Managing Change

Do you agree?  

Following the above statement, it is true that there will always be people who have the spirit of adventure that may enjoy the changes and uncertainties, while others may be anxious about what lies ahead.

Lives are full of changes, people might not like changes, but they do happen. And after a while, people become accustomed and start enjoying them.

Change is a chance, it’s an opportunity to go down a new path, and a necessity of growth. It offers fresh insights, enhanced workplace policies and procedures, as well as a greater opportunity for those with a willingness to embrace it.

 

On the other hand, most people will actually resist change at first, although some can adapt to it quickly, some may find it hard to alter their mindset and behaviour. People tend to stay in a more comfortable and secure way, it’s hard to break the habit and incorporate changes.

Research data shows that 62.71% of people agreed that uncertainty about the future worries them while only 20.79% said they were not worried about the future (Bright, 2015). When change is required for an organization, it’s essential that the management plans, organizes, manages and monitors the changes effectively.


Management of Change 

Change is inevitable, some can be predicted and planned in advance yet some are unpredictable and cannot be pre-planned.

Changes in organizations can occur in many ways. It may involve a change in a company’s structure, strategy, policies, procedures, technology, or culture (Lambertson, 2018). It’s a significant force that contributes to the improvement of an organization in many aspects. However, change in the workplace will most likely be met with resistance, it’s crucial to understand how to manage it effectively.

Factors that cause resistance to change may vary, lacking awareness would be one of them. Employees lack the awareness of why the change was being made and how it would impact them (Schrader, 2017). This would cause fear of the unknown. Some may fear that with the new procedure or technology, redundancy or redeployment may happen; or the energy and time consumed to learn. Identifying the root cause allows for a more informed decision about how to overcome change resistance (Dukes, 2016).

As a manager, one needs to know how to minimize anxiety, avoid and reduce the resistance to change.

Communicating and educating the employees is imperative before a change takes place. This will help employees to rationalize the change, and ensure that individuals and teams receive adequate information to make positive judgements (Williams, 2021).

Organizations can encourage employees to participate in the change process design and engage in analyzing potential obstacles and improvements. The likelihood of people resisting what they helped create is much lower.

Support must be provided, including appropriate supportive policy and procedures and facilitating the development of new skills.

Last but not least, appropriate management styles and models.

The above figure illustrates Burns (2009)'s method of diagnosing how employees react from denial to accepting changes by stages, unfreeze, moving and refreeze.

Unfreeze stage is the first stage; organizations prepare and accept necessary changes and develop a new operating model.

Under this stage, senior management should identify the needs and establish a company's strategic direction from a general perspective; delegate power appropriately to the line managers and employees; and monitor progress throughout.

Line management would be in the forefront during the moving and refreeze stage since they are directly responsible for the employees. A supportive leadership style is recommended, leaders should work closely with the team, assist senior management in communicating with employees, deliver messages effectively, and provide support to employees whenever is needed to smooth the process of change.


The change at Netflix: How did it go?

Netflix, the American media-services provider, used posted movie DVDs monthly to subscription users in the old days. Streaming began in 2007 for the business and meant subscribers no longer needed to wait for DVDs to come through the mail (Byrnes, 2019). 

Netflix has been able to make a successful transition into the digital age. By offering content online, the company has satisfied and met the needs and expectations of its consumers.  

After surviving a drop in subscription numbers and stock figures, Netflix subscribers grew from 23 million in 2011 to more than 137 million in 2018 (Byrnes, 2019). 


Conclusion 

Changing the workplace can be a bit daunting, but it's important to stay committed to the cause. Change can be an exciting opportunity to face new challenges and explore new possibilities.

Change management may differ by the type of business, but all that needs to be remembered is to have a clear understanding of the business' objectives and expectations and be open to new ideas and possibilities.

A strong and effective leader would ease the transition and make it more successful. 

 

 


References

Bright, J. (2015). What do 1 in 3 people say about change? Some surprising stats! https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-do-1-3-people-say-change-some-surprising-stats-jim-bright

Byrnes, J. (2019). Click Together: Successful Change Management during Digital Transformation. https://www.babbelforbusiness.com/blogs/en/click-together-successful-change-management-during-digital-transformation

Dukes, E. (2016). 8 Tips for Overcoming Employee Resistance to Change. https://www.iofficecorp.com/blog/8-tips-for-overcoming-employee-resistance-to-change

Lambertson, S. (2018). CHANGE MANAGEMENT: UNDERSTANDING THE TYPE AND DRIVERS OF CHANGE. https://cloud4good.com/announcements/change-management-understanding-the-type-and-drivers-of-change/

Schrader, J. (2017). Why We Resist Change. https://www.psychologytoday.com/sg/blog/the-truisms-wellness/201701/why-we-resist-change

Williams, B. (2021). 7 STRATEGIES FOR OVERCOMING RESISTANCE TO CHANGE IN THE WORKPLACE. https://www.forwardfocusinc.com/inspire-leaders/7-strategies-for-overcoming-resistance-to-change-in-the-workplace/

 

 

Comments

  1. Chang Tzu ShuangJanuary 27, 2022 at 2:32 AM

    Like the part of explaining the employees' reaction to changes, which is a good model for leaders to examine the minds of employees in different stages.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lesley Jin WangJanuary 28, 2022 at 6:00 AM

      It's very interesting that people are always going through these stages while changes are happening, no matter in the workplace or in life.

      Delete

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