URGENT : CHANGE MANAGEMENT - NEED COMPLETED IN 10 HOURS - OFFERING HIGH

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Hi​ ​my​ ​name​ ​is​ ​Jessica​ ​Sam,​ ​a​ ​student​ ​from​ ​Curtin​ ​University,​ ​and​ ​I  would​ ​like​ ​to​ ​conduct​ ​an​ ​interview​ ​with​ ​you​ ​for​ ​an​ ​assignment​ ​I​ ​am  doing​ ​that​ ​relates​ ​to​ ​change​ ​in​ ​the​ ​organisation.​ ​Will​ ​you​ ​allow​ ​me  to​ ​ask​ ​you​ ​a​ ​few​ ​questions?    Yes​ ​of​ ​course.     That’s​ ​great.​ ​The​ ​purpose​ ​of​ ​this​ ​interview​ ​is​ ​to​ ​allow​ ​me​ ​to​ ​analyse,  interpret​ ​and​ ​evaluate​ ​the​ ​appropriateness​ ​and​ ​effectiveness​ ​of​ ​a  change​ ​process​ ​in​ ​an​ ​organisation,​ ​particularly​ ​yours,​ ​with​ ​the  theories​ ​I​ ​have​ ​learnt​ ​in​ ​my​ ​unit.​ ​So​ ​to​ ​start​ ​off,​ ​please​ ​tell​ ​me​ ​about  your​ ​work​ ​and​ ​your​ ​position.    So​ ​I​ ​am​ ​a​ ​casual​ ​worker​ ​in​ ​Myer​ ​Perth​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Ladies​ ​Footwear  Department​ ​and​ ​I​ ​have​ ​been​ ​working​ ​there​ ​since​ ​2014.    Tell​ ​me​ ​about​ ​the​ ​situation​ ​in​ ​our​ ​workplace​ ​that​ ​involved​ ​or  required​ ​some​ ​form​ ​of​ ​change.    Okay,​ ​so​ ​recently​ ​there​ ​has​ ​been​ ​a​ ​shake-up​ ​which​ ​is​ ​called​ ​“New  Myer”,​ ​it’s​ ​a​ ​scheme​ ​that​ ​affects​ ​all​ ​levels​ ​of​ ​the​ ​company​ ​including  management​ ​shake-up,​ ​admin​ ​relocation,​ ​changed​ ​services​ ​for  customers​ ​and​ ​staff.    Why​ ​did​ ​this​ ​situation​ ​come​ ​about?    Um,​ ​My​ ​guess​ ​is​ ​the​ ​economy.​ ​Myer​ ​is​ ​not​ ​doing​ ​so​ ​well​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​a  lot​ ​of​ ​Australian​ ​fashion​ ​industries​ ​at​ ​the​ ​moment,​ ​there’s​ ​pressure  on​ ​stockholders​ ​to​ ​make​ ​more​ ​money​ ​and​ ​in​ ​that​ ​process​ ​they​ ​have  made​ ​some​ ​changes​ ​that​ ​I​ ​think​ ​did​ ​not​ ​have​ ​enough​ ​risk  evaluation​ ​and​ ​therefore​ ​has​ ​occurred​ ​a​ ​few​ ​problems.    What​ ​was​ ​the​ ​change​ ​all​ ​about?    So,​ ​they​ ​came​ ​up​ ​with​ ​a​ ​scheme​ ​“New​ ​Myer”​ ​and​ ​this​ ​would​ ​affect  their​ ​advertising,​ ​the​ ​way​ ​staff​ ​works​ ​and​ ​the​ ​way​ ​managers​ ​relay  that​ ​to​ ​their​ ​staff.​ ​It​ ​started​ ​with​ ​​ ​incorporating​ ​Myer​ ​Academy  where​ ​staff​ ​was​ ​meant​ ​to​ ​​ ​login​ ​to​ ​learn​ ​about​ ​trends​ ​and​ ​fashion,  this​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​thing,​ ​it​ ​was​ ​all​ ​about​ ​chaining​ ​the​ ​service​ ​for​ ​our  customers​ ​so​ ​they​ ​have​ ​a​ ​better​ ​connection​ ​to​ ​our​ ​store​ ​and​ ​loyalty  therefore​ ​creating​ ​more​ ​beneficial​ ​sales.​ ​Um,​ ​changes​ ​included​ ​the  admin​ ​in​ ​all​ ​stores,​ ​apart​ ​from​ ​myer​ ​city,​ ​were​ ​dissolved​ ​and​ ​now  managers​ ​have​ ​to​ ​do​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​admin​ ​work​ ​therefore​ ​taking 

managers​ ​off​ ​the​ ​floor.​ ​In​ ​my​ ​department​ ​I​ ​hardly​ ​see​ ​my​ ​manager  which​ ​is​ ​causing​ ​me​ ​to​ ​think​ ​why​ ​do​ ​we​ ​have​ ​one​ ​[giggles],  therefore​ ​it​ ​makes​ ​a​ ​bit​ ​of​ ​miscommunication​ ​in​ ​tasks.​ ​Also,​ ​all  stores​ ​were​ ​routed​ ​out​ ​to​ ​an​ ​overseas​ ​call​ ​centre,​ ​this​ ​was​ ​meant​ ​to  cut​ ​costs​ ​but​ ​has​ ​left​ ​with​ ​a​ ​sour​ ​reaction​ ​from​ ​customers​ ​as​ ​it​ ​can  take​ ​up​ ​to​ ​25​ ​minutes​ ​​ ​to​ ​be​ ​connected​ ​to​ ​an​ ​area​ ​and​ ​then​ ​due​ ​to  the​ ​language​ ​barrier​ ​could​ ​be​ ​connected​ ​to​ ​the​ ​wrong​ ​area  therefore​ ​causing​ ​more​ ​strife.​ ​We​ ​were​ ​also​ ​told​ ​we​ ​cannot​ ​call  other​ ​stores,​ ​we​ ​had​ ​to​ ​just​ ​give​ ​them​ ​the​ ​number​ ​and​ ​let​ ​them  deal​ ​with​ ​it,​ ​this​ ​can​ ​cause​ ​a​ ​bit​ ​of​ ​tension.​ ​I​ ​can​ ​see​ ​it​ ​working​ ​when  we​ ​are​ ​busy​ ​and​ ​don't​ ​have​ ​time​ ​but​ ​as​ ​all​ ​of​ ​these​ ​factors​ ​are  meant​ ​to​ ​increase​ ​customer​ ​loyalty​ ​and​ ​satisfaction​ ​some​ ​changes  that​ ​they​ ​made​ ​did​ ​not​ ​see​ ​the​ ​foresight​ ​in​ ​losing​ ​customers​ ​due​ ​to  this​ ​risky​ ​change.​ ​With​ ​these​ ​ongoing​ ​changes​ ​with​ ​the​ ​“New​ ​Myer”  they​ ​updated​ ​systems​ ​in​ ​my​ ​department.​ ​We​ ​all​ ​are​ ​allocated​ ​an  iPad​ ​and​ ​are​ ​responsible​ ​in​ ​logging​ ​into​ ​our​ ​shoe​ ​finder​ ​app,​ ​a​ ​new  system​ ​where​ ​we​ ​search​ ​for​ ​shoes​ ​and​ ​send​ ​them​ ​to​ ​a​ ​runner​ ​at  the​ ​back​ ​who​ ​deliver​ ​them,​ ​this​ ​was​ ​meant​ ​to​ ​create​ ​more​ ​faces​ ​on  the​ ​floor​ ​for​ ​better​ ​customer​ ​experience​ ​and​ ​faster​ ​service.​ ​We​ ​do  have,​ ​well​ ​⅔​ ​of​ ​our​ ​team​ ​is​ ​made​ ​of​ ​permanent​ ​part​ ​timers​ ​in​ ​a  mature​ ​age​ ​bracket,​ ​so​ ​when​ ​this​ ​rolled​ ​around​ ​we​ ​had​ ​a​ ​bit​ ​of  technical​ ​difficulties​ ​because​ ​they​ ​weren't​ ​as​ ​duck-to-water​ ​as​ ​the  younger​ ​generation​ ​with​ ​the​ ​technology,​ ​so​ ​there​ ​was​ ​a​ ​bit​ ​of​ ​a  learning​ ​curve​ ​there,​ ​mostly​ ​through​ ​it​ ​now​ ​​ ​but​ ​it's​ ​been​ ​about​ ​six  months.​ ​The​ ​ipads​ ​also​ ​are​ ​monitored​ ​creating​ ​a​ ​bit​ ​of​ ​stress​ ​for  staff​ ​members​ ​from​ ​managers​ ​when​ ​we​ ​don't​ ​use​ ​them​ ​correctly​ ​or  when​ ​they​ ​die​ ​[battery​ ​life]​ ​or​ ​incorrect​ ​stock​ ​on​ ​the​ ​system,​ ​there's  just​ ​another​ ​barrier​ ​we​ ​have​ ​to​ ​go​ ​through​ ​now.​ ​The​ ​entire​ ​Myer  network​ ​is​ ​now​ ​using​ ​an​ ​app​ ​called​ ​Kronos​ ​for​ ​all​ ​time​ ​card​ ​facilities  so​ ​we​ ​can​ ​clockin,​ ​clockout,​ ​see​ ​our​ ​hours,​ ​update​ ​our  unavailability.​ ​This​ ​is​ ​good​ ​and​ ​bad,​ ​but​ ​this​ ​does​ ​leave​ ​our  managers​ ​off​ ​the​ ​floor​ ​and​ ​in​ ​the​ ​admin​ ​for​ ​longer​ ​periods​ ​of​ ​times  for​ ​changes​ ​and​ ​schedules.​ ​I've​ ​had​ ​a​ ​few​ ​problems​ ​in​ ​the​ ​fact​ ​that​ ​I  have​ ​updated​ ​my​ ​unavailability​ ​a​ ​month​ ​in​ ​advance​ ​and​ ​I​ ​have​ ​seen  first​ ​hand​ ​in​ ​the​ ​office​ ​when​ ​they​ ​are​ ​allocating​ ​availability​ ​it​ ​doesn't  show​ ​them​ ​our​ ​preset​ ​availability​ ​which​ ​means​ ​they​ ​have​ ​rostered  us​ ​on​ ​when​ ​we​ ​cannot​ ​do​ ​it​ ​and​ ​we​ ​have​ ​given​ ​them​ ​ample​ ​time​ ​to  let​ ​them​ ​know​ ​we​ ​can't​ ​do​ ​it.​ ​They​ ​have​ ​deleted​ ​the​ ​paper​ ​system  which​ ​was,​ ​I​ ​think,​ ​was​ ​​ ​a​ ​more​ ​sustainable​ ​communication​ ​of  hours,​ ​it​ ​has​ ​created​ ​tension​ ​in​ ​the​ ​workforce​ ​because​ ​I​ ​have​ ​said​ ​I  am​ ​unavailable​ ​for​ ​a​ ​date​ ​weeks​ ​and​ ​weeks​ ​in​ ​advance​ ​and​ ​then  when​ ​I​ ​see​ ​I​ ​have​ ​been​ ​rostered​ ​on​ ​I​ ​have​ ​to​ ​tell​ ​her​ ​[manager]​ ​​ ​and  she​ ​almost​ ​blames​ ​me​ ​“oh,​ ​why​ ​can't​ ​you​ ​work”​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​thing,​ ​but  when​ ​you​ ​look​ ​at​ ​their​ ​screen​ ​when​ ​they're​ ​scheduling​ ​it,​ ​it​ ​does​ ​not  tell​ ​them,​ ​that​ ​it​ ​does​ ​not​ ​show​ ​the​ ​blocked​ ​out​ ​dates​ ​and​ ​they​ ​have  to​ ​click​ ​quite​ ​a​ ​few​ ​buttons​ ​to​ ​get​ ​to​ ​the​ ​unavailability​ ​page.​ ​So​ ​I  think​ ​that​ ​the​ ​navigation​ ​of​ ​the​ ​system​ ​needs​ ​quite​ ​a​ ​bit​ ​of​ ​updating 

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which​ ​will​ ​only​ ​come​ ​from​ ​our​ ​feedback​ ​of​ ​the​ ​app​ ​which​ ​I​ ​hope​ ​in​ ​a  few​ ​months​ ​time​ ​things​ ​will​ ​be​ ​smoother​ ​and​ ​better​ ​for​ ​the  company,       Why​ ​was​ ​it​ ​necessary​ ​to​ ​deal​ ​with​ ​the​ ​change​ ​situation?    Um,​ ​it​ ​was​ ​necessary​ ​because​ ​it​ ​was​ ​from​ ​the​ ​change​ ​of​ ​command.  Obviously​ ​starting​ ​from​ ​the​ ​top​ ​to​ ​satisfying​ ​stockholders​ ​and​ ​then  to​ ​our​ ​CEO​ ​and​ ​then​ ​down​ ​to​ ​our​ ​regional​ ​managers​ ​trying​ ​to​ ​push  this​ ​“New​ ​Myer”​ ​agenda.​ ​So​ ​the​ ​particular​ ​managers​ ​in​ ​our​ ​stores  had​ ​a​ ​short​ ​amount​ ​of​ ​time​ ​to​ ​change​ ​the​ ​attitude​ ​of​ ​staff​ ​and​ ​to  portray​ ​this​ ​“New​ ​Myer”.​ ​We​ ​learnt​ ​as​ ​we​ ​went,​ ​tried​ ​to​ ​change​ ​our  ways,​ ​but​ ​also​ ​had​ ​to​ ​deal​ ​with​ ​the​ ​repercussions.​ ​We​ ​have​ ​to​ ​deal  with​ ​it​ ​because​ ​we​ ​serve​ ​thousands​ ​of​ ​people​ ​a​ ​day​ ​and​ ​if​ ​we​ ​don't  change​ ​our​ ​ways​ ​we​ ​get​ ​stressed​ ​from​ ​either​ ​end,​ ​management​ ​and  customers,​ ​therefore​ ​creating​ ​a​ ​tense​ ​working​ ​environment.​ ​Um,​ ​it  was​ ​necessary​ ​to​ ​change​ ​with​ ​the​ ​ways​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​our​ ​jobs,​ ​to​ ​keep  relevant​ ​and​ ​yeah.      How​ ​did​ ​you​ ​or​ ​the​ ​others​ ​deal​ ​with​ ​the​ ​change?​ ​And​ ​what​ ​did​ ​you  do?    I​ ​reevaluated​ ​the​ ​importance​ ​of​ ​my​ ​job​ ​there​ ​and​ ​the​ ​fact​ ​that​ ​I  needed​ ​to​ ​accept​ ​these​ ​new​ ​changes​ ​even​ ​though​ ​there​ ​was​ ​little  direction,​ ​I​ ​do​ ​think​ ​they​ ​shouldve​ ​have​ ​a​ ​few​ ​store​ ​meetings​ ​to  explain​ ​these​ ​things,​ ​I​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​came​ ​to​ ​my​ ​own​ ​outcomes​ ​of​ ​what  was​ ​all​ ​happening,​ ​I​ ​think​ ​they​ ​lacked​ ​a​ ​bit​ ​of​ ​communication​ ​there  so​ ​to​ ​deal​ ​with​ ​it​ ​I​ ​just​ ​had​ ​to​ ​soldier​ ​on​ ​and​ ​know​ ​that​ ​hopefully  they​ ​did​ ​have​ ​bigger​ ​plans​ ​for​ ​us​ ​and​ ​I​ ​was​ ​loyal​ ​to​ ​the​ ​team​ ​so​ ​as  long​ ​as​ ​I​ ​put​ ​effort​ ​into​ ​it​ ​it​ ​would​ ​made​ ​my​ ​working​ ​life​ ​easier  there.​ ​I​ ​also​ ​had​ ​to​ ​change​ ​and​ ​deal​ ​with​ ​it​ ​so​ ​customer​ ​experience  was​ ​better​ ​-​ ​the​ ​happier​ ​the​ ​customer,​ ​the​ ​happier​ ​we​ ​are.​ ​And​ ​also  the​ ​happier​ ​the​ ​customer​ ​is​ ​the​ ​happier​ ​we​ ​are​ ​so​ ​if​ ​we​ ​are​ ​mopey  about​ ​these​ ​changes​ ​we​ ​are​ ​not​ ​going​ ​to​ ​make​ ​any​ ​sales​ ​and  therefore​ ​will​ ​threaten​ ​our​ ​jobs​ ​so​ ​we​ ​just​ ​have​ ​to​ ​deal​ ​with​ ​it.    Did​ ​the​ ​others​ ​deal​ ​with​ ​the​ ​change​ ​the​ ​same​ ​way​ ​you​ ​did​ ​or?     Some​ ​people​ ​were​ ​resistant.​ ​There​ ​were​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​behind​ ​the​ ​scenes  kind​ ​of​ ​chatter​ ​and​ ​bitchiness​ ​and​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​uncomfortable​ ​staff  workers​ ​knowing​ ​that​ ​these​ ​changes​ ​were​ ​coming​ ​and​ ​we​ ​were  kind​ ​of​ ​felt​ ​a​ ​little​ ​bit​ ​not​ ​respected​ ​because​ ​we​ ​have​ ​been​ ​working  there​ ​for​ ​a​ ​long​ ​time​ ​and​ ​things​ ​were​ ​changing​ ​and​ ​we​ ​didn't​ ​really  have​ ​that​ ​respect​ ​between​ ​managers​ ​and​ ​staff.​ ​So​ ​there​ ​was​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of  complaining​ ​behind​ ​the​ ​scenes.​ ​Some​ ​people​ ​have​ ​left​ ​due​ ​to​ ​it,  some​ ​people​ ​have​ ​retired​ ​but​ ​it​ ​is​ ​creating​ ​a​ ​bit​ ​of​ ​stress​ ​around 

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staff.     What​ ​changed​ ​as​ ​a​ ​result​ ​of​ ​your​ ​actions?    Overall,​ ​once​ ​we​ ​went​ ​with​ ​the​ ​flow​ ​with​ ​this​ ​“New​ ​Myer”​ ​we​ ​kind​ ​of  agreed​ ​to​ ​team​ ​leaders​ ​and​ ​managing​ ​staff​ ​and​ ​just​ ​tried​ ​to​ ​help  them.​ ​Once​ ​I​ ​realised​ ​that​ ​it​ ​wasn't​ ​coming​ ​from​ ​them​ ​and​ ​they  weren't​ ​just​ ​being,​ ​you​ ​know,​ ​angry​ ​at​ ​us​ ​for​ ​nothing,​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​had​ ​an  easier​ ​time,​ ​I​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​realised​ ​that​ ​all​ ​of​ ​these​ ​changes​ ​were​ ​coming  from​ ​higher​ ​up​ ​and​ ​they​ ​had​ ​the​ ​pressure​ ​on​ ​them,​ ​so​ ​by​ ​just  agreeing​ ​to​ ​it​ ​and​ ​being​ ​more​ ​accepting​ ​of​ ​it,​ ​our​ ​relationship  became​ ​easy​ ​to​ ​work​ ​with​ ​and​ ​everyone​ ​just​ ​got​ ​along​ ​abit​ ​better.  Also​ ​learning​ ​these​ ​new​ ​systems,​ ​customer​ ​experience​ ​has​ ​become  good​ ​and​ ​bad,​ ​on​ ​the​ ​floor​ ​it​ ​is​ ​faster,​ ​but​ ​I’m​ ​not​ ​sure​ ​if​ ​its​ ​better.​ ​I  am​ ​constantly​ ​serving​ ​many​ ​people​ ​at​ ​once​ ​and​ ​I​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​lose​ ​that  personal​ ​experience​ ​with​ ​them​ ​unless​ ​it's​ ​very​ ​quiet.​ ​The​ ​phone  issue​ ​is​ ​a​ ​way​ ​to​ ​work​ ​fast​ ​but​ ​it's​ ​also​ ​lessening​ ​our​ ​customer  loyalty.​ ​Ipads​ ​helping​ ​us​ ​become​ ​faster,​ ​but​ ​again​ ​it​ ​brings​ ​issues  with​ ​technical​ ​difficulties.​ ​Result​ ​of​ ​my​ ​actions​ ​I​ ​have​ ​become​ ​a  better​ ​problem​ ​solver,​ ​I​ ​can​ ​deal​ ​with​ ​more​ ​things​ ​under​ ​pressure,​ ​I  think​ ​it's​ ​just​ ​I've​ ​been​ ​able​ ​to​ ​grow​ ​with​ ​the​ ​company​ ​and​ ​know  that​ ​I​ ​can​ ​move​ ​on​ ​from​ ​there​ ​with​ ​quite​ ​a​ ​few​ ​life​ ​lessons.     In​ ​your​ ​view,​ ​was​ ​the​ ​action​ ​you​ ​have​ ​taken​ ​successful?​ ​And​ ​what  makes​ ​you​ ​say​ ​so?    I​ ​think​ ​the​ ​actions​ ​that​ ​I​ ​have​ ​taken​ ​will​ ​be​ ​successful​ ​soon,​ ​we​ ​are  still​ ​getting​ ​used​ ​to​ ​this​ ​“New​ ​Myer”​ ​so​ ​it​ ​will​ ​take​ ​time.​ ​Overall,​ ​the  new​ ​actions​ ​taken​ ​by​ ​senior​ ​staff​ ​were​ ​originally​ ​not​ ​good,​ ​there  was​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​confusion,​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​he​ ​said​ ​she​ ​said,​ ​no​ ​one​ ​really​ ​knew  what​ ​we​ ​were​ ​doing.​ ​I​ ​think​ ​they​ ​went​ ​about​ ​it​ ​the​ ​wrong​ ​way.​ ​They  cut​ ​hours,​ ​we​ ​were​ ​understaffed,​ ​we​ ​had​ ​sadder​ ​staff​ ​on​ ​the​ ​floor  because​ ​they​ ​were​ ​complaining​ ​about​ ​the​ ​lack​ ​of​ ​hours​ ​the​ ​lack​ ​of  money,​ ​so​ ​that​ ​resulted​ ​in​ ​not​ ​the​ ​best​ ​customer​ ​relations​ ​which  then​ ​affected​ ​their​ ​sales,​ ​so​ ​I​ ​feel​ ​like​ ​they​ ​should've​ ​changed  something​ ​else​ ​than​ ​what​ ​they​ ​did​ ​or​ ​at​ ​least​ ​made​ ​the  communication​ ​better​ ​when​ ​these​ ​changes​ ​were​ ​happening​ ​so​ ​we  had​ ​more​ ​team​ ​unity​ ​instead​ ​of​ ​division​ ​between​ ​the​ ​hierarchies.  Overall,​ ​i​ ​think​ ​it​ ​will​ ​be​ ​a​ ​good​ ​change​ ​after​ ​a​ ​while,​ ​because​ ​we​ ​will  just​ ​get​ ​used​ ​to​ ​it​ ​but​ ​I​ ​think​ ​the​ ​overall​ ​change​ ​could​ ​have​ ​been  brought​ ​out​ ​smoother​ ​with​ ​more​ ​conversations​ ​about​ ​what​ ​was  happening​ ​and​ ​why.