Role of Human Resources in Managing Change - Essay Example

? HR and Change Management Role of Human Resources in Managing Change Introduction The world is changing rapidly. The world economy continues to face further globalization and this phenomenon implies that all companies and organizations have to maintain dynamism in order to keep up with new trends in the global market. It is, therefore, obvious that one of the major challenges that human resource management internationally has to contend with is that of change in the organization. This is given in that the primary objective of every organization is to stay relevant in the field. This paper discusses the role of human resources in organizational change. The discussion will look at the possible catalysts for change in the organization, resistance to the change from within the organization, and finally the part that the HR plays in the implementation of changes. Causes of Change in the Organization The world today has created a situation whereby, the systems that govern the operations of organizations are constantly changing. With a constantly evolving society and fluctuating demand for products and services, whether new or pre-existing, it is mandatory that organizations change their mode of operation if they are to remain competitive (Steir 1999). It is survival for the fittest, as the organizations that remain most dynamic and receptive to change are the ones that continue to flourish in the market. Several factors may lead to a situation where the business re-evaluates its dealings. The first factor that acts as a catalyst for change in the organization is the change in, or introduction of, new and efficient technology. As productivity increases, there has been an evolution in the world of technology, sometimes creating the need for organizations to adjust and adopt the use of certain kinds of technology to avoid lagging behind (Steir 1999). In the digital world, for example, the use of computers in any business is extremely necessary. This means that there will have to be training exercises for employees that are not computer literate. The implementation of technological changes can be highly beneficial to organizations. This is because applying the use of various technologies results into efficiency; hence, better performance of the organization due to improved customer service and easier channels for feedback from clients. Regulations by the government are another major cause of organizational change. When the government imposes new regulations, it may have an impact on the operations of a company. For example, the government could enforce new procedures for safety in factories, forcing the organization to modify their process of production to comply with the new regulations (Change Management Learning Centre 1996). Another example of a regulation that may warrant transformation is if the government mandates organizations dealing in consumer goods to enforce more measures for quality control of the consumers’ safety. These changes warrant a transformation in the modes of operation in the organization. Another cause of revolution in the organization is increased competition. New entrants into the market could, for example, create an influx of competition, causing pre-existing organizations to implement change in their marketing strategies (Kim & Hong 2006). An example of this is when, say a big retail store opens in an area where a small one has existed primarily over a long period; the small store could change their marketing strategies. This, the store owners have to do in a way that increases the appeal to customers over the newly opened store. The final cause of change is the desire of an organization to grow. Stagnation is a cause of concern in any business or company, and could be detrimental to any positive progress by the company. Therefore, organizations that wish to grow have to change their operation tactics (Change Management Learning Centre 1996; Steir 1999). One of the ways in which this is achieved is through franchising the organization operations to various parts of the country, or even worldwide. A good example of a business succeeding because of franchising is the Kentucky Fried Chicken, found in most parts of the world. This kind of effort calls for major changes in the organization. Resistance to Change Change, for survival of the organization, is inevitable. Because this is a generally accepted fact in many organizations, change is a permanent phenomenon for every company. This implies that the management is constantly implementing new strategies in order to keep up with the changing environment. According to Bovey & Hede (2001), change is always met with great resistance. Employees are the primary source of this resistance to changes enforced in the organizational setting. It is as though the need for change is paralleled by the need for stagnation. This leads to a scenario whereby, people are constantly fighting and resisting change, even though there may be a consensus to indicate that it is the best course of action for the company. Resistance to change has to be addressed. The leaders of the organization, in doing this, have to stay empathetic of the feelings of the employees towards the new modes of operation. This enhances their ability to stay objective and firm. The first course of action against resistance is by finding forums to outline the weaknesses of the old modes of operation (O’Connor 1993). O’Connor reiterates that this will weaken the sense of support within the eliminated system. After this, the leader can detail the expected benefits of the new system. This should include an explanation of how much easier their work will become. Another way to abate resistance is by involving the employees directly in the implantation process. This can be achieved through picking a few representatives from each department to act as go-betweens for the employees and leaders (O’Connor 1993). Lastly, there should be a reward system for those who achieve the most under the new system in order to encourage quick adaptation. Areas of Change Management Involving HR As established in earlier sections of the paper, change is inevitable for each organization. Because of the fact that change occurs regularly, there is need for participation of all parties in the implementation of changes in the organization. The human resources department is instrumental in the process of managing change. Some of the key areas in the process that may invite the participation of the Human resources are; understanding the change, planning the change, managing any resistance to change, and implementation of the change. They are discussed in this section of the paper. Under understanding the change, the first task in which the HR participates is in assessing the readiness of the members of the organization to adopt the new systems to be introduced (Gratton & Truss 2003). As the department in charge of people in the organization, the HR is well placed to conduct readiness assessment tasks for the employees. The tools used to assess the readiness of the employees must provide the employees with a picture of what challenges they should expect from the process of changing (Pfeffer 1999). This means that the assessment tools are designed to collect information on who will be directly affected, how radical or gradual the change is and the ability of the change sponsors to lead the change process effectively. The planning process is next, where the HR can engage in communication and communication planning with the affected parties (Gratton & Truss 2003). According to Pricewaterhousecoopers (2005), many in the HR assume that communication is a onetime activity as long as there is clarity. However, they maintain that a good manager will communicate the message to their subordinates repeatedly-about six to seven times. This causes any news on change to be cemented in their minds. At the planning stage, the HR works towards creating awareness on the need for change in their existing process and creates desire for this change in the minds of the employees. The HR engages in outlining the risks attached to not adopting a certain change (Gratton & Truss 2003). Based on the role of each employee in the organization, they may have unique concerns over what the change means for their participation in the organization. The planning stage, in addition to communication, involves coaching managers of various departments on how to manage change and training of employees where necessary. Supervisors are closer to employees than any other group of leaders. For this reason, it is mandatory that the top officials in the HR engage them and explain the changes to them. This part entails explaining their role in motivating the employees and managing change in their smaller audiences (Gratton & Truss 2003). For the employees, the HR can arrange for them to converge and discuss possible areas in which they may require training before the implementation. By doing this, the employees feel part of the change. In the area of managing resistance to change, the HR has the mandate to, with empathy, find appropriate measures to deal with any resistance brewing from employees that may be detrimental to the progress of the organization. This, as discussed in an earlier section, entails helping employees to discover the strengths of the new system. The final area that warrants the participation of the HR is the implementation. After getting employees to understand the change and training them, the HR can invite feedback from the affected entities (Change Management Centre 1996). These will aid the HR in understanding the attitudes of the employees and what strategies they need to employ to smooth the transition. Another key area in which the HR gets to participate is celebrating a milestone once the employees have adapted the proposed changes. In this stage, the HR and top management recognizes the key participants in implementation of the change. These four broad areas are key in the program of change management. If implemented to the letter, they can aid the HR in its endeavor to extract positive results from the process and create an effective system. Bonus benefits of applying these four components are employee satisfaction and cushioned customers of the organization (Pricewaterhousecoopers 2005). Role of HR professionals in Implementing Change and Their Competences Implementing change in the organization requires a team of leaders and professionals that are able to identify the needs of the organizations and act accordingly, while at the same time safeguarding the needs of individuals (Ulrich et al 2012). For this reason, it is important those in the HR department stay in touch with their surrounding and be competent at what they do. This section studies the competencies of the HR professionals and their roles in implementing change. The first competency required is that of strategic positioning. Here, the HR professional demonstrates an ability to think from the outside in, looking at the world trends, and thinking of methods to integrate them into their organizations (Nunes, Martin & Duarte 2007). With this competency, the HR professional could play the role of planning and helping the employees to understand the change as previously discussed. The next competency is that of credible activist, whereby the professional builds personal trust with people and can therefore be relied on (Ulrich et al 2012). With this competency, the professional plays a role in influencing the rest positively and can therefore be trusted to manage resistance in the company and encourage the rest to adopt the change. Capacity building is the third competency. Here, the professional can identify individual capabilities and merge them into one strong and effective organization (Ulrich et al 2012). Therefore, this competency enables the professional to train managers and employees in the planning and post-implementation, alongside helping them to find meaning in their roles. The change champion is able to ensure that each independent policy in the organization is integrated into the process and discipline is upheld throughout the change process (Ulrich et al 2012). This competency empowers the professional to manage resistance and carry out the implementation and post-implementation studies. The fifth competency is human resource innovator and integrator, whereby the professional is aware of the historical background of the organization and is therefore able to come up with innovative solutions to the problems experienced (Ulrich et al 2012). This can be useful in the planning stage and implementation. The final competency is the technology proponent, with an understanding of technology and its positive effects on the organization. A HR professional who is competent with the revolution of technology and is ready to implement its sustainable use is an important part of the team. The paper has discussed the role of the HR in implementing change at the organizational stage. More and more, the human resources department is becoming an integral part of the management of change process. This role requires the professionals in HR to be competent in order to abate possible sources of discomfort for the organization. The process of change occurs in several manageable stages, in which incorporating the HR save the top management great deals of confusion and resistance. Therefore, it is a worthy cause, working towards the betterment of the HR department as one considers the dynamic organizational world. References Bovey, W & Hede, A 2001, “Resistance to Organizational Change: The role of Cognitive and Affective Processes”, Leadership and Organization Development Journal, vol. 22, no.8, pp. 372-382. Change Management Learning Centre 1996, Change Management-The systems and Tools for Managing Change. [Accessed 15 May 2013] < http://www.change-management.com/tutorial-change-process-detailed.htm>. Gratton, L & Truss, C 2003, “The three-dimensional people strategy: Putting human resources policies into action”, The Academy of Management Executive, vol. 17 no. 3, pp. 74-86. Kim, P & Hong, K 2006, “Searching for effective HRM reform strategy in the public sector: Critical review of WPSR 2005 and suggestions”, Public Personnel Management vol. 35 no. 3, pp. 199-215. Nunes, F, Martins, L & Duarte, H 2007, Competency Management in EU Public Administrations. [Accessed 15 May 2013] . O’Connor, C 1993, “Resistance: The Repercussions of Change”, Leadership and Organization Development Journal, vol. 14 no. 6, pp. 30-36 Pfeffer, J 1999, “Putting people first for organizational success”, Academy of Management Executive, vol.13, pp. 37-48 Pricewaterhousecoopers 2005, Human Resources management strategies to support organizational changes, Luxembourg, EULU publishers. Steir, L 1989, “When Technology Meets People”, Training and Development Journal, vol. 43 no. 8, pp. 27-29 Ulrich, D, Younger, J, Brockbank, W & Ulrich, M 2012, Exclusive: The six competencies to inspire HR professionals for 2012. HR Magazine. [accessed 15 May 2013] . Read More