WHY CHANGE IS IMPEDED
Change is very important to the existence of any living
entity but it can be very destructive if it is not handled and implemented with
the required skill and tact. It is said that change happens to everything all
the time but the big question is how does change leave you after your
encounter?
The change that a business person or group will love and
embrace is one that fetches them more profits and increased productivity but
such outcomes of change are not low-lying fruits, rather they require
intentionality and commitment to attain. The default reaction of an employee to
change is often resistance because it often goes to the employer's benefit. People
do not easily embrace new ways of getting things done around work after several
years of getting familiar with a routine, except it is in their direct interest
like a pay raise or flexible work arrangements.
When business management decides to enhance their fortunes,
it is expedient and crucial that they thoroughly think through how to weave it
into the ongoing work so as to achieve the desired results. Every change
requires a smart implementation plan, one that will design systems to
neutralize all the resistance and flaws within it. Below are some hurdles that
usually arise when change is introduced into the workspace.
1.
Misunderstanding
Business owners sometimes do not realize they need to bring their
employees along with them in their bid to introduce new things. This is
sometimes understood because the business leader is always looking forward to driving
home increased profits to keep the business running and when the thought of
employees pops up, they easily jettison it because they do not consider them as
key stakeholders of the business and this is a great source of conflict. When
employees do not see the rationale behind a specific change introduced by
management, the reflex action is to resist it. No one likes to get along with
things they do not understand because they are unable to tell if the change is
for them or against them.
2.
Lack of trust
Trust is a big factor in the employment relationship at
every level. The psychological contract between the employer and the employee
makes the latter feel their safety and interests are secured by the actions of
the former. The moment there is a reason to doubt the employer on any given
issue regarding work, the whole setup of the organization comes tumbling down
because antagonism will be ignited. The reason for which an employee will
continually render his or her utmost best intellectually, physically, and
emotionally, is that they are certain of having their employer working to save
their interest. The whole working relationship should be mutually beneficial to
all parties.
3.
Parochial self-interest
There is mistrust when employees find reason to accuse the
employer of pulling high volumes of profits to themselves at their peril. And
if the workforce of any firm does not trust their managers, it is so obvious
that the business of the organization will not succeed. There should be a
careful and fair balance between the interests of senior managers and the
employees. The notion that the party with the obvious upper hand is pulling
more resources their way at the expense of the other leaves a bitter taste in
the mouth of the second party. And many times, this causes them to connive to
create planned problems in the way of the intended change.
4.
Bad timing
Change planning must be time-sensitive. A lot of due diligence can be done and all
key stakeholders may be consulted for the implementation of a very beautiful
change program but when the time is wrong, there is no way they will be
embraced. When employees are aggrieved on certain terms of their employment or
remuneration and have not gotten closure by management, nothing in the name of
change will be countenanced – knowing that there are no benefits in it for them.
In some instances, while employees are trying to come to terms with a change
program, they are dumped into yet another one, such events do not help the
programs to succeed. The management and leadership of all firms ought to be
very sensitive to the general temperature of the workforce at all times, to
know what is appropriate per time.
Not all of these issues may affect an institution at a go
but a good knowledge of the kind of workforce present in an organization will
help leadership to predict which of the above reasons will account for a pushback
to change so the appropriate measures are taken to avert them. We will also
propose that business leaders take records of how their employees react to
change initiatives carried out at previous times and proffer actionable steps
to minimize it subsequently – it is easier to achieve greater feat in change
management when a trend is studied. Please join us for the next work on how to
overcome resistance to change. Let’s make our institutions excellent again!
PAUL ANANG AMASAH
13TH NOVEMBER, 2024
THE COLLEGE BUSINESS CONSULT
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Thank you for sharing