Things were progressing at full speed in the reorganized company, but for many employees and managers the pace was too high. First it takes several years to make the change and then suddenly in six months everything should be running as desired. The confusion already had an impact before, but also after the announcement of the reorganization. The great uncertainty about what was going to happen often caused unproductiveness. The uncertainty before and after the announcement is a factor that should not be underestimated. This has far-reaching consequences.
Success factors
Why is organizational change so difficult and not very successful, despite the extensive literature on it? The most common change literature only talks about three success factors:
1- the change must be substantively correct;
2- the procedures for the change must be clear and transparent;
3- the interaction in and about the change must be open and honest.
If these critical success factors are taken into account, the chance of success increases, but if any of the factors are neglected, the process is doomed to failure. So much for the existing literature. Thorough research has shown that there is a fourth critical success factor. This arises from the ambiguity that is an everyday element in the change process. The fourth critical success factor is:
4- takes into account the meanings that others attach to the content, procedure and interaction.
What is meant by this fourth critical success factor? Organizations and processes are not things. They have no meaning in themselves, but they become meaningful because people give them meanings. So organizations are what people see in them.
Uncertainty and Ambiguity
Suppose you have met the three critical success factors. You present a business plan and you find that it is not catching on or is not understood. Then you also offer a good social plan and yet you do not get sufficient support from those who stay. The culprits are mainly Uncertainty and/or Ambiguity. Uncertainty indicates a lack of information and equates to unclear or unpredictable consequences. Ambiguity means that matters within the organization are not clear, but are open to multiple interpretations. Ambiguity therefore does not mean a shortage of information, but a surplus of meanings.
If a number of matters have been clearly stated in the organization, such as rules of conduct, standard procedures, tasks, responsibilities and authorities, then it is better not to tinker with them. Then what was cleaned up is turned upside down. The change process then seriously infringes on those crystallized frameworks for meaning.
Meanings
Difference in meaning, and relatedly, the difference of insight and reality is a common phenomenon in organizations. This is also a source of many problems. What are the frames of reference from which people give meaning to things? Decisive for this are the education, the professional background, the personal background, the position and the state of mind. But that means 100 people, 100 different meanings. That's right. So what is the essence of an employee change process? Making the functional frameworks common. How and how can the employee influence this?
Communication
If mass communication is chosen for announcements, that in itself is a good starting point. Many aspects are touched on in a number of sessions. Everyone gets information. Make sure that information is complete, correct, clear and current. Because if that is not the case, then there was a shortage of information. People would have liked to hear much more background and argumentation. There could also be a surplus of meanings (ambiguity). What did he mean? It can go either way!
For a rapid transfer of information, communication with a diverse, highly educated group is best. As such, the approach for that group is initially the right starting point, because the outcomes of that communication can be used for the other staff. Furthermore, the cooperation and support of middle management is crucial throughout the process.
Influencing behavior
Communication can sustainably influence attitude and behavior. Then we are talking about personal communication. Written communication alone will not make the process successful. After all, people want to be able to hear substantiated decisions and then support them.
Research has shown that behavior can be divided into planned behavior and automatic behavior. These are important aspects to know if one wants to try to transfer the ideas one to one. Planned behavior is the behavior we think about. It comes about through a certain amount of consideration and consideration. Automatic behavior is the behavior that we don't think about. Many actions are repeatable. Are laid down in procedures or codes of conduct. However, the difference between the two is startling. Of planned and automatic behavior together, only 5% is planned behavior and 95% is automatic behavior. While it is certain that automatic behavior is much more difficult to influence. So during a period of change we are dealing with that 95%. Quite a job, but doable. How do we approach that?
Approach
Before the announcement, it is important to assess what significance it will have for employees if departments are reorganized or work processes change. The intervention in the structure will cause people to lose their security and routines, which will greatly increase ambiguity, which can make the change process increasingly problematic.
Corporate culture
Corporate culture is also a framework for meaning. This offers opportunities for change managers. By having the employees work out cases, the change manager finds out which value patterns they use. The change process can be accelerated by making the value patterns and the meaning that employees give them explicit at an early stage. This can be done simply by asking or asking employees what meaning they give to it.
Communication
The first step is to inform middle management in detail. Not in the manner of mass communication, but in a small group setting. If necessary individually, especially with managers (including employees) who ask a lot of questions and can support them through arguments. That means a lot of time. And if necessary, conversations should also be able to take place in the evening or at the weekend. Without this personal approach there will be (too) little support. This is followed by mass communication.
Personal attention
Only when middle management is largely convinced can middle management work effectively with the employees. But because both processes will run simultaneously, it will take even more time to provide middle management with information and meanings. Middle management will ask additional questions after discussions with employees. Both information transfer processes require a high degree of personal attention. The advantage of this method is that 80% to 100% behavioral effects can be achieved.
