structure and situational conditions. Organizational rewards
are also powerful systems that refreeze behaviors.45 If the
change process is supposed to encourage efficiency, then
rewards should be realigned to motivate and reinforce
efficient behavior. Information systems play a complementary
role in the change process, particularly as conduits for
feedback.46 Feedback mechanisms help employees learn how
well they are moving toward the desired objectives, and they
provide a permanent architecture to support the new behavior
patterns in the long term. The adage, "What gets measured,
gets done," applies here. Employees concentrate on the new
priorities when they receive a continuous flow of feedback
about how well they are achieving those goals.
Bank of New Zealand BNZ applied this refreezing strategy
by changing the feedback and reward system at its call
centers. Previously, call center employees received feedback
and were rewarded for answering and completing calls
quickly. However, management concluded that customers
wanted efficient calls, not fast talkers. "What do fast calls
have to do with great conversations?" asks Susan Basile,
BNZ's managing director of direct sales and service. "Sure,
we don't want to waste the customer's time. But if we were to
ask them what they most wanted from our call center, they
might well say they want fast answers, but we'd be wrong to
conclude they want fast talkers or hurried conversations."
Now, BNZ provides employee feedback and rewards around
"great conversations," not how quickly the call is completed.
Employees are recognized for addressing customer needs
rather than for how long it takes them to complete the call.47
Rituals and
I connections 14.1
�
�
�
47%
43%
�
Mina Ishiwatari (center) faced, and overcame, resistance to
change in the company that her grandfather founded.
�
EXHIBIT 15.2
Strategies for Minimizing Resistance to
Change
STRATEGY
�
EXAMPLE
�
WHEN APPLIED
�
PROBLEMS
�
�
Communication
�
Customer complaint letters are shown to employees.
�
When employees don't feel an urgency for change, don't
know how the change will affect them, or resist change due
to a fear of the unknown.
�
Time-consuming and potentially costly.
�
�
Learning
�
Employees learn how to work in teams as company adopts a
team-based structure.
�
When employees need to break old routines and adopt new
role patterns.
�
Time consuming, potentially costly, and some employees
might be unable to learn the new skills.
�
�
Employee involvement
�
Company forms a task force to recommend new customer
service practices.
�
When the change effort needs more employee commitment,
some em
ployees need to save face, and/or employee ideas
�
would improve deci
sions about the change strategy.
�
�
Very time-consuming. Might lead to conflict and poor
deci
sions if employees' interests are incompatible with
�
organi
zational needs.
�
�
�
Stress
management
�
Employees attend sessions to discuss their worries about the
change.
�
When communication, training, and involvement do not
sufficiently ease employee worries.
