Communication is a Crucial Aspect of Effective Organization Change - Case Study Example

How Can ComEd Meter Reading Department Leadership Improve Change Management in Order to Restore Employee Morale and Productivity I. A. Identify the organization – The organization that is the focus of the Leadership and Organizational Behavior final paper is Commonwealth Edison (ComEd). 1. Brief overview of the organization - Commonwealth Edison Company, perhaps better known as ComEd, is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC). Exelon, on the other hand, is one of the nations largest electric utilities, with approximately services over 5.4 million customers. ComEd provides service to approximately 3.8 million customers across Northern Illinois, or about 70 percent of the states population. 2. Identify your role within organization – I currently work in the Meter Reading Department as a Meter Reader. This department is responsible for obtaining the customers’ meter reading each month. My role in the organization is to go and read the customer’s meters. 3. Identify issues, events, and actions that contributed to problems being discussed – The Company installed cameras in employees’ cars. Approximately six years ago the company changed its priority from being performance-driven to being safety-driven. There were several factors considered in terms of safety. The physical safety of employees and how they conducted their work was what management wanted to change immediately – from proper protective equipment, to job briefs, to how the jobs were completed. II. A. Define the problem – The problem that my paper will answer is “How can ComEd’s Meter Reading Department leadership improve change management in order to restore employee morale and productivity?” 1. What is its nature? – The problem in this case is that the change was not explained to the employees. B. To whom is it a problem? – The problem described affects the entire Meter Reading Department System. C. To what extent is it a problem? This one act infuriated all of the workers and lowered their morale. Employees were so upset with how things were handled and the company started to see an increase in safety problems instead of the decrease they were hoping for. 1. Is it part of a larger problem or are there related problems? – It is part of a larger problem in the organization whereby the managers of the corporation do not consider the opinions of their employees. They have never consulted with us in any of their corporate decisions, especially those which directly impact on us. This is a very authoritarian organization, one which expects complete obedience in its decisions, and one which does not invite a comfortable and collaborative work environment. III. Literature Review A. Identification of sources and uses of information 1. Which scholarly sources are you using to support your claim of the problem and how? Various studies have been carried out supporting my claim of the problem. The problem hinges on the fact that the workers were not informed about the change being implemented in the organization. Good communication is a significant element in change management. Failing to communicate the change to the employees can cause resistance to change and create discontent among the employees. It is not conducive to a friendly and safe work environment (Dix and Oxenbridge, 2003). In a paper by Fedor and Herold (2004), they discuss that employees respond to changes through withdrawal and by manifesting decreased signs of satisfaction with the organization. In turn, this causes reduced efficacy as well as negative consequences to changes being implemented. More often than not, employees have negative impressions of how change is handled and implemented by the managers (Fedor and Herold, 2004). This perception impacts on their support for the organization and the changes which the latter is seeking to implement. Klein (1996) also discusses that communication is a crucial aspect of effective organization change. Communication helps to prepare the organization and its employees for the change. 2. Resistance to change and role of communication In instances when the change to be implemented is significant, resistance would be more than likely; moreover, such resistance would also likely be strong because the old values and methods of the employees are challenged (Klein, 1996). The resistance to change would be brewing underneath the surface at first and eventually would gather strength with people talking on corridors and amongst themselves. In the end, a wall of resistance to change may suddenly manifest. It is actually possible to prevent such wall of resistance from building if the change is managed and communicated with the employees from the very start (Klein, 1996). Allowing such communication process to unfold would help engage an unfreezing process among the employees. Various analysts claim that it is often impossible to foresee the long-term impact of changes in the organization; however, it is easy enough to communicate the objectives of change to the employees (Young and Post, 1993). This would help prepare the organization and its employees, allowing for a period of pondering and reflection among the employees about the changes in the organization and how these changes would affect them. B. Impact of changes on the organization and employees Changes are considered challenges to the status quo (French and Bell, 1984). It is therefore important to ease the process of change by communicating it to the employees and the organization as a whole. The goals and the purposes of such change must also be communicated and explained in detail to the employees. Moreover, the necessity of such change must also be communicated to the employees (Young and Post, 1993). For corporations failing to communicate the change to the employees, confusion and detachment often results. The ownership of the change is absent. The employees end up resisting the change being implemented which then decreases the efficacy of the workplace in general. Communicating with the employees during this change process also allows for employees to express their opinions and feedback about the change being implemented (Young and Post, 1993). III. Workable solutions to the problem A. Communication 1. Planning stages Communication processes must already be in place during the planning stages of the organization change. The planning stages would include conceptualization of goals. A meeting can initially be set-up among the employees in order to gain their feedback about the status quo of the organization (Nilakant and Ramnarayan, 2006). In the case of ComEd, the executives should have called a consultation or a meeting with their employees, urging them to express their concerns and complaints about the policies and the processes of the organization. This meeting would help gather data about the employees and their feelings, their concerns, and their complaints about their work conditions. From this meeting, the managers can then formulate a plan and establish goals for the change process. Within the managerial side, meetings must also take place, discussing the economic and the culture of the organization (Judge, et.al., 1999). If the organization needs to make some changes in order to make better profits or in order to survive as an organization, then these should be discussed among the managers. These concerns shall then be presented to the employees (Judge, et.al., 1999). Once again, communication is the major factor in effecting change in the organization. Consultation and communication with the employees will take place during this stage and until the change is actually implemented in the organization (Rhodes and Eisenberger, 2002). It keeps the employees informed and prevents any surprises when the change is eventually implemented. Any possible modifications in the changes shall have to be considered by the managers. The goals of the change shall also have to be explained sufficiently to the employees in order to prevent any misunderstandings and to prevent any negative reactions from the employees (Rhodes and Eisenberger, 2002). In the case of ComEd, the changes which were to be implemented should have been planned and discussed with the employees. The goals of the change should have been explained and rationalized to them (Mossholder, et.al., 2000). Since the employees did not understand the purpose and the goal of the changes being made, they were resistant to it and they felt like inconsequential members of the organization. 2. Actual implementation As the change is ready to be implemented, it must be carried out gradually and in stages (Mossholder, et.al., 2000). The employees must also be informed of the actual day when the change will finally be implemented. They shall also be informed of how each change shall be implemented, what is expected of them, and what they would likely expect in the daily activities of the organization (Mossholder, et.al., 2000). In the case of ComEd, the scheduled change should have been communicated with them. The actual date of the implementation of the change should have been communicated to the employees and they should have been informed that cameras were to be installed. The employees should also have been comprehensively informed about the safety measures being implemented by the organization and what they were expected to do to comply with these new measures. The employees should also have undergone additional safety trainings in order to improve their mastery of the safety measures being implemented by the organization (Armenakis and Bedeian, 1999). Being made familiar with these measures would have helped them understand the importance of the safety measures and it would have helped them be more accepting of these changes (Armenakis and Bedeian, 1999). ComEd implemented the change without explaining the changes to the employees. It made the employees resistant to the change because they viewed the change as an additional burden to their work. They believed it made them less efficient and that it changed the methods of work they have gotten used to and comfortable with throughout the years. 3. Advantages and disadvantages Communication has both advantages and disadvantages. It is beneficial to the organization because it creates an open, honest, and trusting work environment (Armenakis and Bedeian, 1999). It also helps engender trust in the organization. It reduces conflicts and prevents any misunderstanding (Rhodes and Eisenberger, 2002). It is however detrimental to the organization as a whole in the sense that it can blur the lines between the employees and the managers. It can create an environment of too much familiarity which care sometimes reduce and compromise the authority of the managers over the employees (Babuska, 2010). The employees may expect full disclosure at all times. Full disclosure cannot however be allowed in an organization because it can compromise the authority of the managers over its employees. B. Implement change in stages or gradually Change in an organization must not be a shock to the employees. It must be implemented in stages and gradually (Coghlan, 2004). In the case of ComEd, the placing of the cameras should have been eased into the workplace, first in their offices, and later in their vehicles. The additional safety measures should also have been slowly implemented through the training activities first. Simulations should also have been carried out in order to familiarize the employees on the additional safety measures (Coghlan, 2004). Trial periods on the use of the safety measures could also be initially implemented twice in a week and then gradually increased to five times a week. 1. Advantages and disadvantages Gradual implementation of change helps prevent any confusion and chaos in the workplace (Coghlan, 2004). It also prevents injury and helps ensure the safety of the workers. Gradual implementation can also give the employees time to be comfortable with the change. In the end, it makes them less antagonistic and resistant to the change (Coghlan, 2004). However, gradual implementation of the change can also be time consuming for the organization. It can also cause delays in the work and make the organization less efficient in its activities (Coghlan, 2004). It can also be financially costly for the organization because they have to wait for the change to unfold and to benefit the organization. C. Allow for feedback and adjustments to be made based on such feedback This is a continuation of the communication process. While the change is being implemented, feedback on the changes must be gathered and encouraged from the employees. Any issues they experience from the changes must be expressed to the managers who would then consider possible adjustments they can implement (Kotter, 1996). 1. Advantages and Disadvantages Allowing for feedback would make the change implementation more dynamic and more effective. The managers may not have the same perspective of the changes they implement. Only the employees implementing and experiencing the change would be able to give the most accurate perspective and assessment of the change (Kotter, 1996). Allowing the employees to express their feedback would help iron out any issues with the changes being implemented. Allowing feedback however may also be disadvantageous for the organization because feedback may be used to express resentment and resistance to change which is sometimes credited to the employees’ old-fashioned ideals and refusal to change their traditional ways (Kotter, 1996). C. Preferred solution My preferred solution would be communication. Communication can ease any changes into the organization. This communication must be carried out during the planning and during the actual implementation stages. The ComEd managers should have first met with the employees and asked them if they had any concerns in the workplace. During this meeting, the plans of the organization for possible changes should also be communicated. Feedback would then be gained from the employees. Reactions to the possible changes shall be considered by the managers. The managers shall then carry out the planning stages of the change by first formulating their goals and how these goals shall be reached. Discussions shall be carried out with an employee representative who shall be allowed to express concerns about the change. Final decisions on the changes shall then be communicated with the employees, including a detailed plan for the change and days when such changes would be implemented. Trainings would be carried out for planned safety measures. Gradual implementation would then be carried out after a certain level of competence is reached by the employees in relation to the planned changes. IV. Reflection I believe that change is difficult for all organizations, most especially for employees. Efforts to ease the change process must therefore be taken by the managers. Without an interactive process of communication, the change would be resisted by the employees and eventually a workplace in chaos would result. Strong leadership is found in how engaged the leader is in communicating with his employees and in allowing traumatic processes, in this case – changes in the status quo – to be gradually made part of the organization. References Armenakis, A. A., & Bedeian, A. G. (1999). Organizational change:A review of theory and research in the 1990s. Journal of Management, 25: 293-315. Babuska, R. (2010). Interactive Collaborative Information Systems. New York: Springer. Coghlan, D. (2004). Managers learning in action: management learning, research and education. New York: Routledge. Dix, G. & Oxenbridge, S. (2003). Information and consultation at work: from challenges to good practice. Acas Research and Evaluation Section. Retrieved 10 February 2012 from http://www.acas.org.uk/media/pdf/7/j/icoct03_1.pdf Fedor, D. & Herold, D. (2004). Effects of Change and Change Management on Employee Responses: An Overview of Results from Multiple Studies. Tappi Technical Conference. Retrieved 10 February 2012 from http://www.cpbis.gatech.edu/files/papers/CPBIS-WP-04-02%20Herold_Fedor_Change%20Management%20Fall%202004.pdf French, W. & Bell, C. (1984). Organization development: Behavioral science principles for organizational improvement. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall Judge, T. A., Thoresen, C. J., Pucik, V., & Welbourne, T. M. (1999). Managerial coping with organizational change: A dispositional perspective. Journal of Applied Psychology, 84: 107 – 122. Klein, S. (1996). A management communication strategy for change. Retrieved 10 February 2012 from http://213.194.86.162/Webtools/basvurular/tribecaweb/doc/SI-A-management-communication-strategy-for-change.doc Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading Change. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press. Mossholder, K. W., Settoon, R. P., Armenakis, A. A., & Harris, S. G. (2000). Emotion during organizational transformations. Group & Organization Management, 25: 220 – 243. Nilakant, N. & Ramnarayan, S. (2006). Change management: altering mindsets in a global context. California: SAGE. Rhodes, L., & Eisenberger, R. (2002). Perceived organizational support: A review of the literature. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87: 698 – 714. Young, M., & Post, J. E. (1993). Managing to communicate, communicating to manage: How leading companies communicate with employees. Organizational Dynamics, 22, 31-43. Read More