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... fit analysis. Unless changes can provide benefits above costs, there is no reason for the changes. It is illogical to emphasize benefits while ignoring costs. The organizational goal always is benefits greater than costs. People are affected in different ways by a change.
Some may benefit while others suffer a loss. Frequently there is no clear-cut 100 percent benefit of all. The supportive and collegial models of organizational behavior imply that management will consider each individual case and try to help each person gain as much from a change as possible. Psychic costs and health In some cases the psychic costs of change can be so severe that they affect the psychological and even the physical health of employees.
Each person has a tolerance level for change. When that level is exceeded responses related to stress develop, and they can undermine health. In some instances there is sustained change over a period of time, producing cumulative stress that finally builds to overload a person's system. In other instances there is a single major changing of such significance that it overloads a person's ability to cope with the situation. Psychic costs of promotion and transfer An important type of change is promotion and transfer. Employees often seek changes of this kind for growth and more recognition.
Even tough these types of moves are desired by an employee, they nevertheless have substantial physic costs. Employees are required to learn new skills and make new friendships. They move to a different role and often to a different work group. Their status also may change. All of these actions involve psychic costs because they require employees to manage with new situation. Psychic costs and employee relocation Some of the promotions required moves to other locations.
These changes tend to have high psychic costs because they require more adjustments. They also may involve the employee's family, so coping becomes more difficult. If there are children, they may not want to move from their friends and familiar surroundings. They spouse may have a job and not want to leave it. Companies that require employees to relocate have found that they need to give a careful attention to human needs in order to reduce the psychic costs involved. Services such as counseling, two way communication, and financial assistance may be required.
Resistance to change All types of employees tend to resist change because of the psychic costs that accompany it. Managers as well as workers resist it. Change can be resisted just as stubbornly in a white collar as in blue collar. It does not respect either type of dress or job.
Although people tend to resist change, this tendency is offset by their desire for new experience and for the rewards that come with change. Not all changes are resisted. Some are wanted by employees. Other changes are so trivial and routine that resistance, if any, is too weak to be evident.
The lesson is that a change is likely to be either a success or a problem, depending on how skillfully it is managed to minimize resistance. Resistance to change is of three different types. These types work in combination to produce each employee's total attitude toward a change. The three types may be expressed by three different uses of the world "logical", as follows: o Logical.
Based on rational reasoning and science o Psychological. Based on emotions, sentiments, and attitudes o Sociological. Based on group interest and values Logical resistance arises from the time and effort required to adjust to change, including new job duties that must be learned. These are true costs borne by the employees. Even though a change may be favorable for employees in the long run, these short-run costs must first be paid. Psychological resistance is "logical" in terms of attitudes and feelings of individual employees about change.
They may fear the unknown, mistrust management's leadership, or feel that their security is threatened. Even though management may believe there is no justification for these feelings, they are real and must be recognized. Sociological resistance is "logical" in terms of group interests and values. Social values are powerful forces in the environment, so they must be carefully considered. There are political coalitions, opposing labor union values, and even different community values. On a small-group level there are work friendships that may be disrupted by changes.
Resistance is not all bad. It can bring some benefits. Resistance may encourage management to reexamine its change proposals so that it can be surer they are appropriate. It also can help identify specific problem areas where a change is likely to cause difficulties, so that management can take corrective action before serious problems develop. At the same time, management may be encouraged to do a better job of communicating the change, an approach that in a long run should lead to better acceptance. Implementing change successfully Since management initiates much change, it primarily is responsible for implementing change successfully.
Management often is called a change agent because its role is to initiate change and help make it work. Though management initiates change, employees typically control its final success. Management is not always the source of organizational changes. Many changes originate in the external environment. Government passes laws, and the organization must comply with them. Developments in technology require a multitude of changes.
Then are the customers, labor unions, communities, and others who originate changes. For example, customers may want new products that require new machinery, new production methods, and new job skills throughout an organization. The amount that is required of a firm depends on the environments require more change. Change typically is viewed as requiring three steps as follows: o Unfreezing o Changing o Refreezing Unfreezing means that old ideas and practices need to be cast aside so that new ones can be learned.
Often this step of getting rid of old practices is about as difficult as learning the new ones. Changing is the step in which the new ideas and practices are learned so that an employee can think and perform in new ways. Refreezing means that what has been learned is integrated into actual practice. Resistance to change can be reduced by helping employees recognize the need for each change, participate in it, and gain from it.
In summary, five management guidelines for responsible change are: a. Make only necessary and useful change. Avoid unnecessary change b. Change by evolution, not revolution c. Recognize the possible effects of change, and introduce in with adequate attention to human needs d. Share the benefits of change with employees e.
Diagnose the problems remaining after a change occurs, and treat them Change when improperly handled manifests itself in slowdowns and showdowns.
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Research essay sample on Resistance To Change Resist Change
