Employee Resistance To Change In The Workplace: Understanding Power And Its Management Techniques

Reasons for Employee Resistance to Change

Question:

Discuss about the Innovation and Development of Toilets.

Employees resist change in the workplace due to multiple reasons. The main reason why employees resist change is due to the bad management decision” href=”https://#”>bad management decision. In companies, like Wesfarmers, Woolworths etc the changes are implemented by the managers, and supervisors cascaded down by CEOs or Directors. Resistance to change is regularly demonized by managers, as a dilemma that must be dealt in an effective way. One of the most inexplicable and intractable problems which business nowadays face is employee resistance to change. The resistance may take place in number of forms that is constant fall in output, a rise in the number of “quits” and desires for relocation, constant argument, brooding resentment, slowdown strikes, and, the appearance of a lot of pseudo logical reasons for process of change. Still the prettiest form of resistance is worrying for the organization (Cameron and Green, 2015). Unquestionably, these are significant for claiming the extent of changes taking place in the business environment. Moreover, there are also critic pointing to practical/theoretical difficulties or the damaging cost of transformation and its management techniques. These voices are muted or marginalized in contrast with the protagonists of change and change management. Resistance to change is usual response to a change. Change is sore and need novel conduct of thinking and doing. It is a usual activity that trouble developing a vision of what life will look from the other side. Hence, the employees tend to adhere to the identified slightly than clinching the unidentified (Cummings and Worley, 2014).

For an organization, Power is one of the central concepts in managing an organization in order to gain effectiveness. In other words, this has become an important part in an organization involving groups or individuals.  This plays a pivotal role in managing the “scientific” treatment to the process subjected to a paradox organizational research openly dedicated to the topic. It is happening due to numerous empirical projects carried out as an excellent synoptic works which now exist.  This process is focusing on managing the changes alternatively in the organization. All things considered as a process to other organization-based social phenomena. There are very few leaders who see organizations and institutions as political groupings when conceptualizing power (Organizational development & design explained, 2017).  At times there are dispute in making a theoretical standpoint, and to draw on tested concepts from social theory  for gaining effectiveness in an organization at the time of introduction of  change. All this has in spite of the fact that political issues are more and more to be found at the heart of the organizations. The principles of “new organizations” is to redefine the rules by which authority is shared in order to develop, modern organizations are reassessing every aspect of the relationship this help in managing the organization by considering different allied concept to the organization (Rothwell, et al 2009).  This in return helps in combinations that are more volatile and less manipulated. It is carried out of single positions of authority struggle to consolidate legitimacy in increasing the contested seats. The overall purpose is to understand an importance of power and large-sized organization are helping in managing the goals (Palmer, Dunford and Akin, 2009).

Power, Decision-Making, and Management Techniques

Change is a foreseeable part of business; though, for some it is a tougher process to deal with than it for others. Some employees consistently resist to the process that can have some negative effect on the organization. These changes do have an extensive impact on the morale of the employees. An indulgent attitude to the negative effects of resistance to change is the first step to manage it. When an employee resists changing they may feel less positive and hopeful about their professional future with the organization (Daft, 2014).

The problem arises due to lack of communication in between the employees and the management. Lower employee morale can create issue with both the recruitment and retention process.  Employees paying more attention to the change, faces issue in managing the daily task.  This affects the daily efficiency and output among the employees affecting the bottom line.  The reduced level of efficiency directly affects the organizational growth and management. When employees spend time focusing on resisting the changes taking place in the workplace, they become less focused on doing the daily tasks associated with their jobs. Changes are often considered as a difficult task to gain productive results.  Changes are disruptive to the work environment (Demirkan Spohrer and Welser, 2016). Those who are resisting changes cause commotions with eruption concerning the changes or an argumentative attitude with management.  This may create a negative atmosphere among other staff members, motivating them to act in a similar manner. This in turn can create unrest among employees. There are common ways that can mitigate the negative effects of resistance to change among staff. Most of the organizational changes foster effective growth and management. Stating the problem in this way will help in managing the ethical dilemma. Change can become coercion and influence the people (Gibbons, 2015). There is still a direct impact on the authority and rule in the organization affecting the employees. For those people who hold the enrichment of man’s freedom of choice as a basic value, can deliberately influence the behavior of others comprising a violation of basic humanity. An Effective behavior change occupies some degree of consumption of power and Control of the change agent’s principles on the client. The process of Change management takes place in different shapes in an organization.  The purpose behind an effective change management practice is to deal with the upcoming challenges (Gollenia, 2016).

Mitigating Negative Effects of Resistance to Change

One of the most difficult parts in an organization is introduce a change. It is not easy to find a single, clear response to the process of change. The feature’s centerpiece is that, the modern work on the notion of power is equivalent to looking at the dynamics of resistance that occurs within organizations. There are more likely to have an impact on the organizational policies. The concept is clearly linked with the concept of power in organizations that is deployed and defined today principally on the basis of resistance (Storey, 2007). The exchange of information among the employees creates awareness in meeting the requisite target. These exchanges help in choosing the various ways of approaching a topic, but also several perspectives on the principles relevant to the interest in power. Employees paying more attention to the change, faces issue in managing the daily task.  This affects the daily efficiency and output among the employees affecting the bottom line.  The reduced level of efficiency directly affects the organizational growth and management. The working in an organization depends largely upon the resistance to change which is not ignored power as a theoretical concept Resistance to change is a common factor in an organization. This is important to focus upon the deliberate changes taking place in the organization. This has contributed into asymmetrical power relations. The privilege of change agents are generally taken for granted. A thorough study of organizational change is important in managing the organizational goal. Power and resistance are important for an organization, which are seen as an important constituent of power and resistance as co-constitutive, diffuse and multidimensional. Some of the reasons for resisting are due to the fear of the unknown (the final results of the change), not buying into or believing in the change, due to the impact of change and too fast changes (Turner Parish, Cadwallader and Busch, 2008)

Power is such a situation has both positive as well as negative impact. The use of threats or punishments in case of resistance is too often met with a resistance, resentment, and members withdrawing from the process (Weiner, 2009).  In such a situation, it is important to introduce Participation in the managing of change in order to overcome the resistance to the change if the participation for the purpose of managing changes. These are the change to the proposed activity. Hence, involving stakeholders will help in resolving the issue in the organization. The leader or manager will be having a positive impact in forcing or bullying a change to the group; group members. This will help in creating honest and respectful communication. Changes are often considered as a difficult task to gain productive results.  Changes are disruptive to the work environment. Those who are resisting changes cause commotions with eruption concerning the changes or an argumentative attitude with management.   The role of power in an organization is relevant enough to decide the mechanism in the organization. It deals with the decision making process taking place in the organization. In order to manage the changes it is important to focus upon the effective policies to carry forward the organizational goals (Todnem. 2005).

Understanding Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivations

Employees in an organization argue that people only comply with the proposed change due to extrinsic reasons. This actually motivates employees to keep away from being disciplined for not following the change. The intrinsic motivation comes from an urge to get an internal reward. Therefore, the employees will be keener to unite in an action that will convey an internal reward. This is important for the Leaders and managers to identify extrinsic and intrinsic motivation to give a better chance in order to implement a positive change in the organization. Political pressure in an organizational culture can modify the behavior of an individual or a group of individuals in order to implement change. A leader attempting to use or advocate a political plan to put into practice a change will not benefit the organizational goals, substance, or a larger group in an organization is considered as unethical. The Change management do occurs in an organization at various levels involving both political and ethical considerations. By Keeping in mind that resistance to a change can be healthy; it is possible to remind the need to seek contribution and promise from those who will be impacted. The resistance to change provides with a mean for a balance amid constancy and change. The leader has an objective to generate an environment where members can express their thoughts and views.  This can foster an open, truthful, and deferential communication transversely in organization boundaries. 

In this situation, the primary focus will be on the thoughts and not on characters.  The leader has a duty to walk a fine line linking being politically astute and showing unprincipled performance. The enthusiasm, personality, pace of change, and the position can rapidly blur the fine line. The process of Change management takes place in different shapes in an organization.  The purpose behind an effective change management practice is to deal with the upcoming challenges. The most excellent way is to bring in a positive change in an organization. The duty of Leader is to appreciate and recognize the organizational past in a well suited way in order to create a foundation for a better future.

The change management process is important for an organization due to an extra effort by the process. It is the common practice followed by the organization in dealing with the changes. It is important to focus upon the organizational longevity. Changes are inevitable for an organization. These changes are important for managing growth and development. . All this has in spite of the fact that political issues are more and more to be found at the heart of the organizations.

References

Cameron, E., and Green, M. (2015). Making sense of change management: A complete guide to the models, tools and techniques of organizational change. Kogan Page Publishers.

Cummings, T. G., and Worley, C. G. (2014). Organization development and change. Cengage learning.

Daft, R.L., (2014). The leadership experience. Cengage Learning.

Demirkan, H., Spohrer, J.C. and Welser, J.J., (2016). Digital Innovation and Strategic Transformation. IT Professional, 18(6), pp.14-18.

Gibbons, P. (2015). The Science of Successful Organizational Change: How Leaders Set Strategy, Change Behavior, and Create an Agile Culture. FT Press.

Gollenia, L. A. 2016. Business transformation management methodology. Routledge.

Organisational development & design explained .(2017). Retrieved from: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/hr/services/od-explained/index.page  Accessed on: 3 0September 2017

Palmer, I., Dunford, R. and Akin, G., (2009). Managing organizational change: A multiple perspectives approach. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin.

Rothwell, W.J., Stavros, J.M., Sullivan, R.L. and Sullivan, A. eds., (2009). Practicing organization development: A guide for leading change (Vol. 34).John Wiley & Sons.

Storey, J., 2007. Human resource management: A critical text. Cengage Learning EMEA.

Todnem By, R. (2005). Organisational change management: A critical review. Journal of change management, 5(4), 369-380.

Turner Parish, J., Cadwallader, S. and Busch, P.,( 2008). Want to, need to, and ought to: employee commitment to organizational change. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 21(1), pp.32-52.

Weiner, B.J., (2009). A theory of organizational readiness for change. Implementation science, 4(1), p.67.