In today’s work environment, change is a constant that impacts almost every workplace. Employees are frequently required to learn new skills, adapt to new technologies and adjust to structural reorganising within a business. An effective change management process considers how these changes may impact their workers and ensure there is clear communication, effective planning and consultative feedback processes throughout the change process.
Ineffective change management can be responsible for a range of psychosocial hazards including stress, anxiety, perception of unfairness, fear of job security and other negative outcomes.
Emily’s Situation
Emily is a paramedic in a rural setting that often requires her to be on long journeys with seriously ill patients. Emily frequently has to closely monitor the health markers of her patients and pass this information onto the hospital before their arrival to ensure the best care possible. Recently, there has been a new communication system implemented in the ambulances, which appears to be more complicated than the old system. Emily has had no training on the new system and has highlighted this to her manager.
Emily is very anxious that her inability to be able to contact the hospital before she arrives with her patient could negatively impact their health and even in severe cases cause unnecessary death. The anxiety around this situation is causing Emily to seek medical attention for her anxiety. She feels very unsupported and is very angry that the correct procedures to train her on the new system have not taken place.
What Contributes to Poor Organisational Change.
- Insufficient planning
- A poor communication model
- Insufficient leadership support
- Cultural misalignment
Negative Consequences of Poor Organisational Change
- Increased levels of stress
- Perceived lack of organisational justice
- Negatively impacts role clarity
- Absenteeism
Strategies to Reduce Poor Change Management Risks
- Employee consultation: Ensure that workers are included in discussions relating to proposed changes within the work environment.
- Provide Training: Offer training sessions to assist employees understand and adjust to the new changes. The training should clearly explain why the changes are necessary and provide strategies that make the change less stressful.
- Offer Support: Provide a system that makes it easy for employees to reach out for help with the new changes. Ensure that the company understands the concerns of staff and other stakeholders and that both parties do their best to mitigate unnnecessary stressors.
