Introducing change in organization: implication for human resource development practitioners

Abstract

This paper considers that change in organizations is linked with change in people and that there are many influences which operate in both directions – organizations influence people and influence the development of organizations. The paper also shares the view that one of the most obvious and urgent problems at management level in organizations is the failure to achieve the expected benefits from investments in equipment, training, organization development inputs etc, these situations seem to have an element in common, - the need to obtain commitment to change, if the required results are to be achieved. The paper observed that at all levels organizational change efforts often run into some form of human resistance, and that the major obstacle to organization growth is managers inability to change their attitude and behavior as rapidly as their organization requires. Consequently, it is suggested that managers need to increase their skills at diagnosing resistance to change and at choosing the appropriate methods for overcoming it. The view is maintained in the paper that if organizations objectives are to be met and overcome resistance to change, and in coping with change, people in organization must be trained and educated about the envisaged change before hand as people will resist change when they do not understand its importance/implications, and perceive that it might cost them much more than they will benefit. Again such problem will occur when trust is lacking between the person initiating the change and the employee or management or when there is a conflict of interest. It is argued that the main ingredient in the change process is the employee and in preparing companies for fundamental change will require first and foremost, preparing the people within the organization and the top management team must not only have a clear and compelling vision of the organization as a first step, everybody in the organization regardless of level or role must also understand and adopt that vision.

Keywords: Change in organization; Human Resource Development Practitioners; Resistance to change; Change Agents.