Effective Change Management in Business

Introduction

Change management practices can be understood as the process of developing and implementing the strategies and approaches within an organization, which may help the managers to comply with the emerging situations in external as well as the internal business environment. It is found in various studies that while operating in a market, there could be changes in business situations, which can reduce the efficiency of the strategies and existing growth plans (Barbara and Swailes, 2010). As a result, organizational productivity and excellence within the industry may decline. New business situations may present the need to develop new strategies to optimize productivity. For this reason, approaches to change management are noticeable and important for companies.

The organization, which has been taken to accomplish this report, is a national utility company, which offers energy supply to a variety of customers in the United Kingdom. It is found from the case study that the organization has a large customer pool exceeding 4000000 customers, which include houses, commercial, and industrial. Along with this, the case study also helps to understand that there is high-level control over different business processes and activities within the utility company. Considering the changes that are being considered by the company, it can be said that many new approaches and strategies are being taken into consideration by the management in the company corresponding to corporate social responsibilities. For this reason, the case study describes that employees are becoming resistive towards the change and new practices.

This report is exploring the change management practices considered by the national utility company in the UK and mapping them against the change management theories and models. Along with this, the report also develops an understanding regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the company for managing the emerging changes. Not only this but, there are also some recommendations given in the report regarding the change management along with an action plan for the company.

Change management practices

The case study indicates that there are many practices and approaches, which have been considered in the national utility company for complying with the changes in the energy industry. Some of the prominent changes include delivery of a centralized work planning, installation of vehicle tracking technology so that dispatch of the work from the organization to the customers can be controlled. However, these changes are supposed to reduce the operating income of the company and its several departments; but, there has been fierce resistance from the employees’ end for the implementation of these changes.

It is found in the case study that employees and staff within the company are frequently questioning the validity of these practices and are showing the felling discontentment towards the company and its practices. High number of absenteeism indicates that the approaches considered by the managers to incorporate the changes are not much effective. To understand the efficiency of change management Kotter’s change management model and theory can be taken into consideration, which is described in the following manner (Cameron and Green, 2015).

Evaluation of case based on Kotter’s change management model

The first step that has been described in the Kotter’s change management theory in an increase in urgency for the change. The organizations are required to create the situations, which show that a change is necessary to the existing workplace practices (Cawsey et al., 2011). The national Utility Company seems to miss this approach. Most of the changes in the company taken into consideration without the creation of any urgency, which could have resulted in employee dissatisfaction and complaints regarding absenteeism.

It is also essential for the organizations to establish a guiding team, which may allow the employees to understand the need for change and transformation of the practices for the employees. However, the case study reveals that the company adopts the policy of formulating teams through which managers may communicate with the emerging changes; but, these approaches seems inappropriate.

Upon evaluating the case study, it is found that there was very little focus on creating a vision in the national utility company while implementing the changes. The managers are found failing in explaining the significance of the new practices such as the installation of the vehicle tracking system and many others due to which there has been frequent questioning over the validity of the practices and their effects on performance and productivity (Pasmore et al., 2013). For this reason, it was important to the human resource managers in the company to create a vision before implementing the change practices.

Communication for buy-in is the next step the Kotter’s change management model. As per this step, the change managers within an organization must communicate with the employees and educate them regarding the nature and influences of the change practices, which are supposed to be considered shortly (Rhoden, 2016). It can be understood that most of the questions raised from the employees’ end can be answered in this step, which may reduce the resistive behavior of the employees. These approaches appear missing in the given case study of the national utility company.

Another major practice, which has been described in the model, is that of empowering actions within an organization for change management. It can be understood that managers empowering the actions of the employees are much likely to develop a positive perspective towards the change among the employees (Doppelt, 2017). Although, it is found that the national utility company considers the policies of empowerment and motivation for the employees to perform well and adopt with the organizational strategies by rewarding them; but, these practices are not found prevalent during the implementation of the change.

The creation of short terms wins is another major practice in change management. Short terms wins can be created in organizations by the super experienced and skilful staff. The managers are supposed to bring these wins into consideration of the other employees through appraisal and rewards (Carnall, 2018). It can be understood that these practices could have provoked and motivated other employees in the company to comply with the changes and acquire rewards and recognition.

Further, it is also important for the change managers and human resource professionals in the national utility company to provoke the employees for not letting up the new practices. Employees can be reluctant and may switch back to older practices due to their expertise and practice (Hayes, 2018). This is the major lacking in the given case study, which has allowed the employees to resist the new practices.

The last step in the change management model and theory is sticking to new practices in which managers ask the employees to practice the new approaches for every time in the future. Even if the managers would have asked the employees in the case study to stick to the new practices; but, the employees were found avoiding the instructions, which show the inefficiency during change implementation.

This way, it can be analysed that there are several practices and approaches related to the effective management of the change, which has not been considered in the national utility company in the given case study.

Strengths and weaknesses of the organization for managing leading change

Analysis of the strengths as well as weaknesses related to the approach of the national utility company to manage and lead the change can be carried out through the SWOT analysis of the company, which is explained in the following manner.

Strengths

It is found in the case study that there is a strong partnership between the organization and the unions. The organizations consider encouraging the labour unions as well as the employees proactively towards the emerging changes. These approaches can be greatly helpful in managing changes such as the transformation of vehicles through the installation of the tracking system, delivery of centralized work planning, and many more. It can be understood that formal partnerships between an organization and unions may result in the development of more understanding regarding the need to change (Sørensen et al., 2011). Therefore, strong bonds and relationships between the two entities act as strengths for incorporating the changes.

Annual appraisals and staff rewards are also some prominent practices that can be seen in the national utility company. These practices may have significant impacts on the attitudes of the employees in the organization. The employees are rewarded for their adaptation to the organizational policies and practices. It can be analysed that employees work in energy companies to attain their livelihood (Matos et al., 2014). In these cases, approaches of rewards and annual appraisals may provoke them to comply with the organizational policies and changes. Rewards also reduce the resistance from the employees’ end as they speculate the personal financial growth.

Further, the national utility company also focuses heavily on the training of staff. It is found in the case study that they are subjected to mandatory training before engaging in a project or operation. These approaches may act as strengths in managing and leading the changes in the organizations. Various studies corresponding to change management indicate that employees often become resistive towards the change due to inadequate training and skills (Georgalis et al., 2015). They are used to the former practices and may feel difficulties in complying with new ones. In these scenarios, approaches to training can be helpful for the employees in developing the skills to practice new work and strategies.

After conduction of SWOT analysis, it is found that the management in the national utility company keenly focuses on teamwork encouragement and have developed full time and part-time contract for work with the employees and labours. These approaches can be said to have positive impacts on change management in the company. It can be analysed that working in the form of teams may reduce the difficulties likely to be faced by the employees during change (Cocks, 2014). For example, different team members can easily understand the use of the tracking system in vehicles with collaboration. Along with this, there are also fixed hours for work in the company, which prevents the extra workload on the employees. Therefore, the resistance of the employees towards the change can be reduced.

Weaknesses

The case study also reveals that for many years, the national utility company was stable due to which it resisted the change. It these situations, employees usually do not develop an accepting attitude towards the change and new practices. On the contrary, they prefer sticking to conventional practices, even when these practices are found outdated. This could be the major hurdle in the successful implementation of the new practices in the national utility company due to which extreme resistance from the employees’ end could be seen (Husain, 2013).

Further, it is found in the study that the national utility company is highly regulated in terms of prices, health and safety, corporate social responsibilities, and many others. The organizations conduct frequent external as well as internal audits in which there is a focus on the performance level of the employees and their adoption of the organizational practices. These approaches may reduce the satisfaction level of the employees while implementing change (Beal et al., 2013). It can be said that the organization is focusing on maintaining productivity through the audits, while new practices may reduce the workplace productivity of the employees. Therefore, employees could be forced to enhance their productivity level to meet the expectations of the company. This way, they can be less satisfied with new practices.

Along with this, the case study has also revealed that there are no provisions for flexible working hours to the employees in the national utility company. This is one of the most significant factors, which may act as a weakness for incorporating the changes in the organization. It can be analysed that flexible working hours provide relaxation to the employees to accomplish their duties due to which they remain satisfied with the organizational policies (Cawsey et al., 2011). Strict rules and regulations over the workplace practices during a change may increase vulnerabilities for the employees and may allow them to resist the changes.

Little cross-functional working and adoption of different approaches are also some factors, which may act as weaknesses in implementing changes successfully within the national utility company. It can be understood that little cross-functional working may prevent the employees from speculating the working patterns of employees in different departments (Rhoden, 2016). This way, they are less exposed to different types of work, which reduced their will to accept the changes and follow the same working patterns.

This way, it can be analysed that the national utility company has several strengths as well as weakening factors, which may affect the proper implementation of the changes.

Recommendation

Many recommendations can be given to the national utility company in the case study to improve its practices for change management. Some of these recommendable measures are given in the following manner.

Communication: It is one of the astounding measures that can be considered by the change managers in the national utility company. Various studies in change management help in understanding that communication of the change at all the organizational levels is highly necessary for the managers for successful change management (Hayes, 2018). For this reason, the managers in the national utility company need to develop the strategies and approaches through which they can communicate with the employees regarding the emerging change, its significance, and the way of implementation. It can be understood that approaches of communication may change the perspectives of the employees towards the emerging changes as they will be aware of it.

Demonstration: Another recommendable measure that should be considered by the change managers in the national utility company is the proper demonstration of the change practices. In most cases, issues with change management emerge due to a lack of knowledge and familiarity with the new practices (Barbara and Swailes, 2010). For this reason, human resource managers in the company need to develop the provisions in which the professionals demonstrate best practices. These approaches may allow the employees to understand the ways to adapt to the change. Demonstration of the best practices can also be effective in reducing the resistance from employees’ end in the national utility company. These approaches may enhance the level of awareness and knowledge of the employees with new practices corresponding to corporate social responsibilities due to which they can be fewer scenarios of workplace absenteeism, complaints, and many more.

Checks: Inspection regarding the adoption of new practices and change can be much helpful for the managers in the national utility company in implementing the changes. It can be said that the managers should consider mapping the current productivity with the expected productivity. Along with this, they should also check the difficulties being faced by the employees in accessing the change and bringing transformation in the workplace productivity (Cameron and Green, 2015). These approaches of regular checking may allow the change managers to identify the loopholes and develop the strategies, accordingly, resulting in higher performance and commitment of the employees towards change.

Time and flexibility: One prominent weakness that is found in the SWOT analysis of the national utility company is the lack of flexibility for the employees. As per many studies, ad research works on change implementation in the corporate sector; it is found that flexibility plays an important role in reducing the vulnerabilities regarding change management (Carnall, 2018). Therefore, change managers in the national utility company are required to consider flexibility at the workplace as per the convenience of the employees. Adaption of the employees with the new practices is a time taking process due to which flexibility should be considered by the managers in the organization.

Action plan

To implement the above-described recommendations and measures, the following an action plan can be considered in the national utility company.

Conclusion

It can be concluded from the above report that change management is one of the essential activities in the organizations to manage products as well as the impacts of the emerging situations in the business environment. There are many lacking practices in the national utility company corresponding to the strategic change management for corporate social responsibility as per the Kotter’s change management model. These lacking include no demonstration of best practices and many more. Along with this, it is also found from the report that there are many strengths as well as weaknesses in the national utility company for implementation and proper management of the change. These strengths include a strong relationship between the organization and unions, staff rewards and many more. Weaknesses associated with the practices in the company are no provisions for flexibility at the workplace and many others. For this reason, recommendations such as demonstration of best practices, checks, and flexibility can be given for which actions such as scheduling of meetings, cross-departmental working, and many more can be considered in the national utility company.

References

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