Organizations today are in a state of constant flux, as they adjust to the ever-evolving external business environment, local and global economies, and technological advances. To remain competitive, workplace processes, systems and strategies must continuously evolve. Leaders must ensure that their employees remain focused and engaged on achieving desired outcomes during times of organizational change. The key to successful change management is to keep the lines of communication open between you and your employees.
Take the time to explain why the change is taking place and what it will look like in practice. Be open to questions, organize team meetings and invite your subordinates to come and see you and express their concerns or ideas in a neutral environment. Leaders must explain that a possible crisis or major opportunity is imminent, and they must encourage frank debate throughout the organization. Empower your employees to modify their behavior by eliminating obstacles that prevent them from working to achieve change. Provide them with the right training to help them master the new way of doing things when the change involves changes in technologies or processes.
This is an easy rule to follow when the change in question is positive; when the change occurs in response to difficult circumstances or results in negative short-term outcomes, this becomes more complicated. Sometimes, decisions about major organizational changes are made at the top management level and then reach employees. Nobody is born with experience managing organizational change; it's a skill that usually requires many years of practical experience to develop. Employees may also lack the specific behavioral traits needed to easily adapt to changing circumstances, which could decrease employee engagement and effectiveness and jeopardize the organization's productivity. An effective vision is essential for successful organizational change. According to Kotter, an effective vision should be imaginable, desirable, feasible, focused, flexible and communicable.
To develop other high-level skills besides managing change, you might consider a master's degree in leadership or an MBA program with a leadership focus. Organizational leaders must identify and respond quickly to market changes and unexpected challenges, but most are not in a position to create an agile culture. A merger is generally defined as the union of two or more organizations under a common ownership and management structure. In such cases, they must be familiar with the key terms and issues of the contract and be able to represent the organization's interests effectively in negotiations and contract management. The main objective of change management is to successfully implement new processes, products and business strategies while minimizing negative outcomes. According to a Towers Watson survey, only a quarter of employers maintain the benefits of change management initiatives.
Nearly two-thirds of all mergers and acquisitions (M&A) do not achieve the expected strategic and financial objectives. Throughout the change management process, a structure must be established to measure the business impact of changes and ensure that there are opportunities for continuous reinforcement to develop competencies. Leaders must take proactive steps to ensure that their employees remain focused on achieving desired outcomes during times of organizational change. By keeping communication lines open between managers and employees, providing training for new processes or technologies, developing an effective vision for success, understanding key terms related to mergers or acquisitions, and measuring business impact throughout the process, leaders can create an environment where employees remain engaged during times of transition.
