Emotions in the Organizational Change - Fear, Distress, Anger - Coursework Example

Running Head: Appraisal of the impacts of organizational changes on employee emotions and prescribe emotions management Abstract The impacts of organizational change on the workforce has been a contentious subject, with several researches arguing that organizational transformations can aggravate diverse positive and negative responses from the human resource. Whereas comprehensive attention has been dedicated to understanding employee resistance to change (Folger & Skarlicki, pp. 37-38,1999) comparatively diminutive research has been carried out to examine the impacts of organizational change on emotions of the employees; moreover a small number of organizations have implemented extensive means and methodologies that can be used for emotional management in times of transformation which involves expert situational judgment; however, the fact that there have been level of employee mental, social and psychological problems in the organizations associated with change calls for a paradigm shift in the management of fear, distress and anger in times of organizational change. This study seeks to provide dispassionate and impartial objective appraisal on the impacts of organizational change on emotions and prescribe emotional management, considering that organizational change is inevitable occurrence in organizational calendar, debatably the approach implemented by the organization in employee emotional management has a consequence in the product of the change, as presented by (Vakola and Nikolaou, pp. 167 -170, 2005). (Mossholder et al, pp. 229, 2000), argues that researchers have tended to focus on incessant result efficacy, while the significance of social and individual dynamics in organizational transformations has been perceptible ever since change studies commenced, however, (Fosha, pp. 526, 2005) apparently is of the view that, organizational transformations occur in quantum leaps and are discrete transformations of state. Several factors are considered in organizational transformation; coupled with uncertainties that exist, employee emotional characteristic are diverse and abounds with vague and imprecise concepts, hence making an en masse approach to emotional management unviable alternative. The research is based on empirical papers on employee emotion and transformation management, which seeks to proposition the existence of negative and positive impacts of change but ambiguity or vagueness, is abundant between two extremes, taking into consideration the aspects diversity of employee attributes, The study shall utilize qualitative researchers which aspires to congregate an in-depth understanding of human behaviour and the raison d'être that govern such emotions, this shall be combined with inductive and deductive reasoning. The research shall be secondary research which involves summary, collation and/or synthesis of existing research in terms of systematic reviews. The knowledge base in terms of collected data shall be analyzed and emotional management methodology prescribed, which is envisioned to assist organizations objectively manage employees in epoch of organizational transformation, and the management’ response to such emotions hence reducing occurrences of emotional ruptures. Keywords: Organizational transformation, Organizational change, change management, emotion, Management of emotion, Stress, organizational policy. Literature review Different persons have differing emotional reactions to occurrences which in most times expressed in terms of pleasantness of being pleased or. Hedonic component of emotion, has been the essential focus in research investigate acquaintances between emotion and organizational processes or outcomes, where in most cases, researches focusing on emotions or emotion-related Variables in organizational transformations have suggested that person’s reactions to register at either extreme of the pleasantness dimension either of being displeased or pleased, this has formed the foundation outlined the significance for assessing reactions to organizational change. (Mossholder, et al, pp 221, 2000) argues that by and large, the concentration of personage reaction to organizational occurrences has been shadowed in favour of appraising their valence, yet intensity is a prominent feature of emotion, while in organizations generally, appearances of intense emotion, regardless of whether it is negative or positive publicly unacceptable, this has limited the researchers to concentrate on the observable emotional dimension. However, altering intensity levels of emotions consequently change the extent of mobilization to act, therefore affecting emotion during organizational transformations. Whereas it appears instinctive and inherent to differentiate along a positive-negative gamut the several emotions portrayed by the employees during organizational transformation, the correlation between emotional arousal and change is less clear. However, (Mossholder, et al. pp. 224 – 227, 2000) presents theoretical frameworks created by emotion scholars which are of paramount significance in the relationship between organizational change and emotions, where rationally, in consideration of organizational transformation, employees demonstrate greater emotional arousal when they profess that the organizational transformation comes with possible requirement of change or alteration of behaviour on their part, or prospective lose of personal status or treasured resources. There have been immense studies and researches focused on understanding of organizational change considering that organizations are dynamic and changing entities who constantly make adjustments and modifications at remarkable rates, this has elicited interests in research. However, several past researched focused on matters pertinent to organizational change from an organizational-level perspective rather than individual-level concerns, and have been in agreement that organizational transformations affect employees, positively or otherwise. The trend of considering human resource as an important organizational asset resulted to researchers incorporating emotion as an explanatory construct in organizational learning, where organizational events such as transformations are construed as detrimental or advantageous depending on individual special objectives and whether the events are professed to facilitate or impede their objectives development. Considering organizational phenomena, large- scale organizational transformations have been argued to be the greatest source of emotion-eliciting events, as argued by (Mossholder, et al, pp. 226, 2000) who present that scholarly research suggests that organizational transformations has the potential of aggravating extensive of positive and negative responses from organization members. According to the authors, several researchers have examined emotion at general level, which is not unswervingly interpretable in stipulations of specific types of attitudes of interest in organizations, and suggests that scrutinizing relations between emotions and salient job attitudes is a possible way of addressing the challenge. Primarily, plotting possible correlations between emotions and salient job attitudes may create comprehensive understanding of the consequence of emotion in organizational transformation, since the essential necessity of organizational transformations is to modify and change the process and substance of work performed. Emotional turbulence such as negative reactions, despair, stress, loneliness, pessimism and social isolation and has been more prevalent in the persons separated from the organization due to transformation process, especially when the concerned persons are of the opinion that procedures pursued were unjust. However, even employees under employment especially layoff survivors have also experienced emotional disturbance during organisational transformation, which has been highlighted by resentment, worry, anger, resignation cynicism, anxiety professed threat to future employment and emotion-filled response and depth of emotion in this case, transformation is perceived to be inclined to weight more negatively than in the positive direction. Regardless of the extent of organizational transformation, whether it encompasses layoffs, a great extent of reengineering or rather negligible reorganization, they cause challenges to those affected by the changes directly or otherwise since organizational change challenges and alters the way activities are carried out in an organization resulting to individuals experiencing uncertainty and beginning to be apprehensive on the possible failure in handling the changed work environment. Emotional stress at work has been associated with several negatives in organizational context such as diminishing performance, reduced motivation and morale, high employee turnover, low level of job satisfaction and real and excused sick-leave, occurrences of accidents, low quality products and services, lack of proper collaboration and communications as well as proliferation of work related conflicts, these problems have been argued to be related directly or indirectly, to stress and are bound to impact on the entire organizational efficiency and effectiveness. With an increasing number of employees and management appreciating that stress is a problem to organizational performance, (McHugh, pp. 353 – 355, 1997) proposed that stress should be considered in the change management agenda. According to her, change management personnel should recognise and acknowledge that augmented strain and stress are placed on employees due to constant organizational transformation, furthermore it is indispensable for organizations to incorporate stress management agenda as an important ingredient of the change management undertaking. Stress has been touted as an impediment to change development and operation, while organizational change planning and implementing demands consideration of resistance, receptiveness, obligation, pessimism, stress, and correlated individual reactions, since transformation can result to cynicism and stress, consequently hampering organizational achievement of objectives. The emotional reaction of employee’s attitudes toward change in broad sense is a consequence of an individual’s perception about change, behavioural predisposition towards change, sentimental reaction to the alteration, (Vakola and Nikolaou, pp. 168, 2005). According to them, scholars and experts have essentially acknowledged an assortment of employees’ reactions to an organizational transformation covering strong positive attitudes where the change is viewed as an essential ingredient to the organizations success, while others have portrayed extreme negative attitudes, where change is perceived to be detrimental in the existence of the organization (Elrod,& Tippett, pp. 283, 2002), in this case therefore the reactions to change can either be happiness and excitement or anger and fear, depending on the employees concerns which may scope from positive intent to shore up the change pessimistic intents to counter the change. (Vakola and Nikolaou, pp. 173, 2005) quotes that more that seventy percent of change initiatives do not see the light of the day, the primary reason causing such failure being resistance to change, which is relentlessly correlated with the progression of pessimistic perceptions to change, in which the staff productivity, morale, and turnover intentions are greatly influenced by the attitudes towards change, which affect a persons emotional state. Whereas optimistic approach to organizational transformation are vital in achieving organizational goals and in succeeding in change undertakings, several researches are of the opinion that organizational change labours can be exceptionally stressful occurrence for employees, and that during change, there are several emotional states experience by employees during change processes, which are equilibrium, denial, anger, bargaining, chaos, depression, resignation, openness, readiness and re-emergence, these stages are similar with what persons undergo during levels of difficulty and the reactions are unswervingly interrelated, and at times comprise the resistance to transformation since alterations progression engross departing from known to the unknown, (Trader-Leigh, pp. 376, 2001). Emotions therefore have significant bearing on the success or failure of a change process, this has been pronounced in cases where negative perception to alterations have negative corollary for the organization, in which case distinctively, professed augmented demands originating from change implementation in organizational employees is linked with augmented stress, resulting to inferior job satisfaction and amplified intentions to quit. Other researches have indicated that beliefs, perceptions and attitudes are significant in achieving thriving change. The change process has to be perceived by the majority of employees to be beneficial and supported by organizational structures, failure to which the change tends to be a stressful occurrence, which results in producing negative feelings towards hence resulting to inhibition of change, it is therefore arguably perceptible that converse relationship subsists between approach towards organizational change and stress intensity. The impacts of organizational change on employees’ emotions can be influenced by organizational commitment as argued by (Vakola and Nikolaou, pp. 177, 2005) and (Elias, pp. 49, 2009). Organizational commitment which is the comparative potency of an Individual’s credentials, participation and attachment to an exacting organization influences the correlation and harmonious relationship between an employee and an organization. Since organizational commitment defines how and individual perceives and identifies with organizational aims, objectives and strategic vision and strives to facilitate the attainment of these objectives. Organizational commitment furthermore, ascertains the way in which employees attach themselves to the organization in order to derive certain rewards from the organization (Bovey and Hede, pp. 376, 2001) in essence it organizational commitment involves the means by which an organization satisfies the employees needs, skills, expectations and the need to exercise their skills, abilities and talents. A favourable condition to satisfy the employee needs is more likely to increase the level of commitment, which is defined by elevated acceptance of the organization’s strategies, values and goals, motivation to exercise substantial endeavour for the organization and an evident aspiration to preserve devotion in the organization (Ryan and Deci, pp. 75, 2000). Organizational commitment therefore influences an employee’s reaction to organizational changes, emotional reaction being significant. (Vakola and Nikolaou, pp. 172, 2005) argues that there exists immense evidence in the change management researches recognize the responsibility of organizational commitment in an organizational change perspective, where several authors have pointed out that organizational commitment influences significantly employee’s acceptance of change (Elias, pp. 46 -53, 2009), where organizational commitment has been touted to be among the most crucial determinants of attitudes toward organizational transformation, where high level of employee commitments is directly correlated with the willingness to acknowledge organizational change, if the change is professed to be beneficial, however some studies have indicated that resistance to change is more likely to increase even in motivated workforce, if the impacts of the change are perceived to be a potential threat to the individuals benefits, however (Piderit, pp. 785, 2000) is of the opinion that individual’s ethical principles or their aspiration to safeguard the organization's superlative interests may be the motivating factor behind seemingly disrespectful or unsubstantiated resistance to change. It is arguably suggestive that organizational commitment is more likely to influence attitudes to organizational change as Argued by (Elias, pp. 47 -52, 2009), where organizational commitment can serve as a forecaster of behavioural intentions than job satisfaction in transformation environments, where highly committed staff are more likely to exert effort in change development hence develop positive attitudes towards organizational change and that organizational commitment is more likely to result in willingness to accept organizational change, (Guest, pp. 508, 1987). This is supported by an array of several other past researches, highlighted by the fact that job security is correlated with organizational commitment, which in its extent concurrent with positive attitudes to organizational change, (Vokola et al, pp. 92 -95, 2003). This is in agreement with (Lines, pp. 17 -21, 2005) who is of the opinion that the emotional impacts of change are influenced by the formation of attitudes toward the change, since attitudes are hard to be altered once they have been created, where change which is perceived to contradict with the attitudes and beliefs of an individual are more likely to produce negative reactions from the employees, regardless of the organizational discernment of the intentioned change. The impacts of organizational change on employee performance has been catapulted by the results of numerous regression analysis, which point out that work associations forecast stalwartly approaches to organizational alteration demonstrating the imperative responsibility of work associations on change context. There have been immense substantiation from organizational transformation researches portentous of the correlation between social support and staff amendment representing that a collectively compassionate place of work was concurrent with decreased emotional fatigue scores as presented by (Cunningham, et al, pp. 383 – 384, 2002), in which supportive work environment and workmates play an imperative responsibility in workers attempts to deal with stress in organizational transformation. Other researches have been of the idea that employees with additional social maintenance tend to posses superior intensity of physical and psychological well being in times of tense life proceedings, where positive and supportive work associations are highly beneficial when employees attempt to manage impacts of organizational transformation. The impacts of organizational change on employee emotions have however elicited a different perception from some quarters, (Kiefer, pp. 877-890, 2005) has been of the opinion that the impacts of organizational transformation have a net negative impact on employee emotions, he argues that emotional experiences in the place of work have significant behavioural and attitudinal consequences such as work slowdowns, increased turnover intentions, decreased trust and commitment. functioning in the perspective of fragmentary transformation is probable to influence staff perceptions due to the treatment of the management in terms of equality, sustenance and appreciation which are possibly related to negative emotions including disappointment, anger, anxiety, resentment and mistrust. Organizational change has been argued to influence trust and withdrawal, which have however not been investigated as corollary of day by day emotional reactions in ongoing change perspective moreover the chronological significance of these consequences has rarely been surveyed. Considering that time factor is an important consideration in researching and theorizing consequences of emotional reactions in organizational transformational contexts, where there exist distinct instantaneous and longer-term outcome of emotions. (Kiefer, pp. 881-883, 2005) presents that short term impacts on the emotions may be portrayed by employee actions at the particular moment while other behaviours may take more time and less impulsively, through a series of experiences, the immediate outcomes are equally plausible and relevant as the long-term effects when considering sustained effects of emotional reactions caused by organizational change. Discussion (Vince and Broussine, pp. 7-9, 1996), argues that organizational transformation impacts are paradoxical and requires an informed approach, where the paradox is the self contradictory nature of employee emotions and organizational action are continuously exhibited in any change administration process, therefore if all the concerned stakeholders’ views and concerns should be considered in change management, the concerns are disparate, this is in agreement with (Garrety et al, pp 214-216, 2003), who argues that the more organization pushes a change agenda, the more the employees are likely to rebel hence being a setback to the objective of the change, while causing more negative emotional impacts to the employees. While appreciating the impacts of organizational change on employee emotions, (Callan, pp. 73 – 78, 1993) prescribes several ways and methodologies for dealing with the change from an individual and organizational perspective arguing that The human element greatly influences the success of organizational transformation generally alterations begin with the individual just like conscientiousness for coping with change. The author proposes that from an individual perspective, various methodologies are beneficial such as use of exterior resources and social supports such as psychotherapy services as well as family and societal assistance. Moreover, dependence on internal resources such as personality, personal principles and a sense of mastery such as individual utilization of coping efforts which are emotion-focused and problem-focused is important. This is in agreement with the argument presented by (Neck,pp.205, 1996), who argues that thought patterns, mental imagery and self dialogue determine how an deals with organizational change since emotional processes important for the process of communicating, perceiving, and consolidating change, (Kiefer, pp. 45-48,2002). From organizational perspective, (Callan, pp.65, 1993) proposes communicational leadership, which involves empowering employees to take control of change, communication training as well as organizational use of transformational leaders. Unlearning is also and organizational strategy to deal with emotional impacts associated with change, this involves the elimination of old elements of organizational culture, as well as offering stress management and change appreciation programmes as well as job related tasks. From organizational context, the negative impacts of organizational change on employee emotions can also be dealt with by including emotional considerations in change management, where appreciating the actuality that augmented demands and stress incrementally affect the staff due to continuous organizational change agenda, therefore evidently appropriate criterion variables structure be considered planning and implementing an organizational transformation . Conclusion The objective of article was to objectively evaluate the impacts of organizational change of the employee emotions, where both perceived positive and negative impacts where analysed as well as the consequence and the organizational as well as the individual environment influencing the professed impacts. The organizational transformation is an inevitable process in the daily operation of the organization, but its impacts are a consequence or diverse situations, where the a blanket conclusive factor cannot be arrived at, but rather varies depending on the organizational intentioned objective and the specific employee’s perception on the impacts of the change in their lives. Further Research The study however has some limitations considering that it was based on secondary data, future research should therefore scrutinize the responsibility of supplementary context and individual difference variables. Such as, context variables concerned with organizational transformation, and the position of Affective Events Theory on influencing the emotions of the employees in times of organizational transformation. There is also need for further research on developing a clear methodology that can be used by the organization to mitigate against the negative emotional impacts associated with organizational transformation. Reference List Bovey, W and Hede,A 2001, ‘Resistance to organizational change: the role of cognitive and affective processes’, Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 22, No. 8, pp. 372 – 382. Callan, V 1993, 'Individual and organizational strategies for coping with organizational change', Work & Stress, Vol. 7, No. 1, pp.63 – 75. Cunningham, C et al 2002, “Readiness for organizational change: a longitudinal study of workplace, psychological and behavioural correlates”, Journal of occupational and Organizational Psychology, Vol. 75 No. 1, pp. 377-92. 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