In healthcare, there are many essential systems necessary to facilitate continuous change without compromising quality or causing burnout among employees. First, a systematic approach to determining organizational readiness requires a thoughtful assessment of a few factors. This assessment includes identifying rationale and vision for change, assessing potential barriers, determining stakeholders and sources of support, assessing ability of people to adapt to change, and identifying channels for clear communication (I.S. Partners, 2024). Second, successful change management requires careful planning. “Planning for motivational and informational communications, leadership activities and behaviors, system changes, training, etc. Since empowerment is an overarching part of this model, plans must be put in place to support the workforce to do their own planning” (Andre, 2013, Section: The Plan). Third, open, two-way communication is needed to create an understanding of the vision of change and to receive feedback and concerns from those at stake. This is the “Do” part of change—implementation. “Everyone in the organisation must understand what is being changed, so you should break the overall change into pieces which can be easily understood and easily measured…. in dealing with change, the most important part is changing culture – how people feel and act, their values” (Andre, 2013, para 1). However, one must understand that this period can be fragile because culture cannot be changed until a new way of operating has been shown to succeed over time (Kotter & Cohen, 2012). Communication also includes actions. It is important that leaders model their commitment and know what motivates their workforce. “Empowering workers puts the overall responsibility where it belongs – on the shoulders of those who best understand” (Andre, 2013, Section: Communicate Constantly). Communicating constantly ensures that everyone is headed in the same direction and on the same page. Fourth, resources, such as project managers, are necessary to help break down big changes into small, incremental steps. Part of this process is identifying the starting and ending points of change. Another invaluable resource is time. Adequate time must be allocated to complete the project without too much competition from day-to-operations. Finally, whether change is episodic or continuous, a post-bureaucratic organizational design that functions as team-based, flexible, and less rule-bound creates an environment that engages workers from all levels to participate in decision-making, information sharing, and negotiations for solutions (Ford, 2008).
I am fortunate enough to have a transformational leader in my current area of work in the hospital that follows the essentials above. “Transformational leaders recognize the need for change, create and share compelling visions with employees, guide them through adaptations, and inspire them to accomplish the challenging goal of institutionalizing change” (Carter et al., 2013, Section: Transformational Leadership).
Three factors to consider when making sure that the changes made become permanently embedded in the organization’s culture as suggested by Kotter & Cohen (2012, Section: What sticks):
In other words, reinforce and reward, align values and vision, and evaluate the process and adjust as needed for growth to continue.
Andre, J. M. (2013). Plan do stabilize. How to lead change. Management Services, 57(1), 42-47. https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/trade-journals/plan-do-stabili-how-lead-chan/docview/1348695756/se-2
Struggling with online classes or exams? Get expert help to ace your coursework, assignments, and tests stress-free!