain why a management change is even necessary. There are various critical elements in the factor of change management. They are ideally the basis of discussion in this paper.
One of the critical elements of change management revolves around the issue of changing respective employee role (Hiatt & Creasey, 2003, p. 34). This undertaking is vital considering that there need to be an appropriate skill adjustment in the case of a change in the organizational context. This aspect is also closely followed by the almost obvious critical element of employee resistance (Cameron & Green, 2004, p. 23). In this case, the given employees are display reluctance in changing their operational characteristics and obligations within the organization. This scenario presents a lethal stand for the given organization to a large extend.
Changing the management team structures presents the other critical element of change management. This is a very vital undertaking for the firm in this respect. The scenario of delayed projects as disseminated in terms of obligations by the management to respective employees might be experienced (Filicetti, 2007. p. 22). Further, the issue of substandard achievement, in terms of goals as a derivative of the given projects might arise. Therefore, the process of crucially changing the management team structures in the organization is vital in curbing the negative consequences of not doing so.
Customers of a given organization are one of the most vital elements that largely affect the survival of the business entity. The customer factor therefore presents the other critical element in change management in respectful business entities. The effect on customers’ resultant from changes in the business and their respectful management should not be large or very impacting. Therefore, the issue of reducing the impact of change on the clients of the business is a very crucial element of the change management in the specified organization.
Training and educational programs in the specified organization presents a very vital input in the overall change management system (Gabris, 1989, p. 161). This process is ideally vital considering that given employees might not have all the necessary elements in terms of knowledge of conduction in the new created business milieu. The repercussions of such a situation are entirely lethal to the productivity of the firm. Therefore, an educational training regarding new integrated systems and practices should be disseminated to respectful employee as a vital step of avoiding the negativity of not doing so.
Adoption of incentive and recognition plans in the organization presents the other vital aspect of change management (Nilakant & Ramnarayan, 2006, p. 55). This inclusion in the overall operations of the specified firm is relatively vital in its complete implementation. The use of incentives and rewards directly related to the inputs of respectful employees in the organization has often proved as a very strategic element of enhancing performance. Changes in the organization might lower employee morale. Further, very important employees of the specified organization might end up giving on their jobs. To cushion and prevent such case scenario, one of the vital elements of change management involving employee rewards and incentives can be adopted. This inclusion might see the given organization run smoothly in the event of change.
In conclusion, it is evident that a number of critical issues are bound to arise with a change management process within an organization. Change in employee role will ideally lead to factors and scenarios of resistance. The management therefore has the responsibility of availing the employees to necessary education in line with organizational change. The use of incentives and rewards as a motivational strategy is also relevant and effective in ensuring proper change management. The bottom line therefore is that the organizational change management process will be faced by various critical issues that can be easily tackled by proper managerial acts.
Bibliography
Cameron, E., & Green, M. (2004). Making Sense of change management: a complete guide to models, tools, and techniques of organizational change. London, UK: Kogan Page Publishers.
Filicetti, J. (2007). "Project Management Dictionary" PM Hut. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
Gabris, G. T. (1989). Educating Elected Officials in Strategic Goal Setting. Public Productivity and Management Review 13(2): 161.
Hiatt, J. (2011). "The definition and history of change management". Change Management Learning Center. Retrieved from http://www.change-management.com/tutorial-definition-history.htm
Hiatt, J., & Creasey, T. (2003). Change management: the people side of change. Washington, DC: Prosci.
Nilakant, V., & Ramnarayan, S. (2006). Change Management: altering mindsets in a global context. New York, NY: SAGE Publications.
Question Two
Communication of change processes in the specified organization presents a very vital inclusion in the general undertakings of the business entity. To a large extend, the communication process of specified changes in the given organization presents a crucial element in the general undertakings regarding change management (Berwick, 1999, p. 10). Generally, there needs to be an exclusive and impacting process involving the communication of change strategies to the respectful employees. This is a vital undertaking considering that a quick response and integration of the employee commitment is necessary to cushion the possible negative impacts of change.
One of the modes that can be adopted by the management in given organization regarding the effective communication of change strategies is the meeting scenario (Bolman & Deal, 1999, p. 6). The convergence of employees, related to their respectful posts or obligations within the firm can be conducted as a proper means of communicating these vital strategies. In this case, the organizational management calls for a meeting in the organization regarding specific changes in the processes or conduction. Generally, the meeting strategy is impacting in that the message regarding specific changes in the organization are directly relayed to all employees, or strategically called upon employees, in one setting by the managers.
Use of official letters to specified employees in the organization presents the other vital and ideally impacting mode of communication regarding organizational change (Darby, 1997, p. 13). In this case, the management drafts official letters to concerned employees regarding the aspect of organizational change. All the requirements of change and related involvement are relayed and discussed in written form in the letters and directed to employees. The use of official letters in the organization as a means of communicating the specified change in organization is ideally cost effective. However, the management might lose in the aspect and factor of time.
The electronic dissemination of information regarding changes in the organization is also vital and useful. For instance, the use of emails and related electronic elements of the organizational employees might come in handy. In this case, the management in the organization uses the given data by employees regarding their emails (Kerfoot, 1996, p. 550). A formal communication is then initiated to the respectful employees electronically through the use of emails. This mode of communication of change in the organization is relatively vital and efficient. This is because it saves on message delivery time to concerned employees. Therefore, the change process is ideally kept on a fast pace by the process.
The use of departmental managers to relay specific information regarding changes in the organization is also vital (Harari, 2000, p. 32). The managers in charge of given employees are therefore charged with the responsibility of relaying information regarding changes in the organizational operations or context. This is a very strategic communication strategy. It is efficient considering the fact that only relevant and useful information as depicted by specific departmental or team managers will be relayed to the junior employees. This mode of communication comes in handy in ensuring that the employees are not bombarded with a load of change related data that might not be directly associated with them. Therefore in the short run, the employees can act on aspects and factors directly related and charged with them as indicated by their respectful managers. Therefore, the integration of the new system is largely fast with the adoption of this mode of change strategy communication.
It can be concluded that the communicative factor in any organizational context is essential. As a proper change management activity, the adoption of efficient and relevant modes of communication to the employees is important. As indicated, the management has a variety of choices regarding avenues and strategies of communicating organizational change. Some of the communication avenues include use of letters, formally converged meetings, and the use of employee electronic mail, among others. The organizational management should therefore ensure that change is communicated to respective employees for quicker new environment integration.
Bibliography
Anonymous (1998). Change: overturning myths and blocks. OR manager, 14(5): 31.
Berwick, D. (1999). Helping your staff become more receptive to change. Balance, 3(3): 10.
Bolman, L. G, & Deal, T. (1999). Four steps to keeping change efforts heading in the right direction. Journal for Quality 7 Participation, 22(3): 6
Darby, M. (1997). Driving fear out of the workplace. The Quality Letter for Healthcare Leaders 9(2): 13.
Harari, O. (2000). Leading change from the middle. Management Review, 88(2): 32.
Kerfoot, K. (1996). The change leader. AANA Journal, 64(6): 590.
