How To Manage Organisational Change

Change management is a difficult and demandingTimetable for Change
process to pursue within an organisational context, notProducing a timetable for change is essential so that
least because employees often find it difficult copingemployees understand that is a carefully considered
with change. This article seeks to provide some clearprocess rather than a knee jerk reaction to market
practical tips for managing the change managementevents. Good planning and clear communication to
process.staff of the timetable will ensure a smooth change
Encourage Employee Participationprocess.
One of the major employee concerns related toCopy examples of good practice
organisational change is fear of the unknown.Organisations shouldn't feel that they have to reinvent
Employees want to know whether their job is safethe wheel each time that they implement a change
and how change will physically impact upon their dayprogram. Look for examples of good practice from
to day work life.previous successful change management
The biggest problem is that organisations regularly failprogrammes, both within or external to, the
to recognise these concerns, but a good managementorganisation. Use these examples to inform your
team will encourage employees to participate in thechange management plan.
process through focus groups and by consulting withRecruit Expertise in Change Management.
and involving employees in the change managementIf it is the first major change management program
plans. This encourages ownership of the changethat has been undertaken within the organisation,
process by employees which in turn reducesconsider either hiring in expertise in the form of a
resistance to change and enables the process tomanagement consultant or recruit an experienced
move more swiftly.change manager to implement the process. Whilst this
Clear Communicationmay seem expensive in the short term, this should be
Management should seek to produce and distributecontrasted with the cost of loss of productivity and
evidence to support change. If employees understandde-motivation of staff caused by a badly managed
the reasons behind the changes then they are morechange programme.
likely to respond positively. Don't presume staff areDon't change too many things at once
unwilling to change. If for example the organisation isEmployees need time to adjust to change so avoid
making losses and changes to operating procedureschanging too many things at once as this will lead to
are required to ensure that ob losses don't occur, thengreater anxiety within the workforce, which is likely to
most staff are likely to embrace changes to securenegatively effect performance and productivity. Having
long term stability.a flexible timetable for change will enable a phased
Appoint a Change Championapproach to change management to be adopted .
Change Champions are simply individuals who areConsider a pathfinder change programme first.
tasked with driving forward or championing, the changeThis simply means trialling the change process in one
process. They need to be charismatic, approachablearea of the business or location first. It is referred to as
individuals with an ability to win over sceptics. Thisa pathfinder programme because you can monitor the
person can either be a respected employee fromeffectiveness of the change and use it as a guide for
within the organisation or an experienced externalthe rest of the organisation. Adjustments can be made
candidate , but the most important factor is that theybefore you roll out the wholesale change programme
must be committed to the change process.within the wider organisational context.