Managing Change in the Workplace
Managing change in the workplace
To begin the critical analysis of how a change of event in the work place reflects upon, not only the management of the change process but also the impact that change can have upon the organisation and the quality of the service provided. Firstly it may be worth nothing the definition of ‘change’ is quoted in Webster’s English Dictionary as ….
“Change (transitive verb) to make different, to alter; to transform; to exchange; to put fresh clothes on. (2006 p73)
As a manager of a setting one’s personal experience would tell that there are many different types of ‘change’ that can arise in a private day nursery, one example has recently occurred where two qualified members of the team, who both worked together in the baby room, terminated their contract of employment within weeks of each other. This became a problem as it only gave the company four weeks to: advertise the position, interview candidates and compare them to the person specification required for the job, then upon occupying the positions the new recruits needed to learn the everyday practices and bond with the children and of course the parents, who maybe understandably concerned with the issue. Therefore the process of change has to be organised to make the transition a smooth one.
However as people we exist within contradiction. On the one hand, we need stability and security to perform well but on the other hand we can become stagnant, complacent and uncreative when we shy away from change or even when we find we simply cannot cope with it. It seems that we are more interested in the process of change and what the implications of change actually are. As there is no way of predicting when change will happen, as a manager it is better to be equipped to deal with it when it does. Any manager will tell you that in the nursery world staff turnover can be high. Therefore being better equipped will also create an environment where change is a natural
To begin the critical analysis of how a change of event in the work place reflects upon, not only the management of the change process but also the impact that change can have upon the organisation and the quality of the service provided. Firstly it may be worth nothing the definition of ‘change’ is quoted in Webster’s English Dictionary as ….
“Change (transitive verb) to make different, to alter; to transform; to exchange; to put fresh clothes on. (2006 p73)
As a manager of a setting one’s personal experience would tell that there are many different types of ‘change’ that can arise in a private day nursery, one example has recently occurred where two qualified members of the team, who both worked together in the baby room, terminated their contract of employment within weeks of each other. This became a problem as it only gave the company four weeks to: advertise the position, interview candidates and compare them to the person specification required for the job, then upon occupying the positions the new recruits needed to learn the everyday practices and bond with the children and of course the parents, who maybe understandably concerned with the issue. Therefore the process of change has to be organised to make the transition a smooth one.
However as people we exist within contradiction. On the one hand, we need stability and security to perform well but on the other hand we can become stagnant, complacent and uncreative when we shy away from change or even when we find we simply cannot cope with it. It seems that we are more interested in the process of change and what the implications of change actually are. As there is no way of predicting when change will happen, as a manager it is better to be equipped to deal with it when it does. Any manager will tell you that in the nursery world staff turnover can be high. Therefore being better equipped will also create an environment where change is a natural
References: (2006) . Websters English Dictionary. Geddes and Grosset. Scotland. UK [i.p 1] Cannon Cole. G. A . (2006) . Strategic Management. Second Edition. Continuum. Nottingham. UK [i.p2] Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) Givens. J . (2004) . HR Management Solutions. David Foulton. London. UK [i.p7] Kotter J Mabey . C and Mayon-White . B (1993) Managing Change. Paul Chapman Publishing Ltd. London. UK [i.p2] Moyles Oden. H.W . (1999) . Transforming the Organisation. Quorum Books. London. UK [i.p4] Tuckman, B Veccio, R.P. (1988) Organisational Behaviour. The Dryden Press. Birmingham. UK [i.p3] Weightman Ziolkowski. S . (2006) Early Years Update-Teaching Expertise. July Issue. Optimus Professional Publications Limited. London.UK [i.p7-9]