It’s Impact on Organizations and the Driving Force behind It
The only thing that is constant in this world is change, and businesses that do not prepare for it are doomed to fail. One thing that you need to know about change is that it is not always predictable. As the world is in a state of constant evolution, there is no telling what changes it will bring next nor does it really tell us how we or others will react to it. This is the biggest barrier when it comes to change management.
Who Is Affected By Change?
There are two sides to the coin when implementing change within the organization, the implementers and the recipients. The perspectives greatly vary when you consider the difference between the two. The executives implementing the change are usually much more prepared than the employees who will be receiving it. Since the executives may already be familiar with the change they will be more willing to implement it immediately. The employees on the other hand may even question why a change is being implemented in the first place.
The Three Steps to Change Management
An organization can exist in two states when it comes to change management, the ‘as is’ state and the ‘to be’ state. Change Management ensures that the organization makes a smooth transition from one to the other. This is done through three steps that include preparation, management, and reinforcement.
Preparation for Change
This is the first step in change management and entails the creation of strategy for the implementation of the change in question. The executives implementing the decision will be required to list a set of objective that will be achieved at the end of implementation of the change.
Managing the Change
This is the main part of the change. The executives will have to monitor the change closely and ensure that the employees are able to make the transition smoothly. This is especially true of the change that is of a technological nature. At this point, you will need to understand how the change will be implemented – in phases or directly?
Reinforcement
This is done after the change has been completely implemented and the reactions of employees and its functionality are monitored. The objectives set forth on the first step will also be considered to assess the effectiveness of the change.
The Driving Forces behind Change
If business owners want to be prepared for the changes that are to come (seen and unforeseen), they need to keep their eyes peeled in all directions to see where it will first originate. There are many factors that have been causing the stone to keep rolling and the factors that have been affecting it are as follows:
Commoditization
The changing prices with the ups and downs of commodity giants in the world affect organizations and you need to be prepared to thwart any modifications that may hurt your company.
Digital Revolution
This is the biggest source of change that organizers need to look out for. Whether it is mobile, desktop or tablet; hardware or software, business owners should know that changes will be constantly occurring on all mediums. In addition, there are many business optimization software available today which are revolutionizing the way in which companies are doing business.
Social Media
The internet and social media are also important factors, which have changed the way in which business and marketing operations are carried out.
Other factors that affect change management and are the driving forces behind it include globalization, political unrest, and the competition.
