Page 262 - Managing Change in Organizations

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Coping with the process of change
to terms with changes. In essence, individuals can be encouraged to think about
these questions through using diagnostic techniques of various kinds. A good
example would be the job diagnostic survey (see Hackman and Oldham, 1976),
which aims to obtain information about how people react to different jobs,
including their present jobs and jobs they might prefer. The approach involves
examining responses in terms of issues such as various job characteristics (skill
variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, feedback, dealing with others),
experienced psychological states (experienced meaningfulness of work, experi-
enced responsibility for work, knowledge of results) and affective outcomes (sat-
isfaction, internal work motivation and growth satisfaction). An approach of this
kind can be used, perhaps as part of a workshop activity (see below), to encour-
age people to think about their present job and the demands it places on them,
their own preferences and the jobs likely to result from the changes. This could
allow them to examine work design problems, and could both provide solutions
of value and be a process through which individuals begin to think about the
new situation in a constructive fashion.

Issues
What skills and abilities do I possess? How might I develop new skills?

Discussion
This issue emerges directly from the preceding one. If we can begin to answer
questions about the kind of job we want, then we can go on to consider the skills
and abilities we possess and view them in the light of the changes to be intro-
duced. How relevant will they be? What new skills are needed? Can I develop
such skills? Can such development be seen as an evolution from my present
skills? For example, if we consider the case of an office worker being introduced
to a new software package it is clear that some of the existing skills (keyboard
skills, layout skills, language usage) will be transferable and some new skills will
be needed. Again these issues can be examined by utilizing an instrument such
as the job diagnostic survey and approaches more directly concerned with skills
analysis (see Carnall, 1976).

Issues
Have I experienced similar changes? How did I cope? Can I take the initiative?

Discussion
Many people have undergone many changes either at work or in their personal
lives. What can they learn from those past experiences? What ways did they use
to cope with the changes? How long did it take them to resolve issues and make
the personal adaptations necessary? Facing questions like these helps us set the
present changes in a broader life context. It also enables us to develop ideas about
coping with those present changes or of where we need help to do so.

Issues
Can I cope with stress? Am I able to handle conflict? Can I avoid conflict? How
well do I manage my time? Do I blame myself?

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