Cultural Communication and Reorganization

Introduction

In the changing technological world, changes in different organizations are inevitably in attempt to match progressive effectiveness of such firms. However, change influences disruption of common ways that guide the operation of a firm. The naggers have a role of ensuring that such disruptions do not limit the efficiency of their company. Normally, people are opposed to change and during such moments organizations face some resistance from their workers (Marchalina & Ahmad, 2018). The employees feel threatened in their responsibilities and some fear possible loss of job opportunities. As a leader, it is important to ensure effective communication is available to the employees to assure them of their tenure security. Further, the step ensures that workers are aware of their new roles after the change. The incidence helps in boosting smooth running of operations and supporting profitability of an organization. Team leader’s ability to communicate cultural changes after reorganization makes employees understand their specific responsibilities. Effective communication to employees ensures that organization avoid suffering during transition period as they embrace reorganization. 

Challenges That Change Represent In a Diverse Team and Possible Barriers

Change present different challenges to both the managers and their employees who are likely opposed to ideas to embrace any reorganization. Organizations have individuals from diverse background such as gender, qualification, race and age among others. The managers face challenges in presenting facts to their employees on plans to make some changes in their responsibilities. The situation is common when mangers have to communicate need to reorganize functions in the organizations. During reorganization some of the departments in the organization may become redundant and managers have think how to handle employees in such departments (Marchalina & Ahmad, 2018). Some of the workers may be lacking pre-requisite skills necessary to handle new responsibilities creating some confusion. Therefore, a manager has to provide a platform where such change does not result to frustration of his employees. Further, during changes, the manager faces problem of identifying appropriate mechanism to select employees to the new reorganization (Marchalina & Ahmad, 2018). Indeed, the manager requires showing fairness while dealing with such selection to avoid incidences of workers perceiving him as comprised. Poor handling of reorganization has potential to result to demotivated workforce that lowers the productivity of the organization. 

There are different barriers such as fear of unknown by the employees who are likely to show remorse to any idea to change the structure of their organization (Chinyerem et.al. 2015). The employees may opt to verbal or indirect complaining where they oppose such changes and protest any meeting to discuss such changes. The employees also offer possible obstacle to change through failing to support management in coming up with ideas on implementation process. The management cannot work without their input and such activities limit role out of any reorganization. Further, employees show doubt on potential of changes bringing positive impact to their organizations (Chinyerem et.al. 2015). Therefore, such workers are unwilling to embrace change and cling on their previous mode of carrying out different activities. Additionally, reorganization face conflict in goals where it may aim at reducing operation but end using more resources in implementing the change. Additionally, there are possible obstacles from change of culture where reorganization may emphasize on profit maximization reducing support of social responsibilities in the community (Chinyerem et.al. 2015). The impact is change of organization culture that may take relatively long to get support of employees who are rigid to embrace new ideas. Further, reorganization may require some employees to take new roles, which they are not conversant. Such individuals may oppose such moves and take relatively long before they settle in their new responsibilities. The resultant is increase in the time the company uses to stabilize after reorganization. 

How to Communicate the Need for Change with a Diverse Team

To ensure minimal resistance to change in an organization timely communication of such changes is necessary. The management requires engaging the employee in allowing them to understand that change use inevitable (Hasanaj & Manxhari, 2017). Indeed, communication allows the employees to avoid relying on rumors about such changes. Rumors have potential to cause panic on employees but through communicating, the employees are prepared to embrace any transformation. Further, it is necessary to communicate the changing dynamics in the market and technology thus requiring organization to change. Understanding reasons for change makes employees relatively willing to support their employer achieve such objective(Hasanaj & Manxhari, 2017). Meeting is necessary where a manager presents how the change will help improve the organization and employees welfare. The situations create an environment where individuals understand that change aims to boost their empowerment as they support organizational performance. The manager further needs to communicate the important role of the workers in influencing accomplishment of set goals through the reorganization. Employees are excited when they identify that the organization values their contribution in its success (Hasanaj & Manxhari, 2017). During such sessions, the manager needs to ask employees to give their concerns and their ideas on how best to meet required changes. The incidence makes workers feel valued and they are able to communicate their possible fears to the management. 

Further, a manager requires assuring employees of their security of their jobs even after the reorganization and this boosts confidence of employees (Hasanaj & Manxhari, 2017). When employees are sure of retaining their job despite changes in their organization, they are likely to support them with their skills. Additionally, the manager requires communicating that their company will try to match new responsibilities of employees to their present skills (Hasanaj & Manxhari, 2017). The move ensures that there is reduced confusion on employees who could suffer if given different responsibilities than the ones they handle in the present. In an effort to reduce knowledge gap in some employees during the change, the manager should also communicate plans to carry out training. On – job – training would work better in ensuring that new strategies to handle assignment are available to reduce making mistakes. It is also important that a manager communicate about incentives to the employees after the changes. Some of the incentives include recognition and increment in allowances or bonuses for the workers. The impact is influencing morale of employees to embrace changes and take personal responsibility in ensuring that it succeeds. It is also important to assure workers that the change implementation will be in stages avoiding possible shock (Abdi & Rathmaya, 2017). The progress is necessary in ensuring employees that they will have sufficient time to learn their duties after the reorganization. The resultant is reduction of anxiety about making mistakes and resulting to losses for their organization. The manager also needs to communicate active role of management in supporting employees and correcting mistakes as they learn to work in the new roles and environment. 

How Lack of Consideration for Differences Cause Communication to Fail

Insufficient consideration of employees’ differences during communication result to misunderstanding in an organization. When communication is not clear, there is possibility of employees making different mistakes in their assigned duties (Abdi & Rathmaya, 2017). The impact is reduction in quality of services or products that such firms are able to present to their consumers. For example, when communication is inadequate workers are unsure of their specific roles and they carry out work haphazardly. The resultant is wastage of organization resources and this impact negatively to its productivity. Additionally, misunderstanding result to missing of timeframes to accomplish tasks (Abdi & Rathmaya, 2017). Delayed projects reduce competitiveness of an organization and cause possible reduction in loyalty of consumers. Customers will not be willing to engage with organizations that cannot adequately meet set deadlines in presenting their services. Additionally, ignoring diversity in workplace during communication result to miscommunication where clear information is unavailable (Lipman, 2016). The impact is misinterpretation of available facts that can change direction individuals from main goals of their employer. Additionally, miscommunication has a potential to cause conflict between employees and management where each party believes its right. The impact reduces synergy that is necessary in influencing profitability of an organization. 

Non-consideration further results to nonresponsive team that feels the management is ignoring their concerns (Lipman, 2016). The situation arises when the managers fail to give adequate information to their employees. The inadequacy in information influences employees to use their intuition to carry their duties and this adds to low productivity. For example, workers want to find short cuts to accomplish their work and this may compromise quality of work. However, such workers have no excuse that the management does not give appropriate communication. Non-consideration has potential to cause spread of rumors in an organization and this affects confidence of workers (Lipman, 2016). For example, if employees hear rumors about their possible laying off, they are likely to protest through demonstration. Rumors taint the reputation of management to their employees and this influences negatively ability to work as a team. Poor communication denies managers a chance to explain and make things clear when they hear of rumors in their firms. It is the responsibility of a manager to ensure that inputs and ideas of all the employees are valued. The impact is ability to motivate workers through assurance that their contribution is valuable to their company. Therefore, workers are willing to share their thoughts in an attempt to improve its capacity especially during reorganization periods. 

Conclusion

Managers have a role in ensuring they embrace proper commutation to avoid resistance to change in their organizations. Employees are likely to resist any change that seems to destabilize their organization and the way of doing their work. Workers are worried about possible layoffs during reorganization and thus oppose any idea to change their organization. Further, exposure to new responsibilities that require varying skills also makes employees oppose change. However, through proper communication, managers are able to reduce incidences of resistance to reorganization. Managers need to make the employees aware of positive impact of the change to their company and their personal growth. Further, there is need to communicate commitment of organization to ensure minimal layoffs. The manager should organize ways of ensuring that employees get new responsibilities that closely match their present duties. Additionally, assurance of training is necessary to ensure that workers settle fast under the changes. Failure to offer proper communication has potential to cause misunderstanding and miscommunication in the firm. The impact is reduction on productivity of employees and reduced commitment to the goals of the company. Therefore, managers need to offer effective communication and embrace a gradual approach when introducing changes in their organization.  

References

Abdi, S. & Rathmaya, N. (2017). Managing Employees and Promoting Internal Communication during Change. Retrieved January 26, 2019, from: http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1155081/FULLTEXT01.pdf

Chinyerem, G. A., Oluwole, O. I., Mayowa, G. A. et.al. (2015). Employees’ Attitudes towards Organizational Change and Its Effects on Employee Commitment. Retrieved January 26, 2019, from: http://eprints.covenantuniversity.edu.ng/8400/1/Employees%E2%80%99%20Attitudes%20towards%20Organizational%20Change%20and%20Its%20Effects%20on%20Employee%20Commitment.pdf

Hasanaj, C. R. & Manxhari, M. (2017). Importance of Communication during Change: A Case of the Municipality of Vlora. European Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 2(1), 15-19. 

Lipman, V. (2016). Why Does Organizational Change Usually Fail? New Study Provides Simple Answer. Forbes. Retrieved January 26, 2019, from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/victorlipman/2016/02/08/why-does-organizational-change-usually-fail-new-study-provides-simple-answer/#3f4399844bf8

Marchalina, L. & Ahmad, H. (2018). The Effect of Internal Communication on Employees’ Commitment to Change in Malaysian Large Companies. Business Management and Strategy, 8(1), 1-17