Influencing Effective Change in the Organization

Influencing Effective Change in the Organization
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Influencing Effective Change in the Organization
The business environment remains competitive, especially because of advancements in technology and globalization. Companies are now competing on a global scale. As a result, businesses must devise ways of remaining ahead of the competition. They need to adapt to the prevailing circumstances by embracing change. Management needs to spearhead change to ensure that employees embrace it. Additionally, organizations should be innovative by employing diverse teams. Managers should diversify their teams to ensure individuals from different backgrounds think differently. At the same time, managers should work towards creating strong organizational culture.
Part I
The importance of leading effective change
It is important to lead effective change within an organization. Because of change, organizations maintain a constant state of evolution. The rapid technological advancement has made change the most constant thing in organizations (Attaran, Attaran & Kirkland, 2020). Hence, organizations must consider change as part of normal business operations. As new technologies emerge, businesses need to be at the forefront to implement them, otherwise, they risk becoming irrelevant. Leading effective change ensures that businesses remain relevant to the present realities. For instance, the failure to embrace new technologies can render a business less competitive in the market. Because of effective change, managers can navigate the business to take advantage of new technological discoveries and remain competitive in the market.
Furthermore, leading effective change is needed to drive positive teamwork and job enrichment. In turbulent times, the morale of workers is likely to reduce because of the uncertainty ahead (Bordia et al., 2004). Employees feel that they could be disadvantaged in the whole process. For instance, change may lead some employees to fear losing their jobs. Because of such uncertainty, the morale of workers reduces. Where managers lead effective change, they reduce the uncertainty of the potential outcome of the change. Staff members are informed of the importance of the change and how to go about it. Because of such clarity, employees appreciate that change is for the betterment of the organization. They then support the implementation of efforts towards the change. Instead of fearing change, employees embrace change in its entirety. Teamwork improves as staff members collaborate to achieve the organizational goals and objectives.
Benefits of creating and accepting diversity
Diversity in the workplace entails creating an inclusive environment where individuals feel accepted despite their differences. Creating a diverse organization is beneficial in several ways. Firstly, it facilitates creativity and innovation (Paulus, Zee & Kenworthy, 2016). When individuals with less diverse backgrounds are put together, they generate similar ideas because their thinking patterns are much alike. On the contrary, employees with different backgrounds and characteristics create a well-rounded team. Such a team has access to different perspectives which widens the experiences of the members. As a result, such a team is likely to come up with creative and innovative ideas. Additionally, a diverse organization is more productive. Diverse teams are more likely to understand clients’ needs and find ways to fulfill them. Employees in diverse teams are more engaged. Such an organization wants to get the input of all the workers and hence involves staff members in major decision-making.
Organization culture
Overall, organizational culture represents the routine functions taking place in an entity. More specifically, it implies the shared values and behaviors that drive an organization. Employees in an organization adopt a set of assumptions and behaviors and these constitute the organizational culture of the business. The beliefs, assumptions, and values contribute to the uniqueness of the organization. They guide the actions of the team members and contribute to the effectiveness of the organization’s outcome.
Organizational culture has an impact on a business. Firstly, it represents an organization's public image and reputation. Individuals make assumptions regarding a business based on their interactions within and outside it. Where an entity lacks organizational culture clients may hesitate to do business with it. No one wants to be associated with a business that has a reputation for a bad organizational culture. Businesses that have strong organizational cultures tend to have a strong brand image, which attracts more clients and hence more profits.
Secondly, organizational culture is critical in attracting and retaining employees. Employees are the most valuable assets that a business has. Staff members are responsible for working towards implementing the organizational goals. Businesses that are known to have strong organizational cultures attract and maintain talented employees. Companies that have a high turnover incur huge costs in recruiting new workers (De Winne et al., 2019). However, organizations with lower employee turnover have better continuity and incur fewer expenses in recruiting and training new workers.
Thirdly, organizational culture is needed in onboarding new employees. New staff members require orientation, training, and performance management programs to fit into their roles. Organizational culture allows new workers to fit into an organization. It facilitates their seamless integration into the business operations. Organizational culture offers guidance into the functioning of a business and minimizes frustration some new hires undergo because of a lack of information and structured processes.
Creating a culture where workers are motivated and productive is instrumental for businesses. Such a culture improves the relations between management and staff members. Where employees are productive and motivated, they have fewer challenges with the management. Hence, less time is spent resolving conflicts and instead, that time is devoted to more productive activities. Additionally, the culture of motivation and productivity assists in improving customer service. Clients are very important in any organization because they drive revenues and without them, a business cannot exist (Tsiotsou & Goldsmith, 2013). Motivated employees serve customers better, which drives revenues up.
Part II
Communicating to staff
I would communicate openly and honestly to the workers. Employees deserve to be respected and need to know what is happening in the organization. Since I want to engage them, I would be open about the new requirement. I would inform them that despite losing 7 staff members of the team, the management requires a plan to increase sales by 20% by the end of the following year. I would let the workers know that I would require their assistance to implement the requirement. I would be straightforward in my approach to combat any suspicion that there is something I am hiding. The ultimate aim would be to ensure that the workers understand the changes being made and the importance of their involvement in the entire process. At the same time, I would be ready to answer questions that may arise. Employee feedback is essential for the success of an organization (Osborne & Hammoud, 2017). I would be ready to address issues that arise while I am communicating the change. I would allow the staff members to express themselves freely without any fear of intimidation. Such an approach would allow them to own the project and work towards implementing it.
The change would require strong communication skills. Communication is a vital lever in change management (Malek & Yazdanifard, 2012). It is needed in implementing change since it is through it that a leader passes information to the workers and receives feedback. I would need to communicate the change effectively in a way that the employees understand. The objective of change management is to maximize benefits while reducing the risks of failure during the process. Communication not only eases the process but also generates a synergy that causes a better understanding between managers and team members. When I communicate effectively, I will develop a sense of belonging that will ensure that all the team members are up to the task. Communications will curb confusion that arises when employees do not know what to do.
Additionally, I would need research skills to implement the change. Research skills are critical for managers because they allow them to learn from the knowledge and experience of others. Change can cause uncertainty because...