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IWSP Publications
Managing Workplace Change
Excerpt
- Communication
for Managing Workplace Change
Becker, F., Tennessen, C., and L. Dahl (1997)
Workplace Change: Managing Workplace Change. Ithaca, New
York: Cornell University International Workplace Studies Program
(IWSP).
I wanted both the overall as well
as the personal information
but the bottom line is me. How does this affect me?
Employee at research site #4
Avoid Common Mistakes
of Managing Workplace Change
- Don't rely on formal presentations
and written materials.
- Don't assume that since you've
"told them already," you don't need to tell them again.
- Don't assume that change management
starts with move-in and stops after it. It begins when the project
begins and continues after occupancy.
- Don't focus on the physical design
and technology and short-circuit the cultural issues. Involving
staff in the design process is not the same as involving them
in a long-term cultural change process.
Selected Findings
How Do New Workplace Strategy Concerns
Evolve During the Change Process?
- Be sure to tell employees in the initial change
announcement whether there will be job losses or not. In an environment
in which employees are not even certain whether they will have
a job, it is unrealistic to expect them to be able to focus and
prepare themselves for working in a new way.
- Communication needs to be two-way, providing both
information to the employees and opportunities for the employees
to express their concerns and opinions about the change. Holding
just one large meeting to announce it is not enough.
- Information provided to employees needs to communicate
not only general information about why the change is taking place
and what the expected goals are but also the personal implications
of the changes on the employees (e.g., location of their workstation,
filing changes, changes to phone system, handling of supplies,
mail handling, who will be located nearby, etc.).
Employees tend to have one primary
concern: What does it mean
to me?
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