Unexpected Change: Successfully Avoiding Organizational Trauma
By Leanna Chase, Sr. HR Consultant, Employers Group
(Reprinted in part with permission from Employers Group, People
and Productivity, April-May 1999)
Change
happens. This is not news to any of us as we attempt to cope
with the effects of change amid the constant challenge of
remaining competitive. Change is often thought of as a planned
effort, which pays close attention to all aspects of the organization,
including the human factors. In reality, the majority of changes
happening in organizations today are not planned. Rather, we are
seeing changes driven by other events. These events represent traumas
to the organization which are “done unto us,” allowing
little chance to plan. Be it rapid growth or downsizing, new ownership
or merged operations, all represent potential trauma, which will
impact the human systems in the organization. Even events normally
considered “positive changes,” such as moving to new
facilities, can disturb the status quo of an organization and take
a human toll.
The
tendency in organizations is to try to prevent panic with messages
such as “nothing will change” or “we
won’t have to eliminate any more jobs.” Increasingly,
we are dealing with a savvy workforce. Most workers today have
faced at least one, but most likely several, organizational disruptions
in their working life. Members of the workforce know instinctively
that “nothing will be the same.”
In the interest of credibility, leadership must be clear about
one thing in its communications: there will be changes.
What is said, then, to prevent panic can be precisely what creates
panic. Mere rumors of pending downsize efforts will send ripples
of alarm through an organization. Invisible leadership and missing
communication can change the panic to an overriding sense of mistrust
and dread. Without proper handling, productivity begins to drop
and an atmosphere of self-preservation sets in.
Fear of the unknown is a natural human response. Learning new
ways can be time-consuming and frustrating, creating an assault
on self-esteem. Recognition of this can help the organization provide
the tools and guidance necessary to help individuals adapt to changes.
Leadership must be visible and communication must increase. Communicate
everything, known and unknown. Meaningful communication will acknowledge
the heart issues, as well as the head issues. Two minutes of heartfelt
expression of personal concerns and fears by the top leaders will
go miles further in building a workforce committed to change, than
thirty minutes of business justifications.
It
will seem that there is nothing new to communicate. Re-communicate
the same truths again and again. But if, indeed, there are no answers,
communicate that, along with the difficulty that having limited
information presents. In times of chaos, the workforce will develop
its own theories based on bits and pieces, if there is no information
forthcoming. Nothing is harder to squelch than the “workplace
legend,” which has no foundation in fact.
Employees need to anchor themselves in things they can depend
on and many of those anchors are being taken away during times
of change. It is not the time to change things that do not have
a strong business necessity for immediate change, such as work
schedules. Hold as much steady as you can, in order not to anchor
the belief that everything will change.
Early
in change events, critical employees to the organization should
be identified. Know who the absolute “keepers” are
and open a dialogue with each one. In essence, it is time to re-recruit
your top performers. They will be the first to flee a chaotic situation.
The ones you think are great will be recognized as great on the
job market. If they are critical to your operation, identify what
it will take to keep them.
Change
of any kind is chaotic and can take a toll on the workforce,
starting with the first announcements and lasting long past when
you might believe it has ended. Recognition of the true impact
of this change can help the organization plan “damage control” activities
throughout the process, thereby maintaining quality and productivity.
Ms.
Leanna Chase holds a Bachelor’s Degree from UCLA and
a Master’s Degree in Organization Development from Pepperdine
University.
At
PSU: Jenny Sherman, Sr. Manager, Employee Relations/Training
and Development, has developed a brief educational session sharing
the typical stages experienced by individuals as they assimilate
change. She also discusses how changes effect interpersonal relationships
in the workplace. The session is approximately one hour in duration.
If you would like staff to participate, she is available to schedule
sessions in single departments or combining departments with groups
of up to 15. Contact her at 5-4967 or jsherman@pdx.edu, if you
would like more information or to schedule her presentation.
|