Timelines For Organizational Change Within An Organization
Timelines for organizational change within an organization. Identify rough timelines for resolving issues, completing the design, and planning transitions on the list. These should be detailed enough to indicate when the work-unit design will start and when the design features will be completed. These timelines will provide the basis both for planning and for communications to the larger organization.
The timeline should also reflect changes that can take place immediately. There will be some key changes that enable people to live out the design in small or large ways—either by beginning new behaviors immediately or by stopping existing behaviors or processes.
1. Management Support for Change
Employees develop a certain level of comfort when they see management supporting the process.
It is important that management shows support for changes and demonstrates that support when communicating and interacting with staff.
There is nothing worse than sending mixed messages to employees. If you can’t support the change 100%, don’t think about making it.
2. Case for Change
A case for change can come from different sources. It can be a result of data collected on defect rates, customer satisfaction surveys, employee satisfaction surveys, customer comment cards, business goals as a result of a strategic planning session or budget pressures.
Using data is the best way to identify and justify areas that need to improve through change initiatives.
3. Employee Involvement
All change efforts should involve employees on some level.
Organizational change, whether big or small, needs to be explained and communicated, specifically changes that affect how employees perform their jobs.
Even if it is changing a work process, improving customer satisfaction or finding ways to reduce costs, employees have experiences that can benefit the change planning and implementation process.
Since employees are typically closest to the process, it is important that they understand the why behind a change and participate in creating the new process.
4. Communicating the Change
Communicating change should be structured and systematic.
Employees are at the mercy of management to inform them of changes.
When there is poor communication and the rumor mill starts spreading rumors about change, it can create resistance to the change.
Being proactive in communications can minimize resistance and make employees feel like they are part of the process.
5. Implementation
Once a change is planned, it is important to have good communication about the roll-out and implementation of the change.
A timeline should be made for the implementation and changes should be made in the order of its impact on the process and the employees who manage that process.
An effective timeline will allow for all new equipment, supplies or training to take place before it is fully implemented.
6. Follow-up
Whenever a change is made it is always good to follow-up after implementation and assess how the change is working and if the change delivered the results that were intended.
Sometimes changes exceed target expectations but there are occasions that changes just don’t work as planned. When this is the case, management should acknowledge that it didn’t work and make adjustments until the desired result is achieved.
7. Removing Barrier
Sometimes employees deal with barriers when implementing changes.
Barriers can be with other employees, other departments, inadequate training, lacking equipment or supply needs.
Sometimes management also needs to deal with resistant or difficult employees.
It is management’s responsibility to ensure that employees can implement change without obstacles and resistance.
8. Celebrate
It is important to celebrate successes along the way as changes are made. Celebrating the small changes and building momentum for larger changes are what makes employees want to participate in the process.
When employees understand why a change is made and are part of the process for planning and implementing the change, it allows for a better chance for successful implementation.
These timelines for organizational change within your organization will be beneficial to the growth of your organization.
About the Author
Dr. Jeff Evans
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