Example of essay on managing organizational change

Organizational change refers to a process that involves changes at various levels in order to achieve desired results. It is necessary for organizations to bring different changes in order to respond to changing internal & external business environment. Organizational transition phase refers to stage in which organization is adopting changes to achieve desired future. In the given situation, organization is planning to bring changes in order to minimize the impact of financial crises. Organization is planning to reorganize roles and responsibilities of employees to deal with high turnover, outdated software and low moral values related issues. This paper intends to discuss organizational development process, skills and change of strategy that should be adopted by management. The paper will also evaluate impact of resources.
The change, organization is planning to bring, will impact all employees. Management is required to consider employee resistance and uncertainty while developing strategy for bringing changes. Employees tend to resist changes because they are comfortable in present situation and unaware about future. Employees are aware of the present but are uncertain about future hence they resist any changes (Dawson & Andriopoulos, 2009). The changes, organization is planning to bring, are of large scale hence it is important that senior management should form a team that will implement desired changes in systematic manner.

Change Objectives

Company is required to define all objectives of change that need to be achieved in long-term and short-term. The objectives of change plan are:

Long-Term Objectives:

– Achieve good growth in revenue and profit.
– Implementation of advance technology and software.
– Updating of old and traditional processes.
– Strict implementation of organizational values and beliefs.

Short-term Objectives:

– Encourage and motivate employees.
– Reduction in present stress level of employees.
– Increase in efficiency of employees.
– Reduce cost and expenditure at various levels.
– Elimination of duplication, idle processes and unnecessary activities.

Change Activities

After finalization of change objectives the next step is identification of activities that need to be executed to achieve desired objectives. The activities implemented under change process are:
– Identification of waste processes, idle activities, and duplication of work.
– Re-organization of roles and responsibilities so that all employees have clear understanding about their role, no two employees are involve in similar work and overall productivity and efficiency of employees could increase.
– Communication of change plans to employees and informing them about the requirement of change and its benefits.
– Involvement of employees in change process.
– Implementation of organizational values and beliefs.
– Implementation of new advance technology.
– Training and development of employees on new processes and technology.
– Closing of change plan by celebrating the success.
All executives should adopt excellent communication skills while informing employees about change and while implementing change in the organization. It is essential to communicate changes to the employees in a manner that changes do not attract their resistance. Employees should not get panic after receiving information on changes. It is important to consider stakeholders involvement in change process while developing change strategies. Effective change strategies consider all internal and external stakeholders. Consideration of all stakeholders will produce good results of changes (Dawson & Andriopoulos, 2009).

Stakeholders Involve in Change Process

All people who are directly and indirectly involved in change process refers to stakeholders. In given situation all employees, management, investors and suppliers are stakeholders. However the change mainly impact employees and senior management.

Change Process Skills

Managing Director of the company will inform all departments’ heads about the current situation and future changes that organization is planning to introduce. Each divisional head will be allocated the responsibility to involve employees in change process by informing them about the current situation and why change is necessary. How change will be beneficial for them and by asking their suggestions on how to improve present situation. After receiving employees suggestions final change plan will be freeze.
Managing Director will inform employees and other stakeholders about the potential changes via e-mail which will be followed by a common forum where MD will address all stakeholders about the problem company is facing and how changes will be beneficial for all of them. This will help in making employees understand that they are important for organization and change is essential for their betterment.
Once change plan is decided and communicated by senior management, it is responsibility of team leaders to inform their team members about details of changes, when and how changes will be implemented and what will be their role ion changes. Team leader will motivate team members by elaborating the positive aspects of changes and by clearing doubts of team members (Leban & Stone, 2008). Head of department will inform employees about their new roles and responsibilities whereas team leaders will explain them about transition period.
Team leader will organize face-to-face meetings with all team members to motivate them about changes and informing them about the transition face in which employee is require to handle his present role while taking responsibilities of future role. Training programs will be organized to train employees on their new roles (Leban & Stone, 2008).

Change Strategies

A change plan is developed that will integrate all strategies and ensure effective implementation.
Potential Change: Organization wants to increase revenue by cutting down expenditure and improving efficiency of employees. Organization is planning re-organize roles and responsibilities of existing employees in short-term. Company will also introduce new technology, advance processes and software in long run.
Why: change will directly impact profitability of organization and efficiency of all employees. Thereby, change will be beneficial for all stakeholders. Change will reduce stress of the employees and provide them a level of comfort (Harigopal, 2006).
How: company will eliminate unproductive processes and duplication of activities. Employees will be given new challenging roles and responsibilities.
Coverage: change will be implemented across all levels and in all departments of organization. During initial phase focus will be given to short-term change objectives. After successful completion of initial phase focus will be shifted on long-term change objectives.
Resources: Company needs to perform its change plan within limited resources. During the time when financial condition is not good and economy is facing crisis, it is essential to perform activities with existing resources. Change team will be formed by considering team leaders and three members from senior management team. Technology will remain same during initial phase hence employees are required to deploy hard efforts in order to produce great results. Employees will be given proper training on new responsibilities and guidance from their team leaders. Limited resources such as limited manpower, limited budget and old technology certainly impacts productivity and efficiency of employees but things can be improved by adopting systematic approach (Harigopal, 2006). Step by step implementation changes will bring good results.
Time Frame: all short-term changes will be implemented in six months time and there success will be measured in one year time. After successful completion of initial phase long-term changes will be implemented in two years time.
Celebration of Success: Successful implementation of changes will be celebrated by organizing small event where change management team will be given token of appreciation. All employees will be given some bonus for their excellent performance during change process.
References
B. Leban & R. Stone. (2008). Managing Organizational Change. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.
Harigopal, K. (2006). Management of Organizational Change: Leveraging Transformation. New Delhi: SAGE.
P. Dawson & C. Andriopoulos. (2009). Managing Change, Creativity and Innovation. London: SAGE.