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Although change is nothing new, change management is gaining ever more importance, both in management theory and in corporate practice. Digitalisation and globalisation in particular, but also the current state of the global economy, are making strategic transformation increasingly necessary for companies. To remain competitive, companies must above all be able to react flexibly to change while also offering their employees sufficient flexibility. One way of achieving this is by introducing flexible forms of working, which can be designed in a variety of ways. Once a company has decided on particular flexibility measures and new ways of working, these must also be introduced successfully and implemented in a lasting way. This requires knowledge of the "rules of the game" of change management, which are explained in more detail below.
What is change management?
By definition, change management can be described as the "targeted analysis, planning, realisation, evaluation and ongoing development of holistic change measures in companies" (Vahs & Schäfer-Kunz, 2012). The aim is to develop a company from a given current state to a desired target state in order to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of all corporate activities in a sustainable way.
The integrative approach to change management
The integrative approach to change management is a model in which the change process is divided into two levels: the factual level and the psychological level (see figure). On the factual level, the change measures are analysed, planned, implemented, monitored and further developed. On the psychological level, the model draws on Kurt Lewin's (1947) three phases: unfreezing, changing, refreezing. First, employees must be motivated to change, for example by informing them about the disadvantages of the current state. During the actual change phase, it is important to ensure that employees participate actively. In the final step, the change must be stabilised and embedded.
Flexibility and flexibilisation in the world of work
Flexibility is regarded as a potential and, from a social-science perspective, describes a system of action that makes a stock of alternative courses of action available. Flexibilisation is the creation of such a system, and it becomes effective when the system is confronted quickly and unpredictably with changing demands from its environment. It is therefore an interaction that arises between individual and collective actors and their environment.
With regard to flexibility at work, the relevant actors are the institution or company and its employees. This gives rise to two possibilities: either the employees are willing to adapt to changing institutional conditions, or the institutions are able to adapt to the rapidly changing demands of their employees. Flexibility can be understood and observed both as a potential of institutions and as a potential of individual actors.
Forms and relevance of flexible working
Mobile and flexible working describes all forms of working that can be carried out in different places and at different times. The most common models for ensuring flexibility in terms of time are part-time work, flexitime, self-determined working hours, working-time accounts, parental and care leave, and sabbaticals. Flexibility in terms of place is made possible, for example, by home office arrangements or flexible seating arrangements. This includes "desk sharing", a widespread concept under which office desks can be used by more than one employee.
The concept of "workation" is also becoming increasingly attractive to employees, as it offers the opportunity to spend working hours in beautiful places. But why are flexible working models important for companies?
Flexibility offers potential not only for employers, for example by saving rental costs through home office and desk-sharing concepts. Employees also benefit from flexible forms of working. Studies show that flexible work leads to relief in terms of time and emotional strain, and that sabbaticals increase enjoyment of leisure time (thereby raising overall job satisfaction (Carstensen, 2020; Kröll & Nüesch, 2019). The desire for flexibility in the workplace has been strengthened above all by the younger generations. Is it a win-win situation, then? Yes, provided the change is implemented with suitable measures and established in a lasting way.
Suitable change management measures for introducing flexible forms of working:
- Employee survey
By surveying those affected directly, a company ensures that they are involved in the change process from the outset. Standardised, anonymised questionnaires allow a company to gain a general picture of the mood among its employees, that is, their assessments, expectations, requirements or needs, in order to analyse the corporate culture, the working atmosphere or leadership behaviour. The aim is to identify strengths and weaknesses and to uncover potential for improvement. Change initiatives can then be derived from the results and put into practice. If an employee survey shows, for example, that a large part of the workforce favours more mobile working, home office arrangements or workation solutions can be worked on specifically. Employee surveys are not only used in the analysis phase, however; they can also be used later for evaluation and monitoring.
- Communication matrix
Targeted and successful communication is the be-all and end-all of change management. It therefore makes sense to rely on supporting tools such as the communication matrix during the planning phase. It contains the following parameters: first, the relevant target group must be defined. If, for example, the introduction of a new desk-sharing policy affects only one particular department, it should already be decided in the planning phase whether, and to what extent, other colleagues are to be included in communication about this change. This goes hand in hand with defining the communication needs. Which information is relevant for which target groups? The goal of the communication should then be set, so that it is clear in advance what the communication is meant to achieve. Finally, a decision must be made on which medium is best suited for communication and when the information is to be communicated. Taking the introduction of a new desk-sharing policy as an example, the employees affected should ideally be informed of the plan at an early stage. If they were previously used to having their own fixed desk, perhaps even in small, private offices, an open-plan concept with changing workstations will certainly be an adjustment and is not necessarily in the interest of everyone affected. Resistance from the workforce is to be expected. Communicating early can counteract it.
- Training and participation
During the actual implementation of the project, it remains necessary to involve employees and, where appropriate, to train them for the changes. This can be particularly useful for technological innovations, such as the introduction of a new messenger application. Depending on the scale of the change, it should in any case be ensured that everyone affected is informed about what is new, for example via the intranet, the newsletter or their managers.
- Kaizen
Ultimately, a good change succeeds by being sustainable, with no return to old patterns. This is why the final phase of monitoring and improvement is indispensable. One of the instruments for continuous improvement is Kaizen, the core of which is change for the better in small steps. The concept is intended to ensure that all employees are involved in the improvement process. Once new models of flexible working have been introduced, they should therefore be monitored constantly and optimised where necessary. In the case of a desk-sharing policy, for instance, a further employee survey could be carried out after introduction to check how the concept works in practice. If there are shortcomings or the desired goal is not achieved, the concept must be revised. It becomes clear that some change management measures cannot be assigned to just one phase, but can appear in several steps of the process.
Emotional resistance as a central challenge
Various studies show that around three quarters of all change projects fail. This is mainly attributable to resistance from the workforce, since employees play a central role in change processes and are often not sufficiently involved. People generally tend to reject the unfamiliar, and prejudices are often reinforced as a result. They also have a general tendency to respond to restrictions of their freedom with resistance. One of the most relevant causes is probably misleading communication. Resistance can then take various forms: objection, agitation, avoidance or apathy. It is all the more important, then, to plan the change process comprehensively, to choose targeted measures and tools, and to address not only the factual level but also the psychological level sufficiently.
Our conclusion
In an age of rapid technological progress and global challenges, change management is more than just a buzzword. It is an indispensable discipline for companies that want to remain competitive in a constantly changing market environment. By introducing flexible forms of working and taking into account both the factual and the psychological aspects of change management, companies can successfully navigate their teams through change. This calls for a holistic view that puts people at the centre and sees continuous improvement as part of the corporate culture. Change management is therefore not a one-off project but an ongoing task that requires openness, flexibility and commitment from everyone involved in order to secure shared success.
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