Presentation Workplace analysis Recommendations and application of theory Conclusions Changing your workplace "" Hanlon Windows.Produce a report on changing your workplace. Think of any aspect of workplace that needs changing.Technology at Hanlon Windows is one of many aspects of the organisation that needs changing, this will be the main focus.Outline what changes are required.Hanlon windows is a family owned and operated company that has been supplying aluminium and timber windows to the residential construction industry for the last twenty five years. Although they have survived and prospered the economic changes that have occurred over the last twenty years in Australia, Hanlon Windows has had major problems with it's present information system. It can't cope with the sheer volume of information and process it in an efficient time period. The main source of concern is product being manufactured to the right quality on time. Other specific concerns is communication between external suppliers and keeping up with there pace of change within thier organisations. The only solution is to adopt innovations that are being utilised in the information technology sector. This is a major project that will use a large percentage of Hanlon Windows resources.Below is a detail list of the major groups in the company that are effected by problems that require change.Manufacturing- Oak Flats commercial,Bomoderry domestic(Timber and Aluminium).Commercial Supervisors and Sub Contractors Main suppliers - Breezeway louvres, Flat Glass Industries, Vantage Aluminium, Capral, PRW flyscreens, AAF Powdercoat finishes, Doric, Interlock, Hilite, Hanlons Timber Sales, Aneeta windows, Aluminium specialties.Sales Branches "" Silverwater, Narrabeen, Miranda, Bowral, Pambula, Oak Flats, Bomoderry.Administration and Financial control- All Branches, Head Office at Bomoderry.Service department "" based at Bomoderry and Silverwater.Customers- Large construction companies, developers, builders, owner builders, renovators, specifiers and architects.All these groups need to improve the way they communicate with each other at various levels. The plan will show how technology will improve this existing function and to solve longstanding problems within the organisation and hopefully increase market share by creating more efficient and effective service. To give productive time to the members of the sales force.Provide a plan of how you will implement the changes.Change agent who has experience in applying information technology to the workplace.It is the job of the Change agent to produce a solution to all these problems.The change agent must be qualified in maintenance of computers and know what is required in a solution based enviroment. The time frame is quite extensive especially when you consider that the changes that are occuring within are quite extensive and effect all staff in various ways.It is especially important for an organisation such as Hanlon Windows, which is a privately owned organisation that has expanded well beyond market place expectations in recent years. It's amazing to see how Hanlon Windows has come this far without keeping up without Information Technology.The major areas of communication within the organisation that need implementing are: Hardware: Providing PC's to all branches. This will provide an effective foundation for communication between all involved.Internet: Access to the web for emails and web sites for online information.Software: What programs are suitable for the organisation? The selected Production/ Sales software program that was cost effective is the v6 program. This software covers every aspect of the sales process from estimation/quotation to sales to ordering of materials/manufacture and finally invoicing. With this comes a customer focused consultant who comes in and learns about every aspect of the business so the software can be tailor-made for Hanlon Windows to become effective and efficient.Wide area network: An intranet network to have instantaneous information between each organisation, including exchange of documents and to improve costs of phone calls by having direct access to the wide area network(or WAN).These changes will help monitor the business at all levels and also change it quite dramatically. It will be the Change Agents role also to discuss training issues to all parties involved.The Vision The vision is for Hanlons to improve the structure of their organisation. To provide a clear path to achieving this goal Hanlon Windows Australia needs to improve ithe very thing that makes it operate "" communication. As you can see Hanlon Windows has taken on a life of it's own without much long term planning. As soon as this solution is implemented it will have a follow on effect. Instead of the sales force having time wasted by doing laborous written quotes they will spend more tme on the road pushing production to it's limits.This in one way is quite reactive. Because ideally you should set production up to produce more windows. The problem is for this business is in the form of operating expenses. The major resource that will help drive the initial change is resources. By Improving the communications step you are improving the ability of your staff to be more productive.Discuss the various theories on implementing change and why people resist change.1. Change Agent approach The Change Agent Theory envolves an innovative individual brought in from another orgnisation. This individual is employed for their experience, expertise and knowledge. The change agent should be objective, consult with the exsisting employees, be impartial and look at providing solutions to help change the organisation. The Benefits of having a change agent is primarily the perspective of the change agent being objective but also the perception that this person does not have vested interests that interfear with the organisational members involved. This automatically puts the emplyees on side because they will more than likely percieve the change agent as helpful.2. Lewin's Change Model This is a three step process as follows; Unfreeze: This process involes discussions that are held with the focus on change eg; structure,technology, how people are affected, change of job description.Change: The Change process involves implementing agreements and strategies that have been discussed for change all external groups including Unions, Government bodies, consultancies should be advised of the change and included formally and informally.Refreeze This is where the change process is reviewed on all levels. All processes are stablised and modified a s to keep the companies change process on track.3. Grid organisational Development The Grid Organisational development model is based on the Blake Moulton managerial approach. It focuses on two key outcomes; Cocern for people and task or outcome. This change model follows six important steps: Training: Managers are trained to asses their own management styles. Communication and problem solving skills are included in this comprehensive training program.Team Development: Managers Develop appropriate teams able to embrace the change program. The program should the right peiople resources and education.Intergroup Development: Supporting communication between each group, reducing conflict and fostering cooperation.Setting Organisational Goals: The Teams will noow work together to implement goals nesessary to facilitate sucessful change. These come about from the strategic planand link the change program to the new strategy.Facilitating Goals:This Step is a process of implemnting KPI's to measure the progress of achieving those goals. In this step we look at barriers that preventing goals of change being achieved.Stabilise the Change: This process envolves monitoring and adjusting the process to provide optimum performance.This Change Model tries to strike a balance between concern for people and people and tasks. It also gives and example in the grid below of the various degrees of the two elements of concern for people and tasks.10 0 Concern for people The Grid Gives you the results of different approaches. This is a Simple guide that can be used wilst stablising the change to make sure the teams are achieving their goals.4. Transition Management team The TMT is a temporary project team focusing on change. They are a multi disipline task force who are given full support and use of resources it needs to design and implement strategies for change.The transition management team leader has to be someone of high credibility that communicates effectively with other groups within the organisation.The TMT is responsible for the Eight key steps of change.Establish the context for change and provide guidelines: The TMT provides a vision and desireable outcomes communicated throughout the organisation.Stimulate conversation and discussion: The TMT must form groups for discussion where problems, ideas and plans are readily discussed.Provide appropriate resources: The TMT can provide the adequate funding for projects and can also decide if others should be terminated.Coordinate and align all change projects: The TMT is responsible for all projects run in sequence and if all projects are compatible with each other and work with the change.Ensure consistency of activities, policies and behaviours: The TMT as two key tasks: coordinate all activities of change and ensure policies are consistent with change.Provide opportunities for joint development: The TMT draws together groups and collaorates with them to bring about change.Anticipate, identify and solve people problems: It is the responsibilty of the TMT to mediate conflict, morale and other people related issues such as change in job description.Prepare the critical mass: People with either support or hinder the progress of change. The TMT needs to support strategies that ensure that the majority support change. The coordination of education, communication, support , job design and structural changes are carried out by the TMT. This may be delegated to specialist groups, but the TMT needs to check this process.This model is useful for all types of change.5. Force Field Analysis Force Field Analysisis a method to get a whole view of the all the forces for or against a plan so that a decision can be made which takes into account all interests. In effect this is a specialised method of wieghing pros and cons.Where a paln has been decided on, force field analysis allows you to look at all the forcesfor or against the plan. It helps you plan or rweduce the impact of the opposing forces, and strenghen and reinforce the supporting forces.To carry out a force field analysis carrry out the following steps: List all the forces for change in one column, and all forces against change in another column.Assign a score to each force, from 1(weak) to 5(strong).Draw a diagram showing the forces for and against, and the size of the forces.Example: 4 2 3 1 Total 10 Total 11 Once you have carrie dout the analysis, you can carry out the viability of the project.Where you have decided to carry out a project, it can help you analyse push through a project that maybe in difficulty. Her you have two choices.To reduce the effect of the forces opposing a project To increase the forces pushing a project Often the first choice is more agreeable as forcing the change may cause conflict eg; staff percieving change as negative.If you were faced with of pushing through the project in the example above, the analysis might suggest a number of points: By training staff(increase cost by 1) fear of technology could be eliminated(reduce fear by 2) It would be useful to show staff that a change is nesessary for buisness survival(new force favour+2).Staff could be shown that the new machines will introduce variety and interest to their jobs(new force +1) Wages could be raised to reflect new productity(cost+1, loss of overtime-2) Slightly different machines with filters to eliminate polution could be installed (enviromental impact ""1) These changes swing the balance from 11:10(against the plan), to 8:13(in favour of the plan) Force Field Analysis is an effective method of getting the picture of all the forces for and against a plan. It helps you to wiegh the importance of these factors and asses whether a plan is worth persuing. Force field analysis helps you asess how to identify the changes nesessary for a plan.This ends the section on the Five models of change. No particular model is right or wrong. All five models have the same objective with a different perspective on how change should come about. The elements they have in common is: People- the engine of the change process Goals- the task at hand Resisting/Driving forces within/outside the organisation Structure Technology The organisations future growth and direction These elements above are something that the modern business is facing everyday. All these models of change help articulate,implement, montitor and stablise the change.The one thing that can really stop all these plans is the staff resisting change here are the reasons why: Fear of Loss: When the organisation decides to implement technology for example many of the staff will undoubtedly feel like they will loose their job, especially in labour intensive workplace that does not require any specialised skills, or the the skills attained are no longer required at all.Fear of unknown: For example attaining new skills can breed fear amonst workers. Fear that they may not be able to master the new tasks.Lack of involvement: May cause people to feel excluded and therefore no longer favoured in the descision making process.Habit: Habits that where part of the previous routine may change this can cause discomfort and anxiety amongst some people.Disrupting Social Relationships: can include loosing work colleages or being moved to a different sections within the company. This can cause anxiety fear and anger.Misunderstanding the reason for change: may stem from a feeling that the change is out to get them. "maybe they don't trust me" Vested interests: Often refers to people who think they will loose something of value. Things such as flexibility,or prestige or even a project that someone is highly committed to.Personal Values: includes considerations such as value systems amongst it's workers. These people may percieve the changes unfairly impacting on them or on other groups within the company. This may challenge the value systems of these groups.All these factors are strongly related and often intertwine and require careful consideration in order to understand the reasons for these reactions. Understanding these values, strength of social networks, inclusion in decision making and communication of ideas and options to those involved.In conclusion, one thing that Hanlon Windows should be careful of is making sure they train and involve their staff. This may not make change any easier but it sure will make it less frustrating.
