None of the organizations in the world can stay stagnant. The internal and external changes equally impact it, and it has to respond accordingly yet quickly. The main purpose of responding to the change is to avoid unforeseen losses. Organizations from time to time evolve and adapt to meet multiple internal or external challenges—from changes in technology to the rise of new competitors to a shift in laws, regulations, or underlying economic trends. Failure to do so could lead to stagnation or, worse, loss. New challenges are always ready for an organization to encounter. This demands strong yet effective leadership that can take quick actions, but the most important thing is that change shall be dealt with care, and the strategies required shall be implemented after proper planning. This is when the organizations need the change management process. Thus, the main purpose of the change management process is to make sure that the required strategies are incorporated smoothly, moving towards achieving the organizational goals.
Change management is a systematic approach. It deals with dealing with the transformation of the goals of the organizations. Today the organizations have realized that no change ever happens in isolation. The change impacts the whole organization in one way or other. The change also affects the employees and leadership. But with good change management, the administration can encourage everyone to adapt to and accept the latest working style according to Shalom Lamm.
Many critics believe that the organization’s employees have to change the most when the business opts for a change. This is because they have to change the way they work. If the workers cannot achieve the transition in their jobs, they would also fail to accomplish the target. If the workers accept the growth and adopt changes required by the plan or management, it will deliver the expected results. Every worker in an organization is unique, and this is where change management has to take over. The process provides a well-defined approach for educating and motivating the staff in the company to move from their existing states to their future states.
Three levels of Change Management:
There are three levels of change management within an organization:
1. Individual change management :
People normally resist a change, with the difference in their personal lives or homes, or with an organization they are working in. Similarly, when the management announces a change, almost 80 percent of the workers are not happy. But when supported through times of change, these workers can also be productive.
2. Organizational/ initiative change:
The Organizational or initiative change management informs the management about the steps and actions to encourage the people working at the project. Organizational change management is important for project management.
It involves identifying groups and people that the implementation of change would highly impact and adapt to change?
3. Enterprise change management capability:
This level of change management change is the core competency that provides a competitive edge to the organization, and at least it lets the organization stay in the market. An enterprise change management capability means effective change management is incorporated in the organization’s role, structures, processes, projects, and leadership competencies.
Needs for change management within an organization:
As mentioned earlier, no organization can solely stay in the market without responding to external or internal changes. Some of the major reasons behind change management are:
- External factors
An organization transits due to external factors. Today, some major reasons that compel them to change are globalization and rapid innovation in technology or incorporation of the latest technology. The latest trends in the industry are also important to consider. These mentioned external factors cannot be ignored in any way.
- Making ideas succeed
Organizations use the techniques of change management to make sure that the ideas get succeeded. Working and coordinating with the leaders is the best solution for it.
- Empowering cross-functional changes
Like other organizations or businesses, the health care and social care organization also depends on change management.
- motivating the workers with the change process
If an organization decided to adopt the change successfully, the most important point is to make sure that the organization’s workers are engaged and fully committed.
- Preparing for the major transformation of the organization:
The human services industries, including health care or social care industries, just like others in the market, involve the leadership and change managers to make organizational change go smoothly.
- Decreasing resistance to a change initiative
Resistance is obvious in every organization. People usually resist a change in the beginning. The leaders might get a low response or a straight denial reaction from the workers.
- Improving performance and productivity
When an organization incorporates improved ways of working, there are higher chances that their level of productivity would increase. At the same time, it might also encourage innovation. The performance and productivity of the workers are directly related to each other.
- Reducing costs
When an organization responds to a change in the right manner, it also helps minimize waste and reduce costs for the organization.
Change management plan
There are six major steps of a change management plan in the health services sector:
Step 1. Know where you’re going and why- examine the latest trends in the health care sector, and change the mission or vision of the health care provider accordingly.
Step 2. Analyze and design- develop a change management plan according to the nature and size of the organization. Delegate the tasks and communicate them to each member of the change management process.
Step 3. Gain commitment- making the workers agree to a transition, but the management must convince them with time. The administration is responsible for guiding the staff about the positive outcomes of the change or innovation and encouraging them to share their thoughts.
Step 4. After each member of the change management process is convinced, deliver it, incorporate the change management plan within the organization.
Step 5. Reinforce it- Train the leadership and staff according to the latest demands, and upgrade their skills or knowledge to be more productive.
Step 6. Sustain it- the organization needs to sustain the change within the organization. In the beginning, it would be hard to convince everyone and get better outcomes, but with time, things will go accordingly to the plan.
Conclusions:
Great leadership is important for the success of any organization. It can make the workers more productive and help in growing the organization. However, the role of the leaders becomes more important when an organization has to encounter a change. The changes are happening all across the globe. These global changes drive organizations to transform their operations and goals accordingly to move forward and gain a competitive edge. However, these changes have provided challenges within organizations. This calls for defined solutions and effective leadership to cope with unforeseen problems due to the continuously happening change. The steps mentioned above of the change management process are important to be carried out carefully with the right workforce.
