Management of Change - Case Study Example

Management of change Case study of management of change at Main Roads department Case analysis The road workers in the Queensland department of Main Roads are resisting the implementation of change in the department. The change entails implementation of new dress code that will ensure the occupational health and safety of the workers. However, the workers are concerned of the negative impact of the new dress code since it will create excess heat stress. The management did not make adequate consultations with the stakeholders before implementing the new guidelines and policies that will create a safety culture in the Department.

The long trousers and long-sleeved shorts are made to prevent risk of skin cancer. However, the management failed in addressing the short-term health risks of the long-sleeved shirts especially during the hot summer. It is true that there are many risk-behaviours, incidents and injuries that occur in the construction industry thus Main Roads department must focus on the occupational health and safety of its workforce estimated at 5,000 workers. There are some organizational barriers to change since the department of Main Roads has a centralised policy of resource allocation, bureaucratic procedures and a hierarchical structure thus hindering flow of information and fast decision-making.

However, the Main Roads department claims that it cooperates with other government departments in implementation of policy agenda through consultations with stakeholders and external agencies. Surprisingly, the department did not consult with Cancer Council on the sun-safe strategies that will ensure workers are protected from skin cancer in the workplace, but relied on World Health Organization (WHO) advice on and figures that point out the Australia has the highest incidence of skin cancer.

On the other hand, Cancer Council recommends that all workplaces to have ultraviolent (UV) radiation protection program that entails comprehensive policy and strategies of early detection and prevention of skin cancer. It is a fact that construction workers have higher risk of skin cancer that all other workers due to long exposure to radiation from direct sunlight and UV rays. Culture The Main Roads department has a positive culture that aims at protecting workers from health risks. The department has certain shared norms, customs and practices.

However, the outside workers have the mentality that ‘as soon as the sun comes out you take your shirt off’. The department has created a powerful coalition “ A Safety Leaders Group” that will steer the efforts of promoting positive safety staff attitudes in the department. The efforts will entails owning safety responsibility, encouraging safe behaviours, clarifying expected behaviours and engaging the right people in hazard identifications and assessments. However, incorporation of protective clothing has decreased the autonomy of road workers in controlling the immediate environment.

Change The workers received the decision through meetings that focused on occupational health and safety issues. The workers resistance stems from the industry norms that perceive work environment changes as a means of demonstrating power of management and attack on workers autonomy. Accordingly, the management acknowledge that control over heat stress was not in place thus forcing works to deem the changes as a means of minimising risks associated with long-term compensation claims as opposed to day-to-day protection of the health of workers.

A critical driver of the change is encouraging safety behaviours and implementation of safety protocols required consultations with staff and other agencies. Managers choose to use information sessions in implementing the new dress standards. However, the management ignored other available options such as provision of quality sunscreen or providing portable sunshades in the worksites. Possible questions from the case study1. Using Kotter’s steps of effective change, explain the steps that Main Roads department must undertake in order to implement new dress standards and safety culture in the workplace.i. Create sense of urgency for change- in this talk about the high number of incidents and injuries in the construction industry.

Talk to workers about the risk of skin cancer and the need to wear protective clothing such as long-sleeved shirts and long trousers. The management must involve all stakeholders such as the workers, Cancer Council and WHO. The management must identify possible solutions to the problem such as new dress standards or sunshades in the worksites. ii. Pull together a guiding team with needed skills, credibility and connections- In this step; the “safety leaders group” is a powerful team that can steer the change in the department. iii. Create an uplifting vision and strategy- The management and guiding team must create a vision that aims at ensuring workplace vision.

For instance, the department must seek to be the ‘leading department in occupational health and safety’ among the other government agencies. iv. Communicate the vision and strategy-The management must use words, deeds, symbols and other form of communication in making the workers understand the vision of the department in ensuring workplace safety. The guiding team must lead by example.v. Remove obstacles and empower people to move- The guiding team must identify reasons of employee resistance such as negative perceptions of the workers towards the management, the bureaucratic practices and high hierarchy in the department.

Management must address the workers concerns such as perceptions of possible reduction in the long-term compensation claims. The management must address employee concerns regarding work autonomy and empower the workers to accept the change (Sharma, 2007). vi. Create short-term wins for visible progress- The management must have short-term goals that will act as motivators and help in the assessment of the implementation process. Some short-term wins include reduction in number of injuries by 5 percent in a period of three months and change in the general attitude and behaviours of the workers. vii. Consolidate improvements/build on the change- the management of Main Roads department must keep making continuous improvements through insisting on best practices in occupational health and safety and taking corrective actions in cases of risk behaviours. viii. Anchor the changes in corporate culture/institutionalise new approaches- the management must incorporate the change in the corporate culture.

In this case, the department’s culture must be people centered and committed to high workplace safety. The management must tell stories of leaders who were committed to the change and ensure values that support workplace safety. 2. Define the dimensions of organizational culture that are present in Main Roads department3. Define organizational cultureOrganizational culture refers to a set of shared values, norms, and beliefs that control the interactions of members within and outside the organization. 4. Outline some of the methods that Main Roads department can use to transmit the desired organizational culture There are two methods of transmitting organizational culture that are socialisation and role orientation.

Socialisation entails learning and internalization of the organizational values, norms and beliefs. Role orientation will entail new recruits responding the existing situations in the organization such as adhering with the new dress standards. 5. Outline some of the issues that have led to employee resistance to change in occupational health and safety standards and culture at Main Roads departmenta. Some of the issues include the high suspicion of new ideas by the workers since change is perceived as a means of imposing management power and diminishing the autonomy of workers. b. The employees are concerned about possible reduction in their long-term compensation claims.c. The employees are afraid of management powerd.

The departmental factors such as high organizational hierarchy and bureaucratic practices.6. Explain the organizational climate that is essential in supporting change at Main Roads departmenta. Encouragement to voice sensitive issues of employees concernsb. Ability to collate and clarify informationc. Joint ownership of the changed. Ability to test different viewpoints or alternatives to the problem7. Define employee stress and outline some sources of stress at Main Roads department and how you will adequately reduce the stress.

Stress refers to the physical and psychological tensions that an individual feels due to extraordinary constraints, demands or opportunities and the associated uncertainties. Some causes of stress include role strain due ambiguity and conflicts, job fir strains due to mismatch of interests, and competing interests and inter-role conflict. Some causes of stress at Main Roads department include:i. Organisational factors- role demands, organizational structure, and organizational leadership. These factors have led to individual differences like hostility and negative perception of change in the department.

Stress may lead to headaches, high blood pressure, anxiety depression and decline in job satisfaction. Some behavioural symptoms of stress include high turnover, absenteeism and low productivity of workers (Sharma, 2007). 8. Define the steps of accomplishing a cultural changea. Conduct a cultural analysis to identify key elements that require changeb. Make it clear to the employees that organizational survival and productivity is threatened unless there is legitimate cultural changec. Appoint new leadership with new visiond.

Initiate organizational reorganization e. Introduce new stories, rituals and valuesf. Align the recruitment, socilisation and reward systems with the new values, norms, and beliefs. Reference:Sharma, Radha. (2007). Change management: concepts and applications. New Delhi: Tata