Introduction
Any organization needs to keep changing its activities in order to maintain its efficiency in performance. Any change plan however reaches a point where the parties involved start having their efforts go down. The leader, therefore, needs to have ways of making mid-course adjustments in order to ensure continuity of the process (Hay, 2006).
Change process
In our Organization, I got involved in a change process that was meant to ensure that our clients get maximum attention and their needs are adequately met. This change involved the addition of a customer care section where the staff in this section could adequately respond to customers’ concerns. Our organization deals with the provision of health care to patients, an area where some of the clients need consultation services. These services could not be handled sufficiently by the staff who were involved in treatment and this, therefore, necessitated a customer care section. The section had well-equipped staff who could handle any health-related issue. The launch of this section attracted a lot of customers into our premises since they could avoid the long queue whet they are being attended by the same staff as those who need immediate treatment (Svensson, 1998).
Change fatigue
Most changes in nay organization bring what Beaudan refers to as change fatigue. Change fatigue is a point in any change plan that reaches and the leader begins to get less concerned, the followers also start pulling out. Beaudin describes several signs of change fatigue which include the change leaders getting stressed, outsiders questioning the value of the plan, reluctance to give information about the effort, diversion of resources to other projects, customers becoming impatient with the time taken to initiate the effort, and the key leaders not attending meetings on review of the process progress (Worley, & Lawler, 2006). In our change plan in the organization, some signs of change fatigue were noted. The noted signs were pulling out of some leaders, customers becoming impatient of the time taken to initiate the plan, and the leaders were getting stressed. These signs were however due to the many resources in form of time, money, and personnel required in setting up a customer care center. A lot of effort was also required which led to stress on the leaders (Head, 2006).
Beaudin also talks of several questions that should have been asked in the mid-course phase of change. These are; who is opposing the change, how people’s enthusiasm for change can be renewed, the unexpected side effects that the change caused and how they could be minimized. Other questions are how the speed of the change process can be accelerated for it to be completed faster; the improvements to be done on the plan to attribute the change, and how to ensure that the changes being made will be made embraced in the institution (Manos, 2007).
If I could have been in charge of the change plan, I could make various efforts so as to get the plan back on track (Beaudan, 2006). Some of my efforts would include sourcing for external funds so as to meet the costs which are delaying the process. The other effort would be to instill hope into the people by assuring them that the plan would succeed. This will make the other people become motivated and will start working towards the success of the plan. Another thing that I would do is to use employees as a source of labor that is required in the change plan (Emerald Publishing Group, 2006). This will help cut the cost involved in hiring labor and the funds could be diverted to another aspect of the plan. Creating awareness to all the members of the organization would make people understand it better and would improve their participation in the plan (Emerald Publishing Group 2006).
Conclusion
Any plan in an organization succeeds when all the members are involved. This involvement can only be achieved through the proper motivation of the employees and explaining clearly to them the benefits that will follow the success of the plan.
References
Beaudan, E. (2006). Making change last: How to get beyond change fatigue[Electronic version]. Ivey Business Journal. Web.
Emerald Publishing Group (2006). Dramatic change at home depot: Success to further success [Electronic version]. Strategic Direction, 22(9), 8-10. Web.
Hay, G. W. (2006). New partners for strategic change and organizational transformation: The combined effects of market research and organization development[Electronic version]. Organization Development Journal, 24(4), 55- 61. Web.
Head, T. C. (2006). Strategic organization development: A failure of true organization development[Electronic version]. Organization Development Journal, 24(4), 21- 28. Web.
Manos, A. (2007). The benefits of Kaizen and Kaizen Events [Electronic version]. Quality Progress, 40(2), 47-48. Web.
Svensson F. E. (1998). The concept of change: alternative Perspectives. Washington DC University of Washington Press.
Worley, C. G. & Lawler, E. E. (2006). Designing organizations that are built to change [Electronic version]. MIT Sloan Management Review. Web.