Introduction
The saying that ‘the only thing that is constant is change’ is ever true. Change is important in all facet of life. The various departments in all business organisations must embrace change in all its ramifications. The employees at work, being the most valued assets in any organisation must be carried along in all change initiatives at work. Change must not be forced on employees without any input from them. The employees should also cooperative with management when laudable changes are being introduced at work. They should not stand in the way of progress of their organisations; they should always buy into all the positive change initiations of their organisations without any sentiment.
Meaning of Change
Change in terms of Human Resource Management or organisational development is all about the modification or outright replacement of any existing structure, procedure, process, system and technology as it affects people, process, system, product, market, service offer and the organisation as a whole to achieve better performance or to respond to internal strength and weaknesses and the external environmental opportunities and threats. Change management is an important element of achieving organisational development and transformation.
Types of change
There are two major types of change. We have strategic change and operational change. Strategic change is basically about organisational transformation. This focuses on taking an organisation to a desired future position. That is, taking the organisation from where it is now to where the organisation wants to be. Strategic change is broad and affects long-term, corporate and organisation wide issues.
Operational change addresses the present organisational challenges. It relates to the introduction of new structures, systems, procedures and technology that are expected to have an immediate impact on the operation in some parts of the organisation.
Overcoming resistance to change at work
The first thing that must be clear to all Change Agents and organisations that want to initiate change is that people will always resist change at inception. To carry people along and achieve the successful change initiation, they must understand why people resist change.
People resist change for so many reasons. They resist change because of the fear of unknown, fear of losing money, threat to job security and because of uncertainty. To remove people’s fear about change, they must be involved in the change process. Change agents must carry everybody along before change is introduced. Those to be directly affected by the change must be noted and their sources of fear understood and clarified. People must be assured that the change is for the benefit the organisation as well as for everybody.
Steps towards initiating change at work
The following actions must be in place when initiating change at work.
· Get the commitment of top management and those to be affected by the change.
· The change agents must have clear understanding of the culture of the organisation and a detailed understanding of its people.
· The people to be affected by the change must be carried along from start to finish.
· Focus on achieving result through changing system, structure and systems rather than changing organisational culture and attitude of people.
· Make it clear to everybody that change is desirable in order for the organisation and its people to keep abreast of new development and innovations in the globalised world economy.
· Provide all the needed assistance, tools and encouragement necessary for easy transition into the new system, for all.
· Expect resistant to change and treat same as a challenge expected when initiating change.
Conclusion
Change is desirable. Change is a must. But change must be introduced with care. Everybody to be affected must be carried along. Change agents must be well trained in the process of change initiation in order to reduce unnecessary resistance and tension. Any organisation that fails to change and innovate is digging its own grave. Change is good.
References
Armstrong, M (2003) A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice, 9th edn, Kogan Page, London.
BecKhard, R (1969) Organisation Development: Strategy and models, Addison-Wesley, Reading, Mass.
Nadler, D.A (1980) Concepts for the management of organisational change, in Reading in the Management of Information, ed M.L .Tushman and W.L. Moore, Ballinger, New York.
Writer’s Profile
Ajiboro Ayodeji is a Chartered HR Practitioner based in Lagos, Nigeria. Tel: 2348027807452. Email: hutrenconsulting@gmail.com.
©Hutren Consulting 2011
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