M RahmanFactors affecting change management in organisations
This article examines the key factors affecting change management in organisations. Change management is the process of facilitating change in an organisation. It requires a high level of communication, trust, and collaboration from employees to be successful. Likewise, organisational structure, resistance to change, and lack of effective management also influence change management in organisations.
What is change management?
Change management is the process of facilitating change in an organisation. In other words, it is the process of implementing change in a way that is beneficial to the organisation as a whole. According to Miranda and Bottorff (2022) change management is a structured process for planning and implementing new ways of operating within an organisation.
Stobierski (2020) defines change management as the method of leveraging change to bring about successful results and resolutions in organisations. Change may happen naturally over time, or it can be the result of a strategic initiative. However, managing programmes of change is not an easy task.
What causes organisational change?
There are many factors that can force organisations to change their ways of doing things. According to Stobierski (2020) the most common factors are new leadership, shifts in team structure, emergence of new technology, and adoption of new business models.
Why change management is important?
Change management is very important not only because change is taking place, but also because many change initiatives often fail (CIPD, 2021). If change is managed appropriately, it can shift a company’s focus and achieve new goals. It can also influence the adoption of change across the business very well.
Organisations can implement change management to better handle transitions like employee turnover, retirement, or growth, as well as in response to a change in management or culture, or a change in leadership. However, is change is not managed well, it is very likely to fail.
List of factors affecting change management in organisations
Lack of trust
When implementing a new change management strategy, one of the first things that managers have to do is building trust within the organisation. They need to prove that the change is necessary and that it has a high chance of success.
Lack of communication
Communication is vital to successful change management. If employees are not informed about the change, they will not be able to buy into the proposed idea. This can lead to problems and issues in the future.
Employees might not be fully aware of the strategic reason behind a specific change. If they do not know why the change is happening, they might feel suspicious or uncomfortable with the new change management strategy.
Resistance
Resistance is one of the key factors affecting change management in organisations. Although organisations might need change, employees might not always agree with a certain strategy or the way of its implementation. This can lead to a culture of resistance. In some cases, resistance can be due to a lack of communication.
Lack of incentives
Even if employees understand the strategic value behind a change, they might not see any value in it for themselves. If the change does not benefit them personally, they might resist or ignore it.
Organisational structure
Organisational structure also affects change management. To implement a proposed change, activities need to be coordinated and managed. This is where organisational structure plays a big role as it specifies reporting relationships, outlines formal communication channels, and illustrates how distinct activities and roles of individuals are linked together.
Strategies to overcome the challenges of change management
Change management is a complicated process that requires a great deal of patience and discipline. If organisations cut corners or rush the process, they are likely to encounter many challenges. However, to overcome them, organisations need to implement strategies that will help them navigate the change management process. The following discussion touches on some of those strategies:
Right strategy
Before implementing a change, organisations need to decide whether it is right for the organisation. This will largely depend on the organisation’s culture, current state, and strategic goals.
Getting people involved
It is very important to get the right people involved while implementing a programme of change. Organisations need to communicate the proposed change to all stakeholders, including employees, customers, and suppliers to ensure that they understand why the change is happening.
Focus on data
When implementing a change, organisations must make sure that they have as much data as possible to back it up. Data can help them identify gaps, problems, and areas for improvement.
Summary of the factors affecting change management in organisations
Thus, it is clear that there are many factors that can affect change management in organisations. To deal with those factors and to overcome change management challenges, organisations need to implement strategies that will help them navigate the change management process well. With the right strategy, the right people, and the right communication and transparency, they will be able to successfully implement change programmes when required.
Hope you like this article: ‘Factors affecting change management in organisations’. Please share the article link on social networking sites to support our academic research. You may also like to read the following:
Barriers to change – factors that resist change
Factors affecting communication
Last update: 07 September 2022
References:
CIPD (2021) Change management, available at: https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/strategy/change/management-factsheet#gref (accessed 07 September 2022)
Miranda, D. and Bottorff, C. (2022) The four principles of change management, available at: https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/principles-of-change-management/ (accessed 06 September 2022)
Stobierski,T. (2020) Organisational change management: what is it & why is it? Available at: https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/organizational-change-management (accessed 06 September 2022)
Author: M Rahman
M Rahman writes extensively online and offline with an emphasis on business management, marketing, and tourism. He is a lecturer in Management and Marketing. He holds an MSc in Tourism & Hospitality from the University of Sunderland. Also, graduated from Leeds Metropolitan University with a BA in Business & Management Studies and completed a DTLLS (Diploma in Teaching in the Life-Long Learning Sector) from London South Bank University.
