Manager as Agent of Change

 

To bring about any change in the organization needs a change agent. Change agent may be external i.e. an outsider who is an expert in introducing change. He is a professional change agent whose services can be hired for the purpose.

The change agent may be internal i.e. from within the organization. Most probably he is the manager who knows the needs of the organization. He is also well versed with the organization culture, behavior, attitudes and potentials of its employees and supervisors. He always acts in the interests of the organization. It is, therefore, beneficial to use the talent and services of the manager as a change agent.

The manager can introduce the change in the organization effectively because he does so as his duty and responsibility. As is said earlier that change involves a change in attitudes, behavior, ethos, beliefs, etc. of the people which are the personal traits and human resource manager is an expert in understanding them.

The manager as a change agent can take the help of the human resource manager in introducing change. The manager must realize the dimensions of change and take the employees into his confidence and introduce change. He does not feel any difficulty in doing so. The manager cannot take any initiative in this regard unless he gets a nod from the top management. The top management should make necessary amendments in the policies and procedures to accommodate a change in the organization.

Manager as change agent seeks the same from the top management and be in touch with it. He prepares the foundation for change and prepares himself to face any reaction and criticism and makes efforts to satisfy all intelligently. He knows his employees well and can seek their cooperation to carry out with his plans to implement change.

Skills

To act as an agent of change, managers must have good communication and interpersonal skills so that they can explain the benefits and implications of change. They must be able to empathize with employees who feel threatened by change and uncertain of their future role in the company. They also must be good motivators to encourage employees to embrace change and make a positive contribution to its successful implementation. In addition, managers need good planning skills to ensure that they can implement the changes effectively in their own areas of operation.

Information

To communicate effectively with employees, managers must have a complete understanding of the reasons for change, the potential benefits and the impact on employees. A merger, for example, can give a company access to new markets or increase its production capacity. However, employees may be concerned that certain positions will become redundant. A merger designed to increase manufacturing capacity is unlikely to require separate production, purchasing or quality departments, creating widespread uncertainty among employees. The manager must ensure he keeps employees advised of how the company will handle redundancy and whether employees will be able to train for new positions.

Decisions

Managers must make plans to implement the changes in their own areas of responsibility. If a company is introducing new technology, for example, managers must decide how it will change working practices in their departments. They must decide if the employees in their departments have the skills to use the new technology. If necessary, managers plan training programs to develop skills. They must also decide if the technology will reduce the number of employees they need to handle the workload. If the company does not want to make any employees redundant as a result of the change, managers must decide how to redeploy employees.

Communication

Communication is essential throughout the change process. By explaining the implications of the change to groups and individual employees, managers can build understanding and trust and dispel rumors that could create barriers to implementing successful changes. Managers must make themselves available to answer questions or discuss individuals’ concerns. They must also motivate employees so that they can maintain the momentum of change and keep their departments operating productively.

effective communication from management to win acceptance from employees, reduce uncertainty and minimize resistance. Managers play an important role in informing and motivating employees to ensure that they understand and respond positively to major changes such as new business procedures, new technologies or corporate restructuring. By acting as agents of change, managers ensure that the process flows smoothly from one phase to the next until the change is complete.