INTRODUCTION
Every organization aims at better service delivery to and for clients as it grows. Change is inevitable in such a quest as this may involve anything that is to be introduced into the production environment. This may affect the functioning of the environment or one of its components. Making changes in a planned and systematic fashion is not easy. This is why there is often a huge importance and relevance placed upon change management in an organization.
Changes within a business organization can be initiated from within or externally. Reactive and proactive responses to these changes are possible from any organization. The whole process of managing the changes in an organization includes: awareness for the need of change, planning the stages of the transition, achieving the transition, and the maintenance of the positive effects of the transition.
This entire process involves careful, thoughtful planning and sensitive implementation of the transition. Effective transition management has to include consultation and the involvement of people who will be affected. The prospected changes have to be realistic, measurable, and achievable. The goals of such a transition should be clearly understood together with why they should be achieved. For success, managers have to involve the staff, stakeholders or their representatives before effecting changes in order to discuss it and determine if they are able to cope or not.
Communication is essential for success in this mission for it enhances the progress and also strengthens the trust of employees towards the manager. Verbal communication, in particular, has been proven to be more effective in ensuring proper understanding than written notices and e-mails. This approach will cause your staff to realize the necessity of the change and they will be more likely to embrace it. A proper approach to change management will protect the manager from losing the best employees within the staff.
Change management services can be outsourced from many independent consultants with expertise in this field. These consultants help their clients manage the changes. A certain area that needs transition is established either by the consultants or the client, and the consultants propose models, methods, techniques, and tools that can be used to effect the changes in the particular organization.
Some people welcome transitions with mixed feelings, and some people have a strong resistance to transition. Tolerance and patience are required to make the resisting people see things at a different angle. Sometimes the people who resist transition see a risk of losing their jobs as a consequence of the change. Treat the people opposing the change with respect and do not keep them in the dark. Showing and explaining to them the reasons why things need to be different will help them see the light at the end of the tunnel. It will also help to ensure them that their careers are not in danger.
Managing transition in a business organization requires a broad set of skills such as analytical, financial, business, and social skills. Analytical skills will help you evaluate the financial and other implications associated with that transition. Without proper management, a transition can turn an organization into financial or social turmoil. Change Management plays an important role in any organization for it allows an organization to respond to external or internal issues effectively.
TECHNIQUES OF MANAGING CHANGE IN COMPANIES
Organizations undergo change regularly as technologies advance and businesses grow and develop. Businesses must adapt to changes in the market to remain competitive and profitable. The techniques businesses use to manage change can determine success or failure. Change causes anxiety among employees who are fearful of how organizational change will affect their place in the company.
Evaluating Areas for Change
Management must evaluate the organization to determine areas that require change. A practice of regularly evaluating the company to identify areas that need improvement can help the company maintain a competitive edge. For example, the organization may determine that the company is using outdated production methods. The change process can include updating the production process, exploring new technologies and training employees in new production techniques.
Planning Implementation
The company should develop a plan to implement an organizational change. Companies should determine the cost of implementing a change and budget accordingly. The cost of implementing a change can include retraining employees, purchasing advanced equipment or hiring consultants. A project manager can guide the change process and distribute assignments to key employees. Setting small goals during the transition can provide encouragement during the process.
Communication
Implementing a change to procedures and company policies can cause fear among workers. Communicating the change plan to workers can help alleviate the anxiety. Allowing workers to ask questions and voice concerns about a change in the organization can help explain how the process will affect workers. Worker fear occurs when employees are fearful about how a change will affect their day-to-day activities. Group meetings, presentations and training sessions are effective methods for communicating an organizational change.
Employee Involvement
Involving employees in the change process is also an effective management technique. Worker involvement provides a sense of control over the process, which can help allay employee fears. According to Reference for Business, when employees are involved in company decision-making and the process they will feel less fear and have commitment to the process.
REASONS FOR CHANGE
Globalization and the constant innovation of technology result in a constantly evolving business environment. Phenomena such as social media and mobile adaptability have revolutionized business and the effect of this is an ever increasing need for change, and therefore change management. The growth in technology also has a secondary effect of increasing the availability and therefore accountability of knowledge. Easily accessible information has resulted in unprecedented scrutiny from stockholders and the media and pressure on management.
With the business environment experiencing so much change, organizations must then learn to become comfortable with change as well. Therefore, the ability to manage and adapt to organizational change is an essential ability required in the workplace today. Yet, major and rapid organizational change is profoundly difficult because the structure, culture, and routines of organizations often reflect a persistent and difficult-to-remove "imprint" of past periods, which are resistant to radical change even as the current environment of the organization changes rapidly.
Due to the growth of technology, modern organizational change is largely motivated by exterior innovations rather than internal moves. When these developments occur, the organizations that adapt quickest create a competitive advantage for themselves, while the companies that refuse to change get left behind. This can result in drastic profit and/or market share losses.
Organizational change directly affects all departments from the entry level employee to senior management. The entire company must learn how to handle changes to the organization.
CONCLUSION
Regardless of the many types of organizational change, the critical aspect is a company’s ability to win the buy-in of their organization’s employees on the change. Effectively managing organizational change is a four-step process
Recognizing the changes in the broader business environment
Developing the necessary adjustments for their company’s needs
Training their employees on the appropriate changes
Winning the support of the employees with the persuasiveness of the appropriate adjustments
As a multi-disciplinary practice that has evolved as a result of scholarly research, organizational change management should begin with a systematic diagnosis of the current situation in order to determine both the need for change and the capability to change. The objectives, content, and process of change should all be specified as part of a Change Management plan. Change management processes should include creative marketing to enable communication between changing audiences, as well as deep social understanding about leadership’s styles and group dynamics. As a visible track on transformation projects, Organizational Change Management aligns groups’ expectations, communicates, integrates teams and manages people training. It makes use of performance metrics, such as financial results, operational efficiency, leadership commitment, communication effectiveness, and the perceived need for change to design appropriate strategies, in order to avoid change failures or resolve troubled change projects.
REFERENCES
Kotter, J. (July 12, 2011). "Change Management vs. Change Leadership -- What's the Difference?" Forbes online.
Filicetti, John (August 20, 2007). "Project Management Dictionary". PM Hut. Retrieved November 16, 2009.
Levin, GInger (2012). "Embrace and Exploit Change as a Program Manager: Guidelines for Success". Project Management Institute.
Phillips, Julien R. (1983). "Enhancing the effectiveness of organizational change management". Human Resource Management
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