How to manage change in the workplace

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"Change will need to be managed correctly in order for an organisation to stay balanced and for employees to stay motivated," said Neville de Lucia, New Business Development Director of Dale Carnegie Gauteng. "Expectations will need to be set because processes and people evolve in diverse ways as they undergo change."

The Dale Carnegie Training Change Model can help managers prepare for change and take a structured approach while ensuring a positive outcome.

Step 1: Establish a motivation for change

Change begins at the point when an organisation finds a motivation for change. Change will need to be communicated to employees. The idea is to get employees on board, especially if the change consists of an organisation relocating, expanding or management changes. On the other hand, external factors such as resignations, changes in economic conditions or changes in customer needs can also spark change.

Step 2: Analyse the situation

It's important to take a step back and look at the pros and cons of any change the organisation is about to embark on, whether it's planned or if it's just about to happen. Thoroughly analyse the risks and opportunities and find out what the potential gain is, as well as what the costs will be, if there are any. Weigh up the risks of going ahead with the change versus the risk of not going ahead.

Step 3: Plan the direction

Once you have determined that the opportunities outweigh the risk associated with the change, begin to plan a way forward. Planning is vital as it determines whether the change will be successful or not. Many initiatives fail due to poor planning. Look at who the change will impact on the most and prepare that person or group of employees accordingly. Map out a plan for integrating the change into the organisation and put together a review plan to measure the success.

Step 4: Implement the change

Depending on the type and scope of the change, implementation could be gradual or abrupt. Layoffs and acquisitions are implemented with little planning and almost no warning, while resignations and technological procedures are often phased in over a period. At this stage, communication from management to employees is critical and maintaining an open and honest line of communication is important. Ensure that the change is announced at an appropriate time and, at the same time, promote the benefits of the change. If change is controlled, always adhere to the time frame in which the change has been scheduled.

Step 5: Review the direction

Continual monitoring of the change needs to take place throughout the implementation. The progress of the change will not always result as planned and each individual is also affected differently and not necessarily as anticipated. Managers will need to observe and review each step of the process, as well as measure the effectiveness thereof. Measure whether the change is working as anticipated and if the desired results are being produced. Communicate the findings to key team members consistently during the review process.

Step 6: Adopt or adjust

Once reviewed, if the change is found to be effective and is working out as planned, the new concept, approach or process is adopted and becomes part of the organisational norm. Ongoing review of the whole process is still to be conducted continually; however if the change is concluded not to be working as planned, adjustments will need to be made. Determine where the outcomes are falling short and make adjustments by involving the relevant people.

"Top-to-bottom communication is vital when any kind of organisational change is to take effect. It's important to get employees involved in the process as they also determine the success of the implementation," explained De Lucia.