Strategic needs identified in a strategic plan
Several strategic needs can be identified in a strategic plan. Some of these requests vary depending on the objectives of the plan. The first need is the opportunities that the business has. These opportunities are areas that the business can pursue growth and expansion. Another category of needs that can be identified in a strategic plan is the threats that the business faces. These threats can hinder the business from achieving the goals and objectives.
Another category of needs is challenging. Further, the strategic plan also gives information on the internal strengths and weaknesses of the business. These are important in making decisions on future growth and expansion of the business. Further, the plan gives information on the adequacy of resources available. These resources can be in the form of personnel and funds. Also, the strategic plan will provide information on whether there is a need to change the culture of the organization. Further, the strategic plan will identify the leadership changes that need to be made to facilitate the achievement of the desired goals. The final need that is identified in the strategic plan is the communication that should be passed on to the various stakeholders of the organization.
The element of the external environment that should be identified
The elements of the external business environment can be divided into the micro and macro environment. Examples of the microelements that should be identified are the customers and suppliers. These two factors are significant since they determine the supply and revenue earned by an organization. Examples of the macro-environment elements are the economic, political, social, legal, and technical environment, among others. All these elements are vital and may influence the process of successful change management in an organization. Out of the elements identified above, the microelements can impact most of the process of change management.
It is because these elements affect the amount of revenue earned by an organization. Therefore, it is essential to ascertain the impact of a significant change on customers and suppliers. Other significant factors are the social and legal environment that the business operates in. The changes in the organization should be aligned to the customs of the society and the legal system in which the business operates. Otherwise, the business might face rejection in the region it operates in, or it may face the possibility of closure due to pending litigations.
Specialists and experts that can assist in the identification of major change requirements
There are personnel, specialists, and experts that can assist in the identification of considerable change requirements in an organization. One key person is the general manager. The manager has an overall view of an organization. The general manager has information on the current state, the performance, and the direction that an organization intends to take. Therefore, the general manager is in a better position to know the
considerable changes that are required in an organization. The second person is the human resource manager. The manager handles the staffing needs in the organization. Therefore, the human resource manager will be able to identify the changes required in staffing needs to enable a company to achieve the desired goals. Therefore, the manager may come up with a plan to either hire, fire, or reshuffle employees to enable the company to achieve the desired objectives.
The third person is a training secretary. The secretary will identify the various skills required to achieve the desired goals. In this case, the training secretary will identify the changes required in training needs within the organization. The final person is a financial expert. The expert will identify the significant changes that have to be made in the amount of income and expenses. The expert will also identify the changes required in the capital structure of the organization.
Barriers to change
There are some barriers to change in an organization. The main barrier is the resistance to accept the changes by the main stakeholders in the organization. It occurs when the stakeholders fail to be part of the implementation process, thus making it impossible to execute the change. One way that can be used to overcome resistance is to involve all the stakeholders in all the stages of change management from planning to the implementation stage. It will minimize the possibility of resistance at the final stages. The second way of overcoming resistance to change is by adequately communicating the impact of the change process.
The second barrier to change is the lack of adequate financing. Lack of finances in an organization can hinder the implementation of the change process. To overcome the barrier, the management of the company needs to obtain adequate finances from various sources before starting the change process. It will ensure that the process is successful.
Elements included in the change management plan
Change management is made up of five key elements. The first element is the goal. This element focuses on the task to be accomplished. The element also highlights who will be affected by the change. The second element is the team. This element highlights the group that will handle the change management process. The third element focuses on what each member of the team will do. The fourth element entails coming up with rules that will govern the change management process. The final element is the control process required in the change management process.
Allocation of resources among those coordinating changes
Allocation of resources among that coordinating change process should be based on the priorities. Resources should first be allocated to personnel who are handing critical activities in the project. These are activities that must be completed to pave way for the execution of succeeding activities. Control on the use of resources can be achieved through budgeting. Budgets for all activities should be prepared before implementation. Also, continuous monitoring and auditing on the use of resources can help ensure that resources are not abused.
Elements that can help change to be successfully adopted in the workplace
Communication is a vital element that ensures that change is successfully adopted in the workplace. Changes in the organization should be adequately communicated to the stakeholders of the organization. Besides, the personnel coordinating change should also incorporate the feedback they receive from the employees in the change process. Secondly, the incentives that come with the implementation of change also ensure success. Thirdly, the integration of the change process in the organization’s cultural framework also ensures success. Finally, adopting a consultative/inclusiveness in implementing the change also ensures success.
Impact of staff interaction and involvement on the success of change initiatives
Staff interaction and involvement are significant in any change initiative. Involving the staff members in the change initiatives keeps them aware of the various change initiatives. Besides, the staff members will become part of the process. Also, it minimizes the possibility of resistance to change, thus ensuring success in the implementation of change initiatives.