‘The only constant in life is change’, is a beautiful saying that applies to every organization. If there is no change, there is no growth. Change takes place due to a changing economy, a shift in demand or, for example, due to explosive growth. But how do you manage your company in times of change?
The role of the manager
During change, the way in which leadership is given and the associated communication is crucial for the result. An important role has been laid here for management functions, which have a group of people to supervise. First everyone needs to understand the importance of the change before the new way of working is accepted and adopted. The manager’s role is to create a good working environment and get his team used to the new tasks. He then has to create clear guidelines and give direction to achieve the new goals.
The reactions of employees
Employees may react differently to changes. To a large extent this also depends on the company’s corporate and organizational culture. Some of the questions that determine the response of employees are: How much change will there be?’, ‘What will happen to my position?’ and ‘ Am I going forward or backward on this? It is important to answer these doubts and questions as well as possible, so that there are no concerns within the team.
Execution and coaching
A smart manager chooses a number of stakeholders who will execute the change within the team. Think carefully about who you are going to give these key roles to. The tailor-made plan to implement the change will be executed by these key people. The manager monitors the whole process and sets a good example. It is also the role of the manager to continuously coach everyone, especially the staff who have been given other work thanks to the change.
