Introduction
This case study analysis addresses the developing problem that employees at the Pharmaceutical Company are concerned with the lowered quality of the workplace environment due to frequent smoke breaks. There is a disagreement between smokers and nonsmokers on the need for such interruptions. A survey is employed to assess the extent of the problem necessary in developing the most appropriate organizational change for optimum productivity. The analysis highlights the problems, discussing proposed solutions applicable to overcome the challenges based on the organization’s strengths. The discussion concludes by acknowledging the most appropriate communication channel for effecting change within the organization.
Survey
Employees were requested to volunteer to attend a session on the management’s new proposal on tobacco control at the workplace. The attendants filled out questionnaires that were developed to establish the main concerns among the employees. According to the survey findings, there was a clear sense of urgency from male and female employees. Forty-one percent of males and 18 percent of females were active smokers. Seventeen percent of current smokers acknowledged smoking at the workplace. Forty-nine percent of nonsmokers report frequent exposure to secondhand smoke from others in the workplace, while nearly half report occasional passive smoking.
Stages of Organizational Change
Based on the survey, the problems require urgent management intervention to address the health risks of secondhand smoking and disruptive breaks. Such intervention requires a change in tobacco use policies at work. In the setting, several stages must be considered to implement change within the organization effectively. This approach has four significant steps: precontemplation, deliberation, preparation, and execution (Tian & Wang, 2018). Maintenance and relapse might be included as extra stages for addicted personnel. The phase of precontemplation occurs when there is no intention of changing behavior in the near future. The second stage, the deliberation phase, promotes logic and reason above internal conflicts and debate.
The preparation stage of the phases of the change model indicates that workers have progressed to strategizing and prepping to implement changes learned about in the contemplation stage. When it comes to substance abuse, careful and well-thought-out preparation might be crucial to success. Finally, the execution stage entails the most visible behavioral changes and requires significant time and energy investment. The management must effectively communicate the importance of the change and supply the necessary support resources to effect the change (Tipu, 2021). Employees that adhere to the new routines should be rewarded as an incentive to encourage compliance. However, several challenges are likely to emerge with any changes in organization smoking policies.
Possible Obstacles
Reduced employee morale is one of the most frequent problems in adopting changes in workplace smoking policy. Employees, in many cases, loathe change unless it is one that they have desired or pushed for, which implies that acquiring buy-in is a significant obstacle to change. Employee dissatisfaction becomes an impediment to organizational transformation since employees are inclined to reject the changes. When employees are dissatisfied with choices, they are considerably less likely to embrace those decisions in a way that benefits the company’s success.
Equally, unexpected setbacks are also likely to occur, especially when dealing with an employee population that is entitled. It is a common experience that setbacks are unavoidable when implementing radical changes, but they may be mitigated by detecting them before they occur. It is vital to strategize to achieve faultless transformation. However, the process is unlikely to be infallible since correctly forecasting the future is challenging. When a problem arises, the change manager must determine if it is a one-time occurrence or a necessary consequence that necessitates a rethinking of the change process.
Overcoming the Obstacles
In addressing possible employee resistance and setback cases, one of the most effective approaches is proper employee education at the workplace. The employees need to appreciate that going smoke-free has a variety of financial advantages. These include cheaper cleaning and refurbishing expenses, the possibility of lower health insurance premiums, a decreased chance of a lawsuit, and a reduced fire hazard, as well as advantages from reduced absenteeism and enhanced efficiency. Effective communication would also be necessary to address the potential challenges likely to emerge within the organization (Cinite & Duxbury, 2018). Such efficiencies are addressing the obstacles are dependent on the specific strengths of the organization.
Strengths of the Organization
For The National Social Marketing Centre, employees are the most crucial resource that a firm has. The organization has human resource strengths, including recruiting and retaining the top applicants from the pool of workers. Depth and breadth of knowledge, morale, and contentment are all examples of the company’s strengths. Managing the policy changes on workplace smoking would therefore be critical. An effective communication technique within the organization is one of the significant aspects that define the successful transition. In the setting, the most appropriate channel is face-to-face communication.
Conclusion
The emerging problem of employee dissatisfaction with frequent use breaks to smoke cigarettes is concerning. As established in the survey, the disagreement between smokers and nonsmokers on breaks directly affects the company’s prospects. Changes in smoking policies at the workplace are therefore necessary. Such routine alteration requires proper change management intervention to address the company’s employees’ concerns and productivity. The four stages recommended include precontemplation, deliberation, preparation, and execution. Despite possible challenges of resistance and setback, face-to-face communication is recommended to solve the problems that might emerge in implementing the changes.
References
Cinite, I., & Duxbury, L. E. (2018). Measuring the behavioral properties of commitment and resistance to organizational change. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 54(2), 113-139.
Tian, J., & Wang, L. (2018). A study on changes of leadership style and characteristics in different development stages and organizational change: A dual case study based on Chinese enterprises. Journal of Modern Accounting and Auditing, 14(5), 281-287.
Tipu, S. A. A. (2021). Organizational change for environmental, social, and financial sustainability: A systematic literature review. Review of Managerial Science, 1-46.