Change can be seen as constant over a period of time as an organisation continuously adapts to the environment around them in order to stay competitive, or it can be seen as a sudden reaction that requires time to adjust to before further change can occur (Balogun & Hope Hailey, 2008). The ability to manage change has become a vital skill for all managers in order to ensure that companies adapt to the environment around themselves as smoothly and quickly as possible. This is especially true as change can be seen as increasing rapidly due to advances in technology and the resulting effect that has on how people live, work, and relax, as well as an increased feeling of social responsibility (Paton & McCalman, 2000).
One challenge that managers face in regards to implementing change is the resistance faced from individuals or groups within and organisation who may not wish to see any change. This resistance could be active through trade unions and strikes, or could be passive with individuals simply not performing their roles using the new procedures. Resistance can also be split into two areas ,this is resistance to a changes’ content where groups or individuals may not with to use a specific piece of technology or perform a new duty. Or it may be resistance to the process of change itself which could lead to redundancies and the requirement for retraining (Cipd.co.uk, 2014). Managers can use a wide range of skills and techniques in order to overcome resistance to change. This could include a group briefing where employees are given full information as to the reason for the change, what it will entail, and how it will be implemented in order to reassure people. This also allows a manager to receive valuable feedback on the proposed change and what could be done differently. Another skill is being open and honest and ensuring that a manager is available to deal with queries and requests. This could be done through an open door policy which would allow a manager to ensure any questions are answered quickly and not left to grow into rumours and resentment (Balogun & Hope Hailey, 2008).
Another challenge managers face is any organizational challenges that may be encountered. This is as often a change will be necessary in a certain area of an organisation, however it is important to ensure that all