Analysis of Planned and Unplanned Change
considered and rejected before they came to the final decision. (Harvard Management Communication, 1999) Even if the change is bad news, such as layoffs, it should be communicated openly and honestly. Rumors often tend to be worse than the actual news and that can cause morale to plummet more so than if the bad news had been communicated from the start.
Involve Employees (Planned and Unplanned Change)
Whether change is planned or unplanned, people are more likely to support it if they have the opportunity to participate in the process. As stated earlier, employees should be given the chance to ask questions, voice concerns, and offer ideas when facing change. A manager should be able to delegate some of the tasks involved with change. Delegating helps to give others more confidence, and by allowing people to carry out an initiative in their own way, ensures they are committed to the final outcome and will adapt to the change.
Another way to involve employees in change is to reward wins. People need to know where they stand. Public affirmation and personal compliments are ways to recognize performance, encourage desired behaviors, and build confidence. Achievements should be celebrated. Concentrating on errors will only produce more errors. Managers can make a big difference in how the change is accepted by celebrating milestones each step along the way. (Harvard ManageMentor)
Conclusion
The management of an organization must understand how change works in order to lead their employees. Richard Worth, coauthor of The Four Levers of Change states that “Change happens at the emotional level, not at the rational level.” (Harvard Management Communication, 1999) Involving employees in the change process, communicating the change, defining the vision for planned change or reacting quickly and decisively for unplanned change can go a long way toward creating change in heart as well as in head.
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