Process of Change

The following steps are involved in the change process:

1.    Unfreezing:

Unfreezing makes the need for change so inevitable to members that they become ready to accept the change. It inculcates a in people that the present system of working is undesirable and change is desirable. It motivates people to move form the old and traditional ways to new and modern ways of working. The driving force so power the restringing forces a people, their for, do not reset change. Rather, they welcome change and participate in its implementation.

People analyze the present situation, discuss the problems and recognize the need for change. It infers that their current thinking is unfrozen and resistance to change id eliminated. This can be done in the following ways:

(a)    Build employees’ trust and confidence (b) Enhance employees’ motivation (c) Improved
         communication, and (d) Participative decision marking.

Unfreezing in the change process “generates self-doubt and provides a means of remedying the
situation.”

2.    Changing or Moving:

Once people are ready to accept the change, change is initiated by learning new ways of doing things. New information is collected, new concepts are developed, members are trained to implement the concepts and present perspectives and attitudes are changed. New behavior is promoted, new beliefs are inculcated, new attitudes are developed and the easting value system is changed. Members identify themselves with the changed value system of the organization and therapies them by changing their behavioral norms. Thus, in this phase, change sere introduces and people adjust their behavior to the changed norms.

Diving people to change their behavior and attitude can take two forms:

(a)    Negative:

Managers announce change to be followed by members, failing which; they are subjected to threats, punishments and penalties. This change does not have lasting impact an, their for, has to be closely monitored.

(b)    Positive:

People are motivated to feel the need for change and accept it as a positive force that coordinates their individual goals with organizational goals. This change is permanent in nature. It can be brought by:

(i)    Delegating responsibilities to subordinates.

(ii)    Developing two-way relationship between the change agent (the person who initiates the
        change) and thee person who will be affected by change. Change is implemented by the
        subordinates and suggestions to change agents are respected by them.

3.    Refreezing :

Though change is desirable, people generally resist change. Despite learning new ways of doing things, they tend to revert to old behavior after working in the changed environment for some time. Refreezing attempts to make change permanent till there is need to reintroduce change, “It means locking the new behavior pattern into place by means of supporting or reinforcing mechanisms, so that it becomes the new norm.”

People realize that change will affect their future behavior. Reinforcement of behavior is, therefore, the aim of refreezing. This can be done in the following ways:

(a)    Managers motivate the subordinates to accept change as a permanent feature by relating
         changed behavior with reward system.

(b)    Managers understand the needs of people and relate them with organizational needs.
         Fulfillment of organizational  goals is viewed as a viewed as a means of fulfilling individual
         goals.

(c)    Managers understand the reasons why individuals resist change an overcome their
         resistance.

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