APPROACHES TO ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR STUDIES

Organizational Behavior relates to the relationship between employees and

the employer in an organization. Both are working towards the realization of the goals
and objectives of any organization, and a close and fruitful coordination between the
two is one of the major factors towards this realization.

Organizational behavior approaches are a result of the research done by experts

in this field. These experts studied and attempted to quantify research done about the
actions and reactions of employees, with regard to their work environments. It is a field
that has begun developing only recently and new approaches and results are being
expounded every day.

There are 4 Approaches to Organizational Behavior studies;

1. Human resources approach.

2. Contingency approach.

3. Productivity approach.

4. Systems approach.
Human Resources Approach

This approach recognizes the fact that people are the central resource in any
organization and that they should be developed towards higher levels of competency,
creativity, and fulfillment. People thus contribute to the success of the organization. The
human resources approach is also called as the supportive approach in the sense that
the manager’s role changes from control of employee to active support of their growth
and performance. The supportive approach contrasts with the traditional management
approach.

In the traditional approach, managers decided what employees should do and

closely monitored their performance to ensure task accomplishment. In the human
resources approach, the role of managers changes from structuring and controlling to
supporting. This approach recognizes that human resources in an organization are the
central force. Their development will contribute to the success of the organization.
Human resources approach provides for the changes in the managerial role. It requires
that the managers, instead of controlling the employees, should provide active support
to them by treating them as part of the group.

The superiors and managers should practice a style where workers are given the
opportunities and encouragement to perform under loose supervision. By treating
individuals as mature adults, organizations can increase productivity and at the same
time meet the needs of individuals for independence and growth.

Contingency Approach

The contingency approach (sometimes called the situational approach) is based

on the premise that methods or behaviors which work effectively in One situation fail in
another. For example; Organization Development (OD) programs, way work brilliantly in
one situation but fail miserably in another situation. Results differ because situations
differ, the manager’s task, therefore, is to identify which method will, in a particular
situation, under particular circumstances, and at a particular time, best contribute to
the attainment of organization’s goals. The strength of the contingency approach lies in
the fact it encourages analysis of each situation prior to action while at the same time
discourages the habitual practice of universal assumptions about methods and people.

The contingency approach is also more interdisciplinary, more system – oriented

and more research-oriented titan any other approach. The approach stresses that there
is no single way to manage effectively under all circumstances. The methods of
behaviors which work effectively in one situation may fail in another. The organizational
structure and the processes of management are governed by the external environment
and several aspects of the internal environment. Effective management processes will
vary in different situations depending on the individuals and groups in the organization,
the nature of the job and technology, the environment facing the organization and its
structure. The manager’s task therefore, is to identify which method will, in a particular
situation, under particular circumstances and at a particular time, best contribute to the
attainment of organization’s goals. Thus, the manager will have to analyze each
situation prior to action and different managerial practices and styles are needed for
effective management.

Productivity Approach
Productivity which is the ratio of output to input is a measure of an organization’s
effectiveness. It also reveals the manager’s efficiency in optimizing resource utilization.
The higher the numerical value of this ratio, the greater the efficiency. Productivity is
generally measured in terms of economic inputs and outputs, but human and social
inputs and outputs also are important. For example, if better organizational behavior
can improve job satisfaction, a human output or benefit occurs.
On the same manner, when employee development programs lead to better
citizens in a community, a valuable social output occurs. Organizational behavior
decisions typically involve human, social, and/or economic issues, and so productivity
usually a significant part of these decisions is recognized and discusses extensively in
the literature on OB.
 Productivity means the numerical value of the ratio of output to input. Higher the
value of this ratio, greater is the efficiency and effectiveness of the management. The
traditional concept of productivity was concerned with economic inputs and output only.
But nowadays human and social inputs and outputs are equally important. Productivity,
a significant part of organizational behavior decisions, is recognized and discussed
extensively. These decisions relate to human, social and economic issues. For example,
if better organizational behavior can reduce worker’s turnover or the number of
absentees, a human output or benefit occurs.
Systems Approach

The Systems Approach to OB views the organization as a united, purposeful

system composed of interrelated parts. This approach gives managers a way of looking
at the organization as a whole, whole, person, whole group, and the whole social
system. In so doing, the systems approach tells us that the activity of any segment of
an organization affects, in varying degrees the activity of every other segment. A
systems view should be the concern of every person in an organization.

The clerk at a service counter, the machinist, and the manager all work with the
people and thereby influence the behavioral quality of life in an organization and its
inputs. Managers, however, tend to have a larger responsibility, because they are the
ones who make the majority are people oriented. The role of managers, then, is to use
organizational behavior to help build an organizational culture in which talents are
utilized and further developed, people are motivated, teams become productive,
organizations achieve their goals and society reaps the reward.

Inter-Disciplinary Approach
Organizational behavior is an integration of all other social sciences and
disciplines such as psychology, sociology, organizational theories etc. They all are
interdependent and influence each other. The man is studied as a whole and therefore,
all disciplines concerning man are integrated. The systems approach is of the view that
an organization is a powerful system with several subsystems which are highly and
closely interconnected. Any action taken to solve the problems in one subsystem will
have its effect on the other subsystems as well; since all the parts of the organization
are closely connected.
Thus, this approach gives the managers a way of looking at the organization as a
whole, whole group, and the whole social system. Systems approach has become an
integral part of modern organizational theory. Organizations are termed as complex
systems comprising of interrelated and interlocking systems. According to this
approach, an organization receives several inputs from its environment such as
material, human and financial. These inputs are then processed so as to produce the
final output in terms of products or services.

Organizational Behavior Model

Our inherent power of generalization helps us predict other people’s behavior;
however, sometimes, our generalizations and predictions fail. This happens as we fail to
analyze and go into the depth of the patterns affecting people’s behavior at that
particular time or period. This calls for understanding and following the systematic
approach to the study of the organizational behavior. The study helps in increasing our
predictive ability to understand the behavior of the people, particularly in the group or
an organization, and how their behavior impacts the performance of an organization.
Almost all organizations develop the models on the basis of which behavior of
the people is determined. This model depends on the assumption that organizational
behavior management carries about its people, mission, and goals.  It is noted that
most of the organizations make the assumptions on the basis that people are not to be
trusted even in the slightest matter. For instance, McGregor theories X and Y are based
on quite contradictory assumptions; Argyris focuses on the immaturity and maturity
level of the people providing two opposing views. The Organizational Behavior models
formulated would show many different variations and kind of continuum between the
two opposite poles.
Organizational behavior revolves around three main theoretical approaches:
cognitive, behaviorist and social learning frameworks. These frameworks became the
basis on which the organizational behavior model operates.

The cognitive theory was developed by Edward C. Tolman (is best-known for
cognitive behaviorism) and depends on the expectancy and incentive concepts,
Cognitive theory are theories of personality that emphasize cognitive processes such as
thinking and judging. While the behaviorist framework created by Ivan Pavlov and
John B. Watson relies on observation power. Watson’s behaviorist theory focused not on
the internal emotional and psychological conditions of people, but rather on their
external and outward behaviors. He believed that a person's physical responses
provided the only insight into internal actions.
Watson. Watson proposed that the process of classical conditioning (based on Pavlov's
observations) was able to explain all aspects of human psychology. He established the
psychological school of behaviorism, after doing research on animal behavior.
While the social theory depends on how the connection is created between the
stimulus and response. Social learning theory or SLT is the theory that people learn new
behavior through overt reinforcement or punishment, or via observational learning of
the social factors in their environment. If people observe positive, desired outcomes in
the observed behavior, then they are more likely to model, imitate and adopt the
behavior themselves. Modern theory is closely associated with Julian Rotter and Albert
Bandura.

Social learning theory is derived from the work of Cornell Montgomery (1843-1904)
which proposed that social learning occurred through four main stages of imitation:

• close contact,
• imitation of superiors,
• understanding of concepts,
• role model behaviour

Organizational Behavior Model

In management, the focus is on the study of the five organizational behavior models:
-Autocratic Model
-Custodial Model
-Supportive Model
-Collegial Model
-System Model

1. Autocratic model

This model has its roots in the historical past and definitely became the most prominent
model of the industrial revolution of the 1800 and 1900s.  It gives the owners and
manager’s power to dictate and form decisions while making employees obey their
orders.   The model asserts that employees need to be instructed and motivated to
perform while managers do all the thinking.  The whole process is formalized with the
managers, and authority power has the right to give the command to the people, “You
do this or else…”, is a general dictatorship command. As Newstrom suggests, “the
psychological result of the employees is dependence on their boss, whose power to
“hire, fire and perspire” is almost absolute. Employers receive less wages as they are
less skilled, and their performance is also minimum, which they do it rather reluctantly
as they have to satisfy the needs of their families and themselves.  But there are some
exceptions as many employees do give higher performance because they would either
like to achieve or have a close association with their boss, or they have been promised
a good reward, but overall, their performance is minimum.

The theory of X assumption of McGregor states employers do not take responsibility,

and managers have to supervise over their work to obtain desired results. This model
can also be compared to the Likert system in which the use of punishment, force, fear
or threats is sometimes used to get the results from the employees. Now, as the values
are changing, the model is giving place to the modernized thinking, but we cannot say
that this model has been discarded.  In many organizational setups, it is still proving a
useful way to get the things done, especially when the employees are being
motivated to fulfill physiological needs or whenever there are any organizational crises.
However, with the increase in the knowledge, changing the societal values, better ways
to manage organizational behavior systems is emerging.  Yet another step was
required, and it emerged.
2. Custodial Model
Now the time came when managers began to think the security of the employees is
imperative- it could be either social as well economic security.  Now managers have
begun to study their employees’ needs; they found out that though in the autocratic
setup, employees do not talk back yet they have many things to say but incapability to
speak result in frustrations, insecurity, and aggressive behavior towards their employees
boss. Since they are not able to display their feelings, they would vent these feelings on
their family and neighbors. This causes suffering to the entire community and
relationships, and this often results in bad performance. Newstrom gave the example of
a wood processing plant where the employees were treated very cruelly, even to the
extent of physical abuse.  Since workers were not able to strike back directly, they show
their aggression by destroying the good sheets of veneer, destroying the supervisor’s
credibility.
Employers now had begun to think of how to develop better relations with the
employees and keep them satisfied and motivated.   In 1890 and 1900, many
companies started the welfare programs for the employees, which began later to be
known as paternalism.   In the 1930s, these welfare programs evolved in many fringe
benefits to provide security to the employees, which resulted in the development of the
Custodial model of organizational behavior. A successful custodial approach depends on
providing economic security, which many companies are now offering as high pay scale,
remunerations in the form of health benefits, corporate cars, financial packaging and
many other forms of incentives.  These incentives increase the employees’ satisfaction
level and help them to achieve a competitive advantage. To avoid layoffs, employers
also tries to “retain employees, reduce overtime, freeze hiring, encourage both the job
transfers and relocations, provide early retirement incentives, and reduce
subcontracting to adjust to slowdowns especially in the information technology”. 
The custodial approach induces employees now to show their dependency and loyalty
towards the company and not to the boss or managers, or supervisors. The employees
in this environment are more psychologically contended and preoccupied with their
rewards, but it is not necessary they would be strongly motivated to give the
performance. The studies show that though it has been the best way to make them
happy employees but not productive employees, the question still remains what should
be the better way? But overall, this step had been a stepping stone for creating and
developing the next step.
3. Supportive Model

Unlike the two previous approaches, the supportive model emphasis on a motivated and
aspiring leader. There is no space for any control or authoritative power in this model or
on the incentives or reward schemes, but it is simply based on motivating staff through
the establishment of the manager and employee relationship and the treatment that is
given to employees on a daily basis.
Quite contrarily to the autocratic mode, it states that employees are self-motivated and
can generate value that goes beyond their day to day role or activity.  But how the
employees get self–motivated? By creating a positive workplace where they are
encouraged to give their ideas, there is some kind of “buy-in” in the organizational
behavior setup and the direction that it takes.

One of the key aspects of the supportive model has been studies conducted at the
Hawthorne Plant of Electric in the 1920s and 1930s. Elton Mayo and F.J Roethlisberger
led the study to implore human behavior at work by implementing and placing keen
insight into the sociological, psychological perspective in the industrial setup. They
concluded that a single organization is a social system, and a worker is an important
component of the system. They found that a worker is not a tool that can be used in
any way but has its own behavior and personality and needs to be understood. They
suggested that understanding group dynamism, including supportive supervision, is
imperative to make workers contribute and be supportive.

Through the leadership organizations give the space and climate for the employees to
develop, form their own thinking and take the initiative. They would take responsibility
and improve themselves.  Managers are oriented towards supporting the employees to
give performances and not just support them through employee benefits as done in the
custodial approach. The supportive model is widely accepted chiefly in the developed
nations where the needs of the employees are different as it fulfills many of the
employees emerging needs.  This approach is less successful in the developing nations
where the social and economic need of the working class is different.  In short, in the
supportive model, money is not which retain the satisfaction of the employees, but it is
a part of the organization’s life that has been put to the use and makes other people
feel wanted.

4. The Collegial Model

In this scheme, the structure of an organization is developed in a way that there is no

boss nor subordinates, but all are colleagues who have to work as a team.  Each of the
employees has to participate and coordinate with each other to achieve the target rate.
 No one is worried about his status or job title. Manager’s role is here like a coach
whose function is to guide the team to perform and generate a positive and motivating
work environment instead of focusing on his own personal growth.  The team requires
adopting new approaches, research and development and new technologies to better
their performance. We can also say the Collegial model is an extension of the
supportive model. The success of the collegial model depends on the management’s
ability to foster the feeling of partnership between the employees. This makes the
employees feel important and needed. They also feel that managers are not just mere
supervisors but are also giving their equal contribution to the team.

To make the collegial model success many organizations have abolished the use of
bosses and subordinates during working, as these terms create the distance between
the managers and subordinates.  While some of the organizations have abolished the
system of allotting reserved space for executives. Now any employee can park their
vehicle in the common parking space, which increases their convenience and makes
them more comfortable. The manager is oriented towards the team performance while
each employee is responsible for his task and towards each other. They are more
disciplined and work as per the standards set by the team. In this setup, employees feel
fulfilled as their contribution is accepted and well received.

5. The System Model

The most emerging model of the today’s corporate era is the system model. This model
emerged from the rigorous research to attain a higher level of meaning at work. Today’s
employees need more than salary and security from their job; they need the hours they
are putting towards the organization is giving them some value and meaning.   To add
to it, they need the work that is ethical, respectful, integrated with trust and integrity
and gives a space to develop a community feeling among the co-workers. In the system
model, the expectations of the managers are much more than getting the work done by
the employees. The managers have to show their emotional side, be more
compassionate and caring towards their team, and they must be sensitive towards the
needs of the diverse workforce. They have to devote their attention to creating the
feeling of optimism, hope, trustworthiness, courage, self-determination, and through
this, they try to develop a positive work culture where the employees feel more at ease
and work as if they are working for their family.  This ultimately results in the long-time
commitment and loyalty of the employees and the success of the company.

Managers also try to foster two main concepts; authenticity and transparency and social
intelligence.   Managers always try to make the employees feel the part of the project
and the organization and give them all the support so that they can increase their
efficiency and output.   In turn, the employees feel more emotionally and
psychologically part of the organization and become more responsible for their actions.
Employees feel more inspired, motivated, important and feel that what they are doing
and what they think would be good for the organization which goes beyond their
personal achievements.
The models have been originated perceiving the changing employee needs with each
model have been the stepping stone for the more productive and useful model. To
assume that any one of the models has been the best model is wrong as no model is
hundred percent perfect but has been evolving all through the years with the changes
in our perception, study, and social conditions affecting human behavior.  Any of the
above models can be modified, applied and extended in many different ways. 

Problems of Affecting Change

Challenges faced by Leaders during Change Management

It is difficult to change unless we focus on changing our thinking. With a
strategic approach to change, ushering in new processes is easier than you’d think.
Change affects everyone, whether it’s a minor staff restructuring or a business merger.
Change is a crucial component of growth and evolution, and with organizational change
management, you’ll facilitate a smooth transition into a new age of business. Resistance
is expected, but your ability to collectively overcome will exemplify company character.
Communication is necessary to set fears to rest, while encouraging reluctant team
members to embrace change with confidence.
There will inevitably be obstacles along the way. These are all part and parcel,
but can be anticipated to help you reduce the problems faced on route to successful
change. To safeguard your business, this article will identify some of the most common
challenges faced by leaders, and how to best deal with them.
Conflicts
Change can evoke emotions like uncertainty and fear, leaving staff to take their
frustrations out on each other. Conflict is a common unintended consequence, so it’s
your responsibility as a leader to help staff overcome difficulties.
Conflicts will disrupt your schedule, so whenever possible you must intervene and
mitigate issues. Be alert to proactively tackle the root of the issue, and find a solution
that incorporates staff input.
An active leader will dive into the problem while working in accordance with
their organizational change management. Patience is key, and you should resonate with
staff by showing your side of the story, and understanding theirs.
A problem that highlights snags in your change process is well worth exploring, where
you must be readily adaptable.

Planning

Change will fall by the wayside without correct planning. You’ll reap the benefits
of a systematic procedure, which underlines the exact nature of changes, and what
needs to happen for these changes to stick.
 For example, if you’re introducing a new system, you’ll need to appreciate
whether it’s compatible with the old system, and how you will transfer essential
information as you make a transition. Successful planning involves delegation, to
maximise the potential of staff and ultimately increase efficiency. With all duties
covered, you can create a successful timeline for change, which accounts for downtime
and unintended consequences.

Setbacks

Setbacks are inevitable, but you can reduce their impact by identifying them
before they happen. Never presume your steps towards change will be flawless. Your
method won’t be foolproof, and it’s difficult to accurately foresee the future. When
something goes wrong, maintain a positive mental attitude, implementing measures to
prevent recurrences. If your team pitches in to help, delay will shorten considerably.
Expecting setbacks is one thing, but identifying challenges in advance will ensure
you’re well prepared. When a challenge surfaces, you can assess whether it’s a one off,
or a critical outcome that requires a reshaping of your change process.

Lack of Communication

A failure to communicate intended changes can break you. Speculation and

rumors will sweep your organization, and a lack of trust will make it difficult for staff to
embrace change, especially when they’re uninformed on what’s required from them.
Employees need to know what’s going on, because uncertainty will disrupt your
workforce. It’s preferable for them to understand planned updates, otherwise they’ll be
less aligned with your objectives and feel disconnected. Keep employees up-to-speed,
whether you coordinate regular meetings or set up brainstorming sessions.
Communication should be two-way, because staff can help your change procedures with
valuable ideas.

Resistance

People naturally resist change, because we grow accustomed to the security

offered by our current circumstances. When we get too comfortable in the present,
there’s no room for future growth. Resistance needs to be addressed on a psychological
level, to remove behavioral barriers that restrict our evolution. Major changes throw the
cat among the pigeons, threatening familiarity as staff need to learn new procedures.
By supporting your staff with reassurance, alongside offering new training, this
gives employees the time they need to adapt to organizational change management.
This will ease a transition into the future, where it’s crucial you can empathize with staff
and reassure them.

Failed Embrace
 Initiating a plan of action is great, but it’s of no use if staff aren’t fully committed
to your plans. You should encourage an organizational embrace of new philosophies, to
break down the barriers set up during the process. Decision making starts at the top,
but attitude to change needs be consistent throughout. Set the precedent as a leader,
and your willingness to change will trickle down. Everyone needs to be on board, from
management to remedial staff, otherwise you risk facing dissension.
Though you might not get everyone on board from the beginning, by practically
showing how change will improve company procedures, those with reservations will
soon be converted. Change is imminent, but adapting to change is eternal. As a leader,
set an example with your organizational change management and your staff will follow.

Change management and the 3 most common change management problems

Change happens.

It's inevitable. For every person and every organization, the question isn't if. It's when.
But when it comes to change, organizations have a more vital question to ask
themselves: How will we respond?

The best responses occur when a change is expected, planned for, and built into the
company culture. Even so, experience shows that sometimes change happens so fast
that you must react to situations you might never have considered. Situations like these
can be stressful. Fortunately, you can relieve the stress of sudden, forced change by
focusing on the positive outcomes change can bring, like becoming more agile,
productive, and competitive. The reality is, no matter how successful you are, you can
always do something better. For example, you can improve a product, streamline a
process, or optimize a service offering.

Factors like evolving market conditions, new competitors, and new technologies only
add urgency. Failure to change allows more nimble competitors to get ahead. Planning
for change and making it part of your culture makes it easier to adapt and stay
competitive and agile.

Of course, change presents a challenge, doesn’t it? We don't like it.

We prefer the comfort of our routines. This preference can make it difficult to change.
As a result, even the most inspired business leaders in companies of every size face a
path full of potential roadblocks when proposing a change.

A defined change management process overcomes these challenges.

The key for you is to make adapting to change part of your company culture. Even if
you do, you're still likely to face three common issues related to change.

Let’s take a closer look by:

 ● Defining change management

● Describing the change management process and how to manage it

● Detailing the three common change management problems and how to get past
them.

What is change management?

Change management refers to the approaches, tools, and processes that a business
uses to prepare, support, and direct its people to achieve predefined goals of
organizational change.

It aims to smooth the process of change and even makes it desirable.

What does a change management process look like?

A change management process doesn't need to be complicated. It should, however, be
comprehensive. The more detailed it is, the greater your likelihood of success.

Do a quick online search, and you will find a variety of different change management
models. The models may look different, but they really aren't. Successful change
management processes follow the same general path. Differences exist only in the
details.

Change management processes all rely on these same principles:

● Identify the change needed and use S.M.A.R.T (Specific, Measurable, Attainable,
Realistic, Timely) goal setting to build the business case.

● Present the business case and goals to stakeholders.

● Create a plan for the project.

● Coordinate resources and tools for implementation and evaluation.

● Open lines of communication throughout the organization.

● Manage the change, concerns, and even resistance that may occur during the
process.

● Celebrate the implementation of the change, as well as the milestones achieved

along the way.
Every organization should also establish guidelines for ongoing review,
analysis of results, and optimization.
1. Employee resistance
Few of us like change. And while that's ok, a business must evolve to remain agile and
competitive.

Resistance to change can start anywhere in an organization. Executives may not want
to spend money. Departments may not recognize broader organizational needs, as long
as their system works. The result? Key stakeholders and decision-makers may not
immediately see how the changes will benefit the organization holistically.

Further resistance can come from a change in the routine. Employees may worry about
what might happen to their role and their job. Even after the change, employees may
still resist if they feel new workflows make their jobs harder.

You need a multifaceted approach to overcome this hurdle.

Be transparent. Workers want to know the reason for the change, not just the
high-level benefits it will provide. Acknowledging problems and explaining how this
change will solve them can build buy-in and cooperation.

Provide ample training. An effective training program for new technology, workflows,
and processes is vital for a smooth transition.

Get management and executives involved. Employees want to see leadership

engaged and invested in the effort. When executives get involved, it shows that a clear
plan is in place. It also improves communication and makes it easier for both managers
and executives to respond to employee concerns.

2. Communication issues

Communication deserves extra attention. It's the area where many organizations
stumble. Many businesses communicate value to their customers clearly, but they often
struggle with internal communication with employees.

Common communication downfalls include:

● Limited, or too little, communication

● Not enough channels of communication (i.e., email, in meetings, website)

● Failure to keep all stakeholders informed and involved in follow-ups.

Every change management plan should ensure clear, consistent communication across
all channels to engage in a constructive conversation between staff and management.

Your communication should also include essential details. Tell people when events will
happen and what to expect. Successful information communicates the correct
information.

Fortunately, you can prevent communication issues with advanced planning. Make a
communication strategy part of your change management plan. Detail who will do
what. Determine a schedule ahead of time that includes the channels you'll use, such
as:

● Email

● Intranet

● Mail
And don't forget in-person communication through meetings and impromptu
conversations!

Also, give employees avenues to share their concerns and address those concerns
regularly.

3. Implementing new technologies

Few changes cause as many headaches for people at all levels of an organization
as implementing technology. New equipment, tools, and workflows change the way
everyone works. Without a well-directed plan, the disruption can significantly decrease
productivity instead of increasing it, leading to frustration. This can happen even if the
new technology automates systems and workflows to require fewer steps and simplify
the workload! Often, situations like this occur because of a need or desire to get new
technologies up and running fast, reducing training and transition time. Phased roll-outs
work best.
Plus, building in extra time allows for testing and to address deployment issues -
these often only present themselves during "live" implementation. To make the most of
training, offer multiple training opportunities. Ideally, you want to avoid one-off training
sessions that speed through how it all works. Instead, plan for several sessions and
provide opportunities for employees to attend more than one. This approach empowers
employees to become comfortable with new equipment and processes. For example,
these resources share change management strategies for a printer upgrade, although
the principles presented can be applied to any organizational change.
7 Challenges of Managing Change and how to deal with them

Only so much activity fits into a work week. Pressing deadlines, critical projects,
and a growing list of priorities can make it difficult to complete everything that needs to
get done. Introducing changes adds new layers of complexity to the mix. But fear not.
Managing change throughout your organization does not need to be stressful. Having
the right processes and tools can help. Let’s take a look at some of the top challenges
and how to beat them.

1) Managing multiple teams

In regulated environments including those in the Life Sciences, quality system

requirements spark myriad touch points for documenting changes, investigations, root
causes, and more. Part of these processes tie into actual documents—your standard
operating procedures (SOPs), work instructions, policies, etc.—and part alludes to actual
changes to the processes or products themselves.
A change management software solution designed for organizations like yours—medical
devices manufacturers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, biologics and combination
products developers—includes best-practice logic for managing multiple teams. Does
your Quality team manage global quality throughout your organization? Do you have
different regulatory teams in different countries? An effective solution for managing
change contains the logic needed to easily assign the right teams to the right change
processes at the right time.

2) Differentiating the needs of multiple sites

Does your organization operate across multiple sites? What if you uncover a reoccurring
nonconformance or deviation and need to update your processes at two out of seven
sites, based on the supplies they are receiving for a particular product? This challenge
can cause chaos if you are ill-equipped to manage/run your sites separately sometimes,
and collaboratively at other times. With the right solution, you can easily identify which
sites are affected by a change and either align them or separate them as needed.

3) Updating appropriate documents to align with changes

As we all know, documents are central to our processes, and we need them to be
tightly controlled and appropriately reviewed. Additionally, we need to assure
traceability by incorporating adequate audit trails. A highly-effective change
management solution will keep all changes well-documented and transparent,
particularly when it comes to documents and the content within.

4) Juggling multiple simultaneous changes

What do you do when a complaint comes in and leads you to identify an issue with your
supplier? The changes start to feel like a domino effect: a corrective action preventive
action (CAPA) is created, requiring an update to your specifications; now you might
need to change your incoming materials and the inspection of those
materials, designs need to be updated, and supplier oversight needs to be increased;
your packaging and labeling need to be adjusted; who knows how many changes will
result and how long it will take to make the adjustments? The way to overcome the
challenge of managing multiple, varying changes, is through harmonized processes.
Tracking every controlled change, assessing its impact, and effectively implementing
changes consistently, every time, is the answer. You should also look for a system with
simple, meaningful dashboard visibility into open tasks, and email alerts to keep
everyone on track to complete his or her part of the process. These built-in best
practices will help you solve this, and many change challenges.

5) Lacking visibility into your change processes

Just as dashboards and email alerts help with keeping your processes harmonized and
consistent, they can also help solve the dilemma of losing sight of where you are. A
well-planned change can take time to roll out throughout an organization, particularly in
global environments. That’s why you need a centralized system for viewing open tasks,
and which phase your change is in. Has QA not approved a change while the owning
department has? With this knowledge at your disposal, you can follow-up sooner to
ensure you’re making compliance-driven decisions to minimize risk in your organization.

6) Reversing a problematic or ineffective change

All the planning, prep work, and impact assessments in the world do not guarantee an
effective result 100% of the time. Having a contingency plan keeps you prepared for
unforeseen events. This can happen when implementing a new system, introducing
new software, or simply modifying any of your processes. Hand-in-hand with managing
changes, a solution that incorporates roll-back functionality helps you effectively plan,
assess, and implement a roll back plan in any situation to reset your quality system or
your environment to its prior state.

7) Quickly gaining appropriate approvals

There’s nothing worse than finishing something and waiting for approval so you can
wrap up your project. This applies to implementing changes. Your organization may
require an approval from the process owner and by QA. The right automated system
will automatically route your tasks for the appropriate approvals, with rules and actions
for overdue tasks and escalations. This helps keep everyone on track.

Make change management work for you

 Change can be hard, but it is inevitable. It can also be a key catalyst for growth
and staying competitive. We know. We help our customers make big changes all the
time. Sometimes, it's as simple as an upgrade of a printer with new automated
technologies. Other times, we help customers develop more extensive enterprise-wide
change management plans through our consulting services.

Barriers & Challenges to Change Implementation

Few businesses can survive without adapting to change. Although change can be
difficult to handle, your task as a leader is to prepare your employees for these
inevitable shifts in how things are done. This can range from minor staff restructuring
to merging or acquiring another company. While the changes may be necessary for the
future of the company, you are likely to face certain barriers and challenges.
Anticipating these roadblocks can help you avoid them before they become major issues
in the implementation of change at the workplace.

Lack of Proper Planning

Without step-by-step planning, change in an organization is likely to fall apart or
cause more problems than benefits. You need to understand exactly what changes will
take place and how those changes will occur.
For example, if you're transitioning to a new content management system, you'll
need to know if the new system is compatible with the old system. You also need to
know how you will transition the old information to the new system and if there will be
limited access during the transition. And you have to assign roles to individuals who are
responsible for the change so all duties are covered. The timeline for the change is also
a key component. You need to plan for downtime or difficulties in completing regular
work tasks while the change occurs.
Low Employee Morale
In many instances, employees dislike change unless it is one that they have
requested or lobbied for, which means that obtaining buy-in is a major barrier to
change. For example, let’s say you are changing your organizational structure from a
flat structure in which all employees are encouraged to give feedback and help make
decisions to a top-down structure in which all power and decision-making is in your
hands. You can expect that employee morale will take a big hit as your staff members
realizes they are losing the power to have a real say in how things are done.
Low morale becomes a barrier to your organizational change because your staff
is likely to resist the changes. That resistance will make it difficult for you to facilitate a
smooth transition and may impact productivity and efficiency as well. When employees
are unhappy with your decisions, they are far less likely to implement those decisions in
a manner that helps your company achieve success.
Lack of Consensus
If you fail to get everyone on board with corporate changes, you are likely to
face barriers during the process. The decision to implement changes should come from
the top level of the organization. All management level staff needs to be on board and
able to deal with the changes or you may face dissent within the staff.
In many cases, you may not have everyone on board right from the beginning. Showing
managers how the changes will affect the company and the steps for implementing the
changes can help get them on board if they initially have reservations.
Adopting New Technology
Technology has become the linchpin on which many businesses grow and thrive
but it does have its challenges. One challenge is integrating new technology with your
existing platforms in a way that doesn’t cause huge logistical issues. Another challenge
is getting your staff up to date on how to use the new technology. Your employees are
the “end user” when it comes to implementing a new system at the workplace.
If they don’t believe that new technology will make their jobs easier, they will question
why you are making the changes. Communicating the specific ways in which the
technology will streamline work processes is an effective way of overcoming this barrier.
Failing to Communicate
Employees want to know what's going on, whether it is positive or negative
news. The feeling of uncertainty when management doesn't communicate disrupts work
and makes employees feel as if they aren't a part of the decision. Keep employees
updated regularly about the plans and progress toward the change implementation.
Involve all employees as much as possible through meetings or brainstorming sessions
to help during the planning phase.
What Causes Resistance to Change in an Organization?
There’s an adage that the only constant in life is change, and that is especially
true in the business world where change is often required to adapt to shifting trends.
Changing how an organization operates is often a painful and frustrating process, and
there are typically failures before success is achieved. If you’re a business owner
embarking on an organizational change, you will likely encounter resistance.
Understanding the sources of this resistance can help you take steps to ease the
transition to a better future for your company.

Lack of Communication
One of the hallmarks of a company that runs like a well-oiled machine is good
communication, which is especially important in a top-down organization in which there
are multiple layers of management above the rank-and-file employees. When you
decide to make widespread changes, proper communication about why you’re making
the changes and how you plan to implement them is essential. If your employees have
no idea why you’re asking them to change protocols that they’re familiar and
comfortable with, they tend to resist those changes. It’s your responsibility to schedule
meetings to explain the changes you’re implementing and to provide a forum for
feedback, concerns, and ideas about how to make those changes as efficiently as
possible.
Employees Fear Losing Their Jobs
Employees resist anything that threatens their job security, and nothing screams
“You're about to be fired” louder than company leaders who decide to make changes.
For employees, the word “change” can have the same connotation as the word
“downsizing,” which is why resistance is such a natural response to change in the
workplace. In many instances, changes in a company are accompanied by the
elimination of jobs that may become redundant or that are no longer essential to the
company’s success.
Employees Don't Understand Their New Roles
True change in an organization often means that job positions and titles also
change, which means that roles and responsibilities may shift as well. Resistance occurs
when employees don’t understand how they fit in with the new way of doing things. For
example, if your company decides to shift its emphasis from sales to marketing, you
may have to retrain some of your salespeople to become marketing representatives,
and that can cause anxiety among those employees.
Successful companies achieve their success in large part because employees
clearly understand how they fit in the big picture. Change disrupts that confidence and
security and triggers resistance in workers who are uncertain how they will contribute
to the company going forward.
How Can an Organization Overcome Employee Resistance to Change?
Whether change is planned or forced upon an organization, companies must adapt to
remain viable. Those that successfully enlist employees in the change not only profit in the
short-term, but in the long-term, as well, for, as the authors of "Management: Meeting and
Exceeding Customer Expectations" point out, the need for change is constant as organizations
evolve and age. Overcoming employee resistance to change, then, is a management ability
needed for both everyday operations and for times of crisis.

Considerations

Since change can threaten the organizational culture of a workplace -- things like a
company's core values, mission and work environment -- fear is natural. Employees gain
a sense of group identity and belonging from organizational culture. Threatening it,
then, is personal. Knowing employees have both a professional and personal stake in
changes helps managers begin to understand resistance to change.

Types of Change
Change can affect the strategy of a company, its structure, its process or its ways of
handling personnel. Since strategic change can alter the very mission of a company, it
might cut to the heart of organizational culture, as can changes to an organization's
structure. Process changes (for instance, adopting a new technology or changing
existing work flows), if they are dramatic and cross departmental boundaries, might
affect many employees, induce anxiety and cause widespread resistance. Changes that
take aim at the employees themselves can also cause resistance and likely resentment.
However, all types of change feature positive potential. Consider a people-focused
change in training. Employees with knowledge gaps may welcome the chance to fill
them in, the change empowering them.

Prevention

Companies enacting planned changes have the opportunity to prevent resistance by

encouraging a climate of adaptability and mutual trust. To develop trust, employees
must feel as if they matter. They must also feel safe to speak plainly. Secure employees
are willing to come up with improvements themselves, making them change
participants instead of resisters. When an employee's ideas are explored and perhaps
even adopted, it breeds trust and a sense of being valuable. Meanwhile, in enacting
employee suggestions, the company itself becomes adaptable; the burden of change
doesn't rest only with employees. Finally, mutual trust means giving employees advance
warning of coming changes.

Resistance

Leaders should realize that employee resistance to change is not necessarily invalid, nor
is it always a bad thing. Sometimes employees know better than managers, resisting
flawed change plans. It's also reasonable for employees to worry about changes that
might threaten their jobs, as might be the case with an announcement that a company
is moving toward mechanization.

Solutions

Supervisors who directly manage employees are prime change agents. They must be
won over, trained to manage the change, with their feedback evaluated as change
moves forward. Such communication is important for employees as well, since full
disclosure breeds security, a remedy for resistance. Leaders should address individual
concerns employees might have about job security, wages and loss of control. Eroding
resistance means giving employees reasons to lower defenses.
Human Resources and Restructuring Hierarchy
An organization’s hierarchy is simply its chain of command. Typically, it is conical
in shape, where the highest-level positions wield the most authority. Restructuring the
hierarchy is often a lengthy, methodical plan designed to reshape positions and their
relationship to each other in order to produce a more efficient, cost-effective order.
Restructuring is often the result of mergers, new priorities, or changes in budget.
Involving and including your human resources department is crucial prior to, during and
after restructuring your company’s hierarchy.

Designing Staffing

Your human resources department is essential in determining your company’s new

hierarchal design. They should assist in examining positions, such as identifying a
legitimate need for a specific role, or determining whether that role should be
eliminated. Likewise, human resources helps examine the need for additional or existing
staffing roles and their relationship within the hierarchy to others in the company. For
example, if your company chose to outsource IT, keeping your current IT staff would
require those personnel to redeploy to other positions and obtain new roles under
different managers.

Planning for Dissemination

Planning is fundamental in communicating your hierarchy restructuring to your existing

staff. Human resources departments help organize communicating the change to
employees in a directed and organized manner. Your human resources can team with
management and other stakeholders to develop a strategy that targets
communications, and, most importantly, supplies answers before, during and after the
restructuring.

Communicating Change

One of the scariest things to endure as an employee is the uncertainty that often
coincides with restructuring hierarchy. Staff stress over what is going to happen,
wondering whether they might be terminated, given a lateral move, or demoted. A
well-developed communications strategy can practically remove this factor. It is vital to
quell these concerns as soon as possible. Your human resources personnel can assist in
staff meetings to answer questions about new or changed positions, such as responding
to inquiries about job descriptions, or pay increases or decreases for different positions.

Preparing for Transitions

Involve your human resources department in initiating and designating who is adversely
affected by the restructuring. Likewise, after making decisions for transitions, whether
lateral or up or down on the hierarchy, engage human resources to develop
preparations for affected personnel. For example, plan and prepare for how personnel
will be equipped with resources and assistance to assimilate into their new positions.
Steps to Manage Transition from Old Organization Structure to New One
Managing change within your organization can be difficult. In order to make
change go smoothly, you need to instill in all the affected parties a sense of confidence
that the change is positive. When you are managing a transition from an old
organizational structure to a new one, you can take certain steps to help the entire
company through the change without disrupting business.

Defining Roles

According to an article on the Free Management Library website by professional

organizational consultant Carter McNamara, an effective transition requires several kinds
of managers. Among them are the manager who initiates the idea of change and points
out the need, the manager who coordinates the transition, the manager who rallies the
company to get behind the change and the manager responsible for seeing the change
through. It is possible for one person to take on multiple roles, but these roles must be
defined before the transition can begin.

Identifying Need

A complete organizational transition can only be successful if the company feels the
change needs to be made, according to management consultant John Covington in an
article for the journal Industrial Management. The initial steps of change involve
painting a business picture for the company that shows an essential need for change to
avoid negative consequences.

Transition Team

The transition team should consist of the managers mentioned previously and any
employees needed to make the change happen. Recruit employees from all parts of the
company so workers can see that all departments are involved in the change. Gather
support for the change from all company executives and managers, along with any
strong leaders who may not be part of management. Group leaders and other
employees who garner respect from workers should all be part of the transition team.

Lay Out the Plan

According to the online career resource Mind Tools, the transition plan should be put on
paper so everyone knows what blueprint to follow. It should explain why the change is
being made and what the company will look like when the transition from the old
organizational structure to the new one is complete. The plan should lay out the new
structure and how current personnel will fit into it.

Get Input

It is not possible to get approval from every single employee in the company, nor is that
a practical way to transition to a new structure. However, the company needs some
consensus on the change. Take the plan to the various departments and get input.
Compare the ideas you receive to the plan you have and make any necessary changes.
Finalize the Plan

When crafting the final transition plan, the transition team should carefully consider the
employee input and the executive team's vision. Create a comprehensive plan detailing
how the transition will take place, how it will affect each department and the timetable
for the change. The transition team should present the plan to the company with
confidence, and the plan must be clear enough for employees to understand the vision
and buy into it.

Clear the Path

Identify resources and employees within the organization that may cause obstacles to
the transition, and deal with them. It may mean letting some employees go, hiring
employees to fill vacancies identified by the transition plan, or changing the current
office space or layout.

Milestones

Mark the progress of the transition by milestones created during the planning phase.
Keep the company updated on the progress of the change by reporting successes in
reaching transition milestones. Once the final milestone is reached, the transition is
complete.
What Are the Roles of an Employee in the Implementation Process?
Strategic implementation processes require the work and attention of employees
and managers at all levels within a business, especially when the changes occur in a
small business environment. Because the implementation process has the potential to
impact a wide range of duties and responsibilities, employees need to have a thorough
understanding of their responsibilities during the process and afterward.
Strategic Implementation

Strategic implementation involves planning and executing strategies related to process

changes. In businesses of all sizes, including small businesses, this type of
implementation helps ensure that changes occur appropriately across all departments
and teams within the company. On both a macro level, which involves the entire
organization, and a micro level, which focuses on each individual within the
organization, change needs to be well-thought-out and communicated effectively to be
successful.

Job Impact

For process change to be successful, all employees must understand the changes that
will directly and indirectly affect their job duties and responsibilities. Employees need to
understand which duties and responsibilities will continue as normal and which ones will
change. As far as indirect changes, employees need to be aware of the changes
occurring throughout the organization and how that may impact their job function. For
instance, a change in reporting requirements in another department may require
employees to provide data in a different fashion. Meeting these new requirements is par
for the course for all employees during and after the implementation process.

Communication

Keeping the lines of communication open is perhaps the most important role of
employees during the implementation process. This includes taking the time to voice
concerns, seek out answers and resolve any difficulties as changes are put in place.
Staying in touch with management and helping co-workers overcome obstacles will help
make the implementation process as simple and efficient as possible.

Considerations

Appointing change leaders to oversee the process will help implement and secure
process changes in the workplace. Change leaders set the example for other employees
and serve as a point of contact for employees when difficulties or concerns arise. This
serves two purposes. It allows employees to seek out help through an appropriate
channel, thus limiting rumors and reducing negative morale, and helps management
garner invaluable feedback on common concerns and difficulties as changes are
implemented.
Challenges Faced by Human Resource Managers Because of Technical
Changes
Your business's human resources department is responsible for managing the
organization's people. As technology advances, technical changes create challenges that
human resource managers must face. An organization's workforce has to keep up, or
the company risks being left behind as tech-savvy competitors move in. The human
resource manager plays an important role in helping employees keep pace with
technical changes.

Resistance to Change

As with any change in the workplace, changes in technology may result in anxiety and
even resistance among employees. Technical changes can be seen specifically as
threats by employees who envision that their roles within the company will be replaced
by a machine or computer that can do the job cheaper or faster. Developing strategies
to combat this resistance to change is key to the human resources manager's role. This
starts by assuring employees of their worth and meaningful place within the business
and by helping them to see the technology as an aid not a hindrance to their work.

Dealing with Workforce Shortages

Even when unemployment is at record high levels, a shortage of skilled workers exists
in many industries. As a result, human resource managers often find it difficult to find
workers who are adept at using new technology. This means two things for businesses:
they must train their current employees to keep up with technical changes and they
must motivate and encourage employees who they bring on board to be the best they
can be at using new technology. Human resources can also facilitate further education
programs, training days, conferences and seminars to keep employees' skills fresh.

Training

Providing training and support to employees who wish to keep up with technical
changes not only benefits the company but also helps the employees who take this
route to feel like they are a vital part of the business. The human resources manager
can face this challenge head on by identifying the core areas of the business where
training is needed and by offering either on-site programs or by facilitating training
opportunities for employees off-site.

Managing Information

Human resource managers have a vital role to play in managing information and
securing the privacy of information. As the technology within an organization advances,
so too do the privacy and security concerns connect with those technical changes.
Providing employee training on how to secure data and prevent privacy breaches to
keep business information secure are challenges human resources faces in this area.
Communicating with technology vendors and keeping up-to-date with the technical
aspects of the company are key ways for human resources managers to recognize and
confront this challenge.