Change in Business
Change is important for any organisation because, without change, businesses would lose their competitive edge and fail to meet the ever-changing needs of customers.
Any business in today’s fast-moving environment that is looking for the pace of change to slow is likely to be sorely disappointed. The world is changing everyday: the population is changing, customer trends are changing, technology is changing and the economy is changing. Businesses who fail to embrace change can easily wind up as dinosaurs – out of touch and unable to compete under current trading conditions.
Organisational change is the process by which a business alters key components of its strategy or operations. This may involve changes to company culture, essential technologies, organisational structure, or major initiatives and goals. Depending on the objectives you’re trying to achieve, organisational change may be either continuous or intermittent.
Organisational change is typically categorized into two types: Adaptive and Transformational change. Adaptive changes are small, incremental modifications that an organisation undertakes to evolve over time. They can be thought of as the fine-tuning of processes and business strategies. Transformational changes, on the other hand, are larger in scope and scale, and typically involve a radical shift in direction for the business. These changes are often the result of outside forces putting pressure on the company, such as the emergence of a new competitor.
There are different approaches and strategies used to better manage change within your workplace.
- Understand the Process of Change
- Understand the Forces of Change
- Create a Plan
- Communicate
- Prepare for Roadblocks