Introducing changes in the company

Implementing change in a company is an indispensable part of its development and adaptation to a rapidly changing business environment. Whether implementing new technologies, restructuring departments or changing marketing strategy, the process always involves certain challenges. Successful change management requires not only precise planning and coordination, but also skillful management of people and their concerns.

Employees – the company’s key resource

The resources that form a company are not only areas, machines or materials, but above all people. If, we decide to optimize the processes that operate in the company, we must remember about the employees.

In companies we always find people who are open to all kinds of innovations and want to participate in the proposed changes, but at the opposite pole we will find employees who do not want changes and will not be interested in implementing them.

How to engage employees?

What should the company do to reduce the waste associated with the decline in employee creativity? What actions should we take to create a new culture in the organization with those employees who are not positively oriented to the changes that need to take place in the company?

If we are the people in charge of implementing change, we must keep in mind that we will meet people on our way who have different attitudes to life, affecting how they perceive the reality around us. Employees will always do a profit and loss balance. They will assess to what extent the changes being made will benefit them and to what extent they will make their lives more difficult. They will consider only those changes that will directly affect them.

How to make changes?

When making changes, we must remember to give all the necessary information to those who will be involved in the project. Communication plays a key role in success. 

Companies need to inform all stakeholders why they are making changes, and to what extent these changes will help the organization become a competitive company. It is necessary to talk about the changes openly and with time to spare, i.e., before these changes begin to be implemented.

Talking openly and clarifying many doubts will allow everyone to understand that they are becoming participants in the actions taken, rather than people to whom these changes have been imposed. This type of communication will take a lot of time and effort, but the results of such an action can be enormous.

During this type of discussion, the person responsible for implementing the changes must be patient and accept feedback from those involved in the discussion. It is essential to state at the beginning of the discussion of changes the goal that must be achieved.

7 techniques for motivating employees

Leaders of implemented changes must remember to involve employees in the implemented project. The greatest effect will be achieved if you involve employees in the initial stage of implementing changes. Participants will feel that they have an impact on the project, which will make them more cooperative.

We can list 7 techniques to effectively motivate employees:

1. Setting a clear goal – if you set a specific goal for the employee, he will not have to waste time thinking about what is expected of him. Clearly setting tasks will allow them to be started and completed quickly, which will result in an increase in the employee’s motivation.
2. Accountability – transferring responsibility to the employees for completing tasks in the project will work to motivate them when they realize that it is up to them to complete the task.
3. Punishment and rewards system – this is a factor that plays an important role in motivating employees. It is important that both methods are applied fairly and proportionally to the situation, which will help build a healthy organizational culture and increase the efficiency of the team.
4. Systematic evaluation – no one likes to be evaluated, but this is an aspect that plays a very important role in employee motivation. Evaluation of an employee must be fair and refer to achievements and to situations when tasks were not completed as required by the goal.  A good practice in companies with a high organizational culture is a one-on-one conversation between the supervisor and the employee at least once a year.
5. Employee development and personal fulfillment – this is an approach that brings long-term benefits and promotes a culture of continuous learning and improvement, which at the same time increases employee motivation. We can offer employees various types of training and courses, coaching programs, or promotion.
6. Appreciation – every employee would like emotional and intellectual recognition. It is important for people that managers count their opinion and ask for their opinion. Always discuss an employee’s suggestion, even when it is not consistent with the ongoing project.
7. Measurable work results – no one likes to do work for nothing. As leaders of introduced projects, we should ensure that employees can know the results of their work. Information about the results at each stage of the work performed acts as a motivator for employees.

Summary

For many companies, the problem is the involvement of employees in the aspect of accepting change. The basic principle of building an organization according to Lean Manufacturing emphasizes that the key is not a set of tools and techniques, but a philosophy and system based on respect for people.

Therefore, when implementing changes in a company, one must not forget about the employees who make up this organization. The loss of employee creativity that will result from lack of involvement in projects is one of the key losses. Lack of Kaizen ideas submitted by employees causes companies to stop growing.