It seems like there is always something that needs changing in the office routine. With increased emphasis on quality improvement and pay-for-performance, you can bet the result will be more changes in process. Usually these changes come with some degree of resistance. How can you reduce this resistance and make change a little easier for the office in general? Here are some ideas to consider.
Discuss the need for change
Administrators should discuss the necessity of the change at hand and the impact it will have on the operation and staff. It may be necessary to reveal the problems associated with the operation and how this change might affect the staff. This will help set the foundation of why the change is necessary. Everyone likes to be included in the background information.
This discussion will also probably reveal weaknesses needing improvement and facts driving the change. Understanding the reason for the change can help smooth the way for transition to the new process.
Get staff buy-in
It will be helpful to have staff members discuss how they think they can improve the process. You may already have a plan of how to change your organization, but your staff may come up with some outstanding alternatives you have not considered yet. After all, they work with the process daily.
Encouraging staff input also acknowledges the staff’s experience and value to the office. Don’t be discouraged if you hear some less-than-positive comments at first. Resisting change is human nature.
If you fail to allow staff members to vent their displeasure or frustration, it will continue under the surface and, ultimately, may sabotage your efforts. Try to keep conversations positive, and to remain non-judgmental.
For instance, when someone brings up a comment with a sarcastic tone, you might try saying; “Thank you, that’s an interesting thought, does anyone else feel that way?”, or “How can we improve that?”. If you find you are stuck or shocked with a comment, a well-placed “Hum, let me think about that, and I’ll get back to you” can be helpful.
This can be time-consuming and a bit frustrating. However, it is well worth your time and effort. Everyone will be keenly interested in how this change will affect them and their daily routine.
Document and test the new process
Thirdly, after agreeing on an acceptable plan, the new process or re-organization is documented and distributed to each staff member. Everyone needs to understand that during the next week, two weeks or month the process is to be “tested”.
A good process must withstand this testing. Usually, a new process or re-organization will need some minor adjustments once put in action. During the test period, the staff should be encouraged to note of what might be changed to get the process to work better, or problems they are having with it.
As you go through various revisions, it may be helpful to use different-colored paper to easily identify which revision you are currently using. Let the staff know the group will reconvene to discuss their experience. The more details the better. Simply stating ‘this doesn’t work’ is not acceptable. There tends to be two things staff members fear most – more work and no work or elimination of their position.
After reviewing feedback, the group comes back together to share their experiences discovered during the ‘test’ period. Improvements are discussed and incorporated; the “test” begins again. This period of testing and re-testing continues until a refined process seems to work well.
Once you and the staff are pleased with the new process, everyone will need a final version in writing. It’s a good idea when completed to label the process as FINAL, and ask staff to disregard previous versions. This will go a long way to eliminate any confusion in the process.
Follow Up
It will be necessary for you or a designate to ensure the new process is being implemented as designed for at least a month or so. It may also be a good idea to circle back in two-month increments, to ensure the process is well in place. Then, place the new improved process in an orientation folder so any new staff members will be informed from the beginning.
By following this outline, you may find that your staff is more receptive to change and actually look forward to being part of the solution in the future. At Primaris, our focus is quality improvement, so if you would like some additional information or just someone to talk with regarding implementing change please give me a call. For further information, please contact Linda Lesh at 314.374.6451.
Rolling out change
