NAVIGATING CHANGE : THE ROLE OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT IN HUMAN RESOURCES

Introduction to Change Management

Change is a very much important factor for any organization in current economical world due to its rapid changes due to various internal and external factors. While there are many companies can control or manage there is also factors which companies may not be able to control. One thing for sure that change is needed to manage effectively as it’s very much critical and can decide the company future in the long run. We have seen giant companies like Nokia vanished from the limelight in business world due to its poor management of the change.


        HR teams in the organizations has huge responsibility in current world to assist companies change management by involving managing the change successfully by planning, implementing and monitoring changes to make sure smooth transition while focusing on minimizing resistance coming various stakeholders and maximizing employee engagement.


What is Change Management?

According to (Lawton and Pratt, 2022) change management is a systematic approach to dealing with the transition or transformation of an organization's goals, processes or technologies. They further states that the purpose of change management is to implement strategies for effecting change, controlling change and helping people to adapt to change.

As per (Rahman, 2023) change management is the process of preparing an organization for change and supporting employees through that change and it involves identifying the need for change, developing a plan for how to implement it, and communicating the change to stakeholders. He also emphasis that effective change management is critical for companies because it helps them remain competitive and adapt to market conditions.

As per the given definitions by (Lawton and Pratt, 2022) and (Rahman, 2023) all of them have highlighted several common areas in their definition of change management in human resources. All of them has highlighted the importance of areas such as a systematic approach, purpose of the change management, its involvement of the people focused on facilitating the required changes in organizations.


Steps in Change Management

When there is a change always there is obstacles also for the make changes work. One of common obstacle is the resistance to change of the people. Managing resistance is critical for the success of the change process. And as the situations of the organizations may differ to one and another It’s impossible to identify fixed steps as the correct steps in the change management. But there are main areas an any organization which going through change management process.


            One of the commonly used models in change management is the one (Kotter, 1996) wrote regarding the change in his book named Leading Change. In that book he has nicely explained the approach to change in a model which has eight steps shown in diagram below.

Figure 1 – Kotter’s 8 Step Change Model (Creelman, 2021)


Kotter’s 8 Step Change Model Explained


(Madsen, 2016)

Conclusion

Today’s cooperate world is rapidly changing, and companies need to adapt to those changes quickly and properly. If failed to do so such establishments will not be able to be ahead of their game than their competitors and will lose their advantages. That’s where change management come in and companies need to focus on that adequately as it will determine the future of those companies.

            For HR professionals has huge role to play in this Change management process for its success by assisting these transitions effectively. Proper systematic approach, clear vision and getting the involvement of the people is key to success of this change management processes. Companies should accept the changes in positive way for their growth and sustainability in these always changing corporate world.


References


Creelman, D. (2021) HR & Change Management: Beyond the Kotter Model, AIHR.com [Online] Available at: https://www.aihr.com/blog/hr-change-management/ [Accessed on 08.04.2024]


Kotter, J. P. (1996) Leading Change. Boston: Harvard Business School Press


Lawton, G. and Pratt, M. K. (2022) Change Management, Techtarget.com [Online] Available at: https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/change-management [Accessed on 08.04.2024]


Madsen, S. (2016) Kotter's 8 Step Change Management Model [video]. Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qlJ_Y8w5Yk [Accessed on 08.04.2024]

 

Rahman, M. D. T. (2023) The Role of HR in Navigating Change Management, Linkedin.com [Online] Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/role-hr-navigating-change-management-md-tahmid-rahman [Accessed on 08.04.2024]

Location: Yala, Sri Lanka

Comments

  1. Amesha J ColinsApril 8, 2024 at 11:10 AM

    Great Blog!Yes the information given us so interesting! Change management is a systematic approach to managing the transition of an organization's goals, processes, or technologies. It involves implementing strategies for change, controlling it, and helping people adapt. Effective change management is crucial for companies to remain competitive and adapt to market conditions. Both Lawton and Rahman emphasize the importance of a systematic approach, purpose, and involvement of people in facilitating necessary changes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Prabodha MadhushanApril 13, 2024 at 11:28 AM

      Thank you for sharing this insights! It's is great to learn more about change management and its importance in helping organizations thrive. The systematic approach and emphasis on involving people are key takeaways that I find particularly valuable.

      Delete
  2. Satchithanantham SathiyaApril 8, 2024 at 11:28 AM

    Good one. In today's fast- paced corporate world change management plays major role and HR professionals has bigger responsibility to adopt those changes in the organization's through continuous learning development.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Prabodha MadhushanApril 13, 2024 at 11:29 AM

      Agreed on this Sathya. HR has to play a huge role in change management.

      Delete
  3. Nabeel YakoobApril 8, 2024 at 12:24 PM

    Well explained on the Change Management. In modern world organization should be adopt on this particular Changes and to well manage it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Prabodha MadhushanApril 13, 2024 at 11:31 AM

      Yes. When they manage the changes successfully, they can thrive in corporate world

      Delete
  4. DilshadApril 8, 2024 at 10:45 PM

    HR plays a major role in the overall accomplishment of the organization's objectives by guaranteeing a smooth transition during change. Better business outcomes are the result of increased production, less expenses, and a pleasant company culture.
    To put it briefly, HR is essential in transforming change from a possible danger into a chance for advancement.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Nilakshi MadushiniApril 11, 2024 at 3:36 AM

    Change Management is integral to the role of Human Resources in navigating organizational change. By anticipating challenges, communicating effectively, supporting employees, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement, HR professionals play a critical role in driving successful change initiatives and ensuring the resilience and adaptability of the organization in an ever-evolving business landscape.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Amila EdirisingheApril 11, 2024 at 7:49 AM

    Change management is a process of planning and introducing change systematically, taking into account the likelihood of it being resisted, to achieve the objective of smooth implementation of change. Change management often uses the techniques advocated by Lewin (1951), which consisted of processes of managing change by unfreezing, changing, and freezing and force-field analysis (analyzing and dealing with the driving forces that affect transition to a future state). Unique and important area for organizational development.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Shani KalansooriyaApril 12, 2024 at 10:20 PM

    This article delves into the crucial role of change management in today's dynamic corporate landscape, emphasizing the need for organizations to adapt swiftly to remain competitive. It explores key definitions, steps, and models, highlighting the pivotal role of HR professionals in facilitating successful transitions and fostering organizational growth.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Shani KalansooriyaApril 12, 2024 at 10:26 PM

    This good and detail article delves into the crucial role of change management in today's dynamic business environment. It emphasizes the significance of implementing effective strategies to navigate organizational change successfully, highlighting the importance of HR professionals in facilitating this process. The emphasis on systematic approaches and employee engagement is commendable.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Sandali GunathilakaApril 13, 2024 at 9:47 AM

    A change management process helps ensure that employees are equipped and supported for the entirety of the transition. Several reasons constitute a need for change management. Mergers and acquisitions, leadership adjustments and implementation of new technology are common change management drivers (Iacoviello,2024).

    ReplyDelete

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