Introduction
I work in a large factory that manufactures industrial machinery. The company’s organizational structure is hierarchical, with the chief executive officer and executive team making all significant decisions. Lower-level employees are informed of the decisions and must always adhere to the company’s policies and procedures. Positions in management and non-management are clearly defined, and promotions are based on demonstrated competence. Employees interact with their superiors rather than their peers, and internal communication within the company is very formal and structured. The company has been successful despite its strict culture, with some employees preferring a more relaxed and open work environment.
Organizational Culture Interaction with the Change Process
A company’s culture can be a significant roadblock when implementing changes in a hierarchical workplace. Employees working in a hierarchical culture are less likely to take risks, according to Lacatus (2013), due to a lack of experience with cutting-edge methods and technologies. As a result, implementing changes may be complex, even if they benefit the company in the long run. Communication can help the hierarchical culture engage with the transition. According to Elmore (2004), a formal and hierarchical communication style can make it difficult to solicit feedback and suggestions from employees at all levels of an organization. As a result, it can be challenging to anticipate issues with a change and make necessary adjustments before it is implemented. For instance, if the organization plans to change their sales strategy, employees at lower levels could feel uncomfortable providing their input and feedback to the management. This could result in the new strategy not being as effective as it could have been. Change is frequently implemented at the top of an organization, making it difficult for lower-level employees to comprehend and accept the change.
Employees in organizations with a strict chain of command may be less likely to take the initiative and use their efforts to enhance the quality of their work. As a result, implementing improvements or new ideas may take time and effort. Workers may be less likely to take the initiative or devise novel solutions to problems in this environment (Hord & Hall, 2019). It can be a major impediment to a company’s efforts to improve and adapt. However, as Fullan and Ballew (2020) suggest, employee participation in the change process, clear communication, and training can reduce both resistances to change and communication difficulties. For example, if the executive team decides to implement a new software system at work without consulting the employees that will be using it daily. In that case, the result will likely be resistance and low adoption rates due to unfamiliarity and a lack of training. As a result, the implementation process will be slow, and employee buy-in may need to be higher, making it difficult for the organization to meet its goals.
Change at my Work Place
When implementing change at my organization, the established chain of command always seems to get in the way. If decisions are made at the top and employees are expected to follow strict norms, a culture of hierarchy may exist. Employees in such an environment become less open to new ideas and more resistant to change (Lacatus, 2013). Furthermore, because of the small number of employees involved, it can be more difficult to implement change in hierarchical organizations, even if the change is critical to the company’s long-term success. Involving workers in the transition and providing them with clear communication and training can reduce the impact of this difficulty. Doing this ensures employees will be better able to understand the change and its benefits and adjust to the new system (Joseph & Gaba, 2020). Consequently, reducing resistance and enhancing smooth communication due to involving employees in the change process and providing clear information.
Change can be implemented successfully by anticipating and resolving potential problems that may arise due to the change. According to Elmore (2004), a hierarchy culture’s formal and hierarchical communication style makes gathering input and feedback from employees at all levels of the organization difficult. Since top-down organizational changes are frequently implemented with little input from lower-level employees, they are more difficult for them to understand and support (Xenikou, 2022). It makes it even more difficult for entry-level workers to understand and embrace these changes. For the reasons you mentioned, change management is difficult at my company.
Conclusion
In conclusion, My Company’s hierarchical culture makes it difficult to implement changes effectively. People may resist change because they are unfamiliar with the new system and need more training to use it effectively. This training would enable them to utilize the system fully. When upper-level management needs to consult lower-level employees, it can lead to communication breakdowns, making it more difficult for workers to accept the company’s new direction. However, the difficulties presented by change resistance and communication difficulties can be mitigated by involving employees in the change process and providing clear communication and training. The management will be more likely to succeed if they implement the suggestions and have a well-defined plan for bringing about the changes they want to see at the workplace.
References
Elmore, R. F. (2004). School reform from the Inside out: Policy, practice, and performance (5th ed.). Harvard Education Press.
Fullan, M. (2020). Leading in a culture of change (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated.
Hall, G. E., & Hord, S. M. (2020). Implementing change: Patterns, principles, and potholes. Pearson Education, Inc.
Joseph, J., & Gaba, V. (2020). Organizational structure, information processing, and decision-making: A retrospective and Road Map for Research. Academy of Management Annals, 14(1), 267–302. Web.
Lacatus, M. L. (2013). Organizational culture in Contemporary University. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 76, 421–425. Web.
Xenikou, A. (2022). Leadership and organizational culture. Handbook of Research Methods for Organisational Culture, 23–38. Web.