Writ 2 Assignment
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Section 3: Managing Change
The modern theoretical approach to the management of change…………………………………..3
Strengths and weaknesses of the model………………………………………………………………………..4
Potential impacts of change on leaders, managers, and employees……………………………..5
Section 4: Models of HRM and bundles of HR Policies and Practices
How HRM strategy aligns with organizational strategy………………………………………………….6
Why HRM strategy aligns with organizational strategy………………………………………………….8
Bundles of HR policies and practices………………………………………………………………………………9
How HR practices support managers and employees to improve the individual, team and organizational performance………………………………………………………………………………………….10
Reference list……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….12
Section 3: Managing Change
- Critically analyze at least one contemporary (modern) theoretical approach to the management of change. Including strengths and weaknesses. Explain with reference to academic theory, the potential impacts of change upon people at different levels within an organization. 1000 words
The modern theoretical approach of change management is the Change Curve, which maps normal stages undergone by individuals as they are presented with, react to, and ultimately absorb change effects (Petersen, 2017). It is utilized to comprehend personal transition as well as organizational change stages. Moreover, it assists in predicting how individuals would react to change so that change leaders can help the people in making their transitions and ensuring they get help along with the support they require.
Change in an organization is not easy, but the change curve helps people to understand by working through its stages. The first stage is the denial stage when the change is initially presented, and individuals experience a difficult time believing the change. Secondly, as employees come to terms with the change, they end up becoming angry; thus, the anger stage and they become cynical about the change (Petersen, 2017). After the anger subsides, employees move away from anger feelings and begin to think of how the change may affect them, which is the third stage, the exploration stage. The fourth stage is the acceptance stage, where employees begin embracing and welcoming the change, and they may eventually find that they like the change.
The change curve, which is also the Elizabeth Kubler-Ross model of change management, has apparent advantages. The model aids in giving insights to comprehend the emotional phases which are engaged in any procedure of change. If all the processes in the change curve stages are well managed, the full change process would be smooth and successful (Tahir, 2019). The model is all about the resistance of workers and helping to ease the possible damaging effect the initial bad feelings can have on employees.
Therefore, with the model, managers are prepared to handle every employee’s emotions regarding the change, and they can also link the process to productivity impacts. Another benefit of this theoretical approach is that it is useful as it is straightforward to comprehend and applies in any condition. Employees in an organization can associate it with their professional as well as personal lives and then be able to understand the stages of transition (Tahir, 2019).
Consequently, the change curve is weak since it lacks the empirical proof of supporting its assumptions (Tahir, 2019). Moreover, this model fails to fully clarify the complex emotion types that employees have to cope with in the organization at the time of the change process. Change leaders can have a feeling that the framework will aid in guiding workers. Unfortunately, this might not be the case since few workers could feel the emotions are out of order. Therefore, it is comprehensive for going through the procedure of employee coaching through what they think about the change.
Another disadvantage of this approach is that the four stages explain how the model works are neither sequential nor function in parallel. As an illustration, people can encounter all the phases at different times and even go back to the previous step. Moreover, it is not always that employees have to reach the final stage since they may get stuck at any phase. Furthermore, the change curve model vis criticized for being relevant to few conditions as well as few cultures, and it does not apply to all situations of the whole change procedure (Tahir, 2019).
Change in an organization affects leaders, managers, as well as employees. Leaders of change always try to stabilize counteractive force needed to result from changing through their organization to respond to everchanging environments and the effect of seeing the significance of including whatever they know regarding the social change aspects (Coetzee, Visagie, and Ukpere, 2014, p.832). Change leaders get hungry and look for facts since they are curious regarding the possibilities that the change promises are always skeptical of conventional wisdom. Moreover, leaders stay positive by visualizing positive results since they are aware that no matter the outcome, they are in control of their response (Chaudhary, 2017). Change leaders focus on the things they can control and know that even at large-scale times, there is at least one thing that remains constant. They disclose the meaning in their work and own it.
Through change, managers can establish a workplace culture that accepts change as a regular part of the business (Laurentiu, 2016, p.211). They explain to employees the reason for evolution, which incorporates the thought process behind the decision and the ramifications of not making the change. Also, change makes managers communicate the vision as well as a result of utilizing future stories. The managers describe what the end will look like by sounding like in real life when the change is fully enacted (Lee, 2017). They explain the specific examples of what the vision would look like and clarifying to employees what they envision the employees to do differently, which makes it easier for employees to grasp the concept.
On the side of employees, they might leave the company to search for employment elsewhere, resulting in loyalty loss and high turnover (Wickford, 2019). Also, when changes are introduced, employees divide into a group of those trying to control their destiny and a group of people desiring to exit before the occurrence of changes. In that case, the group trying to control their destiny elevate their performance by digging in, hitting their deadlines, and doing everything to please supervisors. However, with the other group, they will cope with the changes to avert them, hence increasing employee sick days. Moreover, after a change has been implemented, an employee might feel chronic stress and physical symptoms from their stress at work due to perceived unfairness or injustices and lack of prompt communication due to the change (Fløvik, Knardahl, and Christensen, 2019, p.2845).
Section 4: Models of HRM and bundles of HR Policies and Practices
- With reference to academic theory, explain how and why HRM strategy aligns with organizational strategy. Use tables, charts, and diagrams to support the answer. 400 words.
An organization strategy is a future-oriented plan for optimizing as well as generating competitive advantages to attain the mission of the organization. Therefore, to successfully execute that strategy, every organization function has to align in departmental policy with the general organization strategy. The HR function impacts the operation, along with the execution of all other organizational activities. Furthermore, the HR function intersects and affects the other organization functions. Hence, properly connecting the HR strategy and the corporate strategy is vital to attain the mission of the organization.
The initial step is acknowledging that the HR department, along with its duties are a strategic asset (Righeimer and Energy, 2011, p.7). Strategy-focused professional is the beginning of the connection between HR strategy and organizational strategy. Another start is creating HR in connection with the organizational plan. HR should make sure that workers are strategically focused, and each HR activity element in the organization has to be established to enlarge the human capital.
The HRM strategy aligns with organizational strategy to make a proper business sense for the strategic alignment of HR, delivering the plan, practical training, and development, along with enhanced retention and recruitment. Since HR departments deal with administrative operations like training, recruitment, management, compensation, and performance, they have to align with the organization’s strategy (Smith, 2018). This is because while on their own, the operations do not form a part of how company plans for the perfect HR level to deliver on its ideas. Moreover, with providing the plan, an efficient HR strategy aligning with an organizational strategy helps the firm to align its operations better.
Furthermore, the HRM strategy aligns with organizational strategy to provide practical training and development. Since firms are impacted by an extensive range of internal as well as external factors, the alignment of HRM strategy and organizational strategy is placed to expect any changes. Hence a training and development strategy can be put in place to aid the company adapt more swiftly to new circumstances (Smith, 2018). Also, the HRM strategy is linked to an organizational plan to enhance employee retention along with recruitment. When employees are supported in their roles, they become happier and improve their performance. Moreover, in the jobs market, a firm with an excellent employee reputation encounter fewer barriers to successful hiring. Therefore, taken together, these aspects are vital elements to show why HRM strategy has to align with the organizational plan.
- Explain the academic concept of ‘bundles of HR policies and practices.’ Choose three specific HR practices to show how they support managers and employees to improve the individual, team, and organizational performance. 600 words.
HRM systems of practices and procedures are defined as the pattern of planned HR implementations as well as functions to help an organization to attain its goals. It is a combination of practices and policies which are embraced to be internally constant and reinforcing to achieve some overall results (Boon, Den Hartog, and Lepak, 2019, p.2498). Conceptually, human resource management bundles of practices and policies are proposed to impact affiliated performance results. Also, all practices, as well as strategies in a system, are intended to boost an overarching objective. However, it is not always clear what the target is and how the bundles of HR are conceptualized or how policies and practices contribute to the goal.
Focus must be put on human resource systems instead of individual human resource practices or policies since the impacts of HR policies, as well as HR practices, depend on the other policies and practices within the system. This is because employees are concurrently vulnerable to an intertwined set of HR policies and (Boon, Den Hartog, and Lepak, 2019, p.2498). A wide variety of human resource bundles exist with labels like commitment, high performance, as well as the involvement of HR bundles.
Within the bundles of HR, different levels can be differentiated. Human resource practices reflect the actual human resource activities while HR policies reflect the stated intentions of an organization concerning HR practices, which have to be enacted. Therefore, human resource management is best perceived as a consistent system that contains the most impact in case all practices, along with policies, send constant signals regarding the underlying intentions of an organization (Boon, Den Hartog, and Lepak, 2019, p.2499).
Practices of HR are part implementation, part conceptual of an HR plan with systems that follow the customary or standard way of conducting business in an organization (Mayhew, 2019). The specific HR practices which support managers along with employees in enhancing their individual, the team as well as organizational performance include attaining work-life balance, recruiting, and selection as well as compensation and benefits.
Enacting flexible work schedules for an organizational workforce, offering telecommuting options to employees as well as training managers to spot workplace stress signs portray that the culture of the organization upholds the practice of attaining work-life balance (Mayhew, 2019). Modifying technology for remote access, managing scheduling logistics as well as performing training sessions are vital operations which generate a results-oriented work environment for both managers and employees. Therefore, it enables greater efficiency, which leads to the individual, team, and organizational performance. Flexible work schedules increase the time in which managers and employees have to dedicate to family duties as well as personal endeavors.
However, the practice of recruitment and selection is generally based on the culture of the workplace, along with the mission of the organization (Mayhew, 2019). For instance, managers and employees who acknowledge the workplace diversity value uphold the practice of recruitment designed to allure a pool of different applicants. The HR practice helps human resource management to hire and select the best candidates for the positions of managers and as employees, which eventually results in better outcomes in the organization hence enhancing the performance of the organization operations.
Furthermore, the practices of compensation, along with benefits, are perceived jointly, which presents a comprehensive perception of how employers reward the organization workforce (Mayhew, 2019). When managers and employees in an organization feel valued and appreciated through being provided with rewards and benefits, their morale is elevated. High confidence in the workforce results in high efficiency at work leading to increased individual, team, and organization performance.
Reference List
Boon, C., Den Hartog, D.N. and Lepak, D.P., 2019. A systematic review of human resource management systems and measurement. Journal of Management, 45(6), pp.2498-2537.
Chaudhary, M., 2017. How Successful Leaders Respond to Change. [Blog] CMC Canada, https://cmc-canada.ca/blog/Our%20Blog/how-successful-leaders-respond-to-change
Coetzee, R., Visagie, J. and Ukpere, W., 2014. Responding to change in a large organization from a leadership angle. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 5(20), Pp.827-837
Fløvik, L., Knardahl, S. and Christensen, J.O., 2019. The Effect of Organizational Changes on the Psychosocial Work Environment: Changes in Psychological and Social Working Conditions Following Organizational Changes. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, p.2845.
Laurentiu, R.M., 2016. Change management and its effects on organization. Annals-Economy Series, 5, pp.209-212.
Lee, D., 2017. 8 Ways Managers Can Help Employees Respond More Positively to Change. [Blog] American Management Association PLAYBOOK, Available at: https://playbook.amanet.org/training-articles-managers-help-employees-respond-change/
Mayhew, R., 2019. Functions & Practices of Human Resource Management. [online] Smallbusiness.chron.com.
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/functions-practices-human-resource-management-59787.html
Petersen, G., 2017. Leverage the change curve to boost your change management process. [Blog] Generator Talent Group,
https://www.generatortalent.com/use-change-curve-change-management/
Righeimer, J.P. and Energy, M., 2011. Aligning Human Resources & Strategic Plans. Pp. 1-14
Smith, A., 2018. Why Link HR Strategy to The Organizational Strategy? [online] Yourbusiness.azcentral.com.
https://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/hr-strategy-organizational-strategy-12769.html
Tahir, U., 2019. Kubler Ross Change Curve Model. [Blog] Change Management Insights, http://changemanagementinsight.com/kubler-ross-change-curve-model/
Wickford, H., 2019. Negative Impact of Organizational Change on Employees. [online] Smallbusiness.chron.com.
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/negative-impact-organizational-change-employees-25171.html