Change Management Plan
aveclem
walmart_change_assignment_4.docxRunning head: RESISTANCE AND COMMUNICATION 1
RESISTANCE AND COMMUNICATION 7
Resistance and Communication
Avery Clementin
HRM 560
Dr. Allan Beck
May 22, 2016
Resistance to change in an organization
Business organizations incorporate different aspects in their operations to become successful. These factors must be done in line with the preexisting organizational culture. The constantly changing business environment is making business organizations to develop critical strategies that can keep them relevant in the market. Implementing in an organization is one of the major strategies that can be adopted by an organization to maintain a competitive edge in the market. Thus developing a flexible business model is a major factor that can make implementation of change a less daunting task.
However not every stakeholder in an organization can be satisfied with the proposed change some employees within an organization tend to reject change because of varied reasons. Communication plays a vital role in ensuring that change is completely accepted. This paper provides various reasons why there is increasing resistance to change at Walmart, different strategies that can be implemented to prevent change resistance and how communication plays a significant role in change implementation in Walmart Corporation (Birchler, 2015, p.18).
The increasing technology and digital communication have become the normal state of operations in the current business organization. A business organization that is not able to incorporate technology in its operations is often referred to as an outdated organization. However incorporating these changes in business operations is not an easy task. Many organizations usually decide, formulate change policies, but their complete implementation becomes a difficult task leading to failure in implementing the desired change even if its outcome will be very beneficial to the organization. Before a change is carried out in a business organization, there is an implementation team that is usually selected to spearhead the change. Employees in an organization tend to frustrate this team due to their selfish actions (Birchler, 2015, p.29).
Reasons for resistance to change
One of the leading causes, why change is resisted in an organization, is the loss of status in an organization. Many employees believe that implementing changes in the organization will automatically render them jobless. Thus, the fear of becoming a victim of change leads employees to reject change even if the desired change has nothing to do with their job status. Therefore, it is upon the change implementation committee to educate employee about the change you want and helps them understand the general importance of the desired change to the organization and other effects that may arise (Goksoy, 2016, p. 18).
Organizational politics also play a huge part in resisting change. In an organization where there are divisions within management, implementing change can be a tough step to undertaken. The opposing side will ensure that the proposed change does not take place majorly by inciting employee to frustrate the change process (Goksoy, 2016, p. 20).
Causes of resistance to change
Implementing change in an organization is usually a mutual responsibility between management and employee. Total participation by both sides will ensure that the desired change is fully implemented and incorporated into business operations of an organization. Power control is one of the causes of resistance in organizations. Employees in an organization usually think that enabling the change process to sail through will shift power within an organization and restrict them to further scrutiny of which they are not accustomed to. Preserving the status quo in an organization leads the employee to reject change (Birchler, 2015, p.50).
Employees may not be in a position to notice how a certain change is likely to boost organizational performance hence developing cold feet into its implementation. Economic factors also greatly contribute to the level of participation of a given change. Stakeholders may have the notion that if the proposed change sails through, then they are likely to get salary deduction may be due to reduced workload since the changes factor may include replacing or reducing human labor by high performing machinery to boost performance (Birchler, 2015, p.55).
Sources of resistance
Change is always likely to destabilize the already existing organizational setting even if employees are not directly affected by it. Some of the common sources of resistance to change in a business organization include insecurity, inconvenience and the fear of unknown. Insecurity usually arises when the usually working environment changes after a change have been affected. Thus, a sense of insecurity grips the employees in that given setting leading to the resistance setting in (Goksoy, 2016, p. 24).
Irrespective of how change is implemented in an organization, there is the need for an organization to remain positive and prevent the change from causing any negative influence on the organizational performance. Organizations must learn to adapt to any given conditions. Thus keeping close monitoring in the implementation process and identifying the employee who tends to resist is likely to streamline the organization performance and boost its operations (Goksoy, 2016, p. 28).
In order of Walmart Corporation to minimize resistance levels, it is necessary to formulate a probable strategy that will help in controlling the sources of change. The change implementation team should be very much responsible for success or failure of a proposed change. The only way that can make the desired change is conducting an initial survey about the effects a given change is likely to make on the organizational performance (Hon et.al, 2014, p.45).
This will make it possible for the organization to know the right methods to use when implementing the change. Another important factor is to ensure that employees get the official communication regarding the desired change before anxiety sets in. Encouraging rumors to spread in an organization relating to a given change is likely to have a negative implication to the change management plan. Thus, it is upon the change management committees to develop best possible ways to communicate with employees about a perceived change and the impact it will have on their role in the organization (Hon et.al, 2014, p.56).
Change and communication
Without a well-executed communication plan among the stakeholders involved in a change process, the desired change is likely to be a failure. Communication forms the background in any organization on which the employees and management can easily interact. Communication practices to be sued in an organization are usually outlined within the organizational culture. Thus, the means of communication are likely to decide how a change process will be (Barile, 2004, p.40).
Communication strategies
Verbal communication
That style of information transfer includes both oral and written communication. Many organizations tend to incorporate verbal communication within their operations for easy understanding and ability to work efficiently.
Non-verbal communication
Being a style of communication that uses majorly visual cues including body language and facial expression. It is important to master the art to avoid sending undesirable messages to other parties.
Visual communication
Verbal communication strategy is the best strategy that Walmart corporation can incorporate to enhance performance. Walmart is an international company that has chain stores in several countries, and there is the need for every store to be updated about the operations and any new activities. This can be done effectively through board meeting or conveying emails among the store managers. Although incorporating it into the visual strategy would produce an unmatched exemplary performance.
References
Barrile, S., Bini, M., & Cameron, T. (2004). Excel revise in a month VCE: Business management. Glebe, N.S.W: Pascal Press.
Birchler, G. (2015). Handling resistance to change. Handbook of behavioral family therapy.
Goksoy, A. (2016). Organizational change management strategies in modern business.
Hon, A. H., Bloom, M., & Crant, J. M. (2014). Overcoming resistance to change and enhancing creative performance. Journal of Management.
McDermott, A. M., Fitzgerald, L., & Buchanan, D. A. (2013). Beyond acceptance and resistance: entrepreneurial change agency responses in policy implementation. British Journal of Management.
