How to Effectively Communicate Change to the Organization
When organizational problems arise, poor communication often is the culprit. To attain organizational success,a company's management must understand the importance of effective communication and how to use it. Change is an inevitable occurrence in life. In an organization, change must be communicated effectively so it is properly understood.
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Instructions
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Articulate the purpose of the change. It is unrealistic to expect employees to accept the change without management explaining its basic purpose. Employees are often unaware of where, specifically, the company is having problems. It is management's job to explain it to them. Employees need to understand why the change is required and why specific results are being sought.
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Refrain from using such clichéd explanations as you want the organization to be the most innovative ever. Regardless of how catchy the cliché is, it will not provide the rationale that employees need to understand the change. They need a logical explanation of why you want the change before they can support it.
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Use visuals aids to explain the change. Simply telling employees about the change does not always provide them with a clear picture of what to expect. Use such visual aids such as charts and pictures to depict the new organizational structure. Find examples of other organizations that might be using the same structure that you are implementing. Take pictures of these organizations and explain how they operate. Try not to make the pictures hard to understand. Give employees reasonable time to adjust to the new concept.
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Outline a plan that explains how employees will get from point A to point B. While management may not need a plan to arrive at the outcome, many employees need to be told how they will get there. They do not have to have the specifics on the change, such as specifically when a system changeover will take place. They simply need to know how they will make the transition and what is expected of them.
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Listen to the comments and concerns of the employees. Change cannot be communicated effectively if management is unwilling to listen to those comments or concerns. If employees are frustrated by the change, allow them to vent to a reasonable extent. Their reasons may be justified and could lead to the discovery of ideas or solutions that management hadn't considered. Further, it keeps management in tune with employees' feelings.
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Tips & Warnings
Even if the change is resolute, employees should never feel as though they are being forced into it. It should be communicated with diplomacy and with a positive attitude.
