Organizational change is inevitable due to the various changes that an organization faces from external and internal factors. Organization change is the movement of an organization from one state of affairs to another. Change requires an organization to review the existing environment to accommodate the new. With change , comes resistance and with different cultures reacting in different ways to change. An organization has to be prepared for change and the resistance and have strategies in place to deal with such issues. When an organization is hiring new employees for their first job, there is expected a change in the organization that may cause some communication and behavioral issues. This happens due to the inevitable resistance behavior that comes with change.
Communication and Group Behavioral Issues
Entry-level employees do not have the experience that most existing employees in the organization have. They may come in with poor teamwork skills that are important to the existing employees. They may have the know-how on being a team but the new environment makes new employees laid back until they get used to the new. Before they are able to transition, they may face isolation in the groups’ social context. Isolation is very common due to the intimidation that a new employee feels when dealing with experienced colleagues . Their poor teamwork skills at the time can put them in a place of unacceptance. According to Fayol, sense of belonging is a factor that employees and management need to manage an organization towards success. The lack thereof will have constraints on the performance and group dynamic culture of a firm (Godwin, Hadsome, Ayomide, Enobong, & Johnson, 2017) .
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Organizations should avoid the instance of non-inclusion because they cause dissatisfaction at work. Employees value their relations with others. According to Herzberg, in the two-factor theory of motivation, an employee will be satisfied with their work and be motivated to increase performance if they get the motivating factors. The motivating factors of motivation are issues like work relations and acceptability. They make an employee feel accepted and part of a team so they eventually learn to work as a team and increase their work performance. It is important to deal with issues of isolation at work by offering the new employee jobs that will help them interact with the others. Communicating with the old employees when hiring will help prepare them for the change enabling them to deal with news before hiring.
Resistance to change can cause so many challenges in the workplace. Resistance leads to rebellion and in turn a negative attitude towards work and the culture of the organization. Hiring new people is a form of change to increase human personnel as a way to grow the company. This increases the possibility of resistance that may consequently lead to other issues like reduced productivity and increased absenteeism. Employees are also less motivated when they are rebellious to change. They will have negative emotions even when the change is very beneficial to them.
Because change is difficult in the context of an organization, change management is a crucial function in promoting the success. The management should look into the root cause of the resistance and deal with such cases. For instance, the employees may feel some level of uncertainty when they see new and young employees were hired. They may take this as a replacement strategy. Communication, in this case, is very important. Employees are more contented and secure when they are aware that they are included in making firm decisions. Communicating with them prior to hiring prepares them for the change and allows them to adjust. Giving them a say in the hiring process gives them so a sense of security and they may not react so bad to change.
Another issue arises in the way an organization treats the new hires. In most cases, entry-level employees are undervalued. According to Rockefeller Foundation, in a 2017 report, 52% of entry-level employees are too skilled for their current jobs. This creates a problem for both the new and existing employees. When an entry-level employee is undervalued and posted for a job that makes them feel this way, other employees tend to think that they are skilled for the job only. This makes everyone in a leadership circle to passively take them for granted and the new employees will tend to become unhappy and feel underused. The result is poor relations in the workplace and lack of motivation in the new employees.
It is important for a company to focus on the attitude and not the education of the entry-level employees. Their work ethic and attitude towards work rather than experience help value them in the best way possible. Employees will also feel a sense of belonging and autonomy when they are allowed to take up different tasks in the organization. You will realize their communication with others will improve when they start to feel accepted. It is surprising how the entry-level employees have a lot to offer but the lack the opportunity to use their skills.
According to Anderson & Adams (2016) , leadership effectiveness is a core contributor to the performance of a business. A company that does not foster creativity and use of skills in entry-levels is in denial of their leadership promise- leadership effectiveness. A company whose leadership is ineffective will not attain its goals as required. Ethical leadership is the core influence on how employees relate to each other and with their managers. When managers d not view entry-level employees as experienced and worth an opportunity for growth, they are acting unethically and this behavior is likely to be borrowed by the existing employees. This creates unethical leadership structure in the company.
Ethical leadership is important in a company as it is related to concepts like honesty, integrity, respect, dignity for others. An ethical leader will be fair and just to all creating a workplace that respects the ethical beliefs and values as well as the right of others. Only a leader can lead on ethics and take the responsibility for the results. An ethical leader shows the way and people will follow – if they show employees the need to respect others and hold them accountable, they will follow this style (Meinert, 2014) . It is important for the leaders in an organization to make ethics a priority and build an ethical culture in the firm.
According to CNBC, college graduates are not getting jobs due to their perceived improper or lack of work ethics (Pianin, 2014) . This perception creates an attitude in the workplace that these graduates are not up for the job and may be viewed as a nuisance at work. This attitude affects the discipline level of the company because most people will have disrespectful interaction with the new employees. It is hard to work with a person whom you perceive in a bad attitude, as this will lead to conflict. Companies can deal with such an issue through fostering a culture of respect and discipline. Cases of misconduct and disrespect should face relevant repercussions.
Conclusion
Communication is important in the workplace hence creating a culture that allows everyone – new or existing to air their view will have great positive implications on behavior, performance, and attitude. How you treat, an entry-level employee translates into their work and behavior at work. It will also be evident in how the existing employees will treat them creating friction that is avoidable through communication. Companies, through ethical leadership, can create the right behavior and attitude in employees. Treating them all equally goes a long way in improving motivation and work performance.
References
Anderson, R., & Adams, W. (2016). Mastering Leadership: An Integrates Framework for Breakthrough Performance and Extraordinary Business Results. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley.
Godwin, A., Hadsome, O., Ayomide, W., Enobong, A., & Johnson, F. (2017). Application of the Henri Fayol Principles of Management in Startup Organizations. IOSR Journal of Business and Management, 19 (10), 78-85.
Meinert, D. (2014, April 4). Creating an Ethical Workplace . Retrieved from SHRM: https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/pages/0414-ethical-workplace-culture.aspx
Pianin, E. (2014, January 14). The Surprising Reason College Grads can't get a Job . Retrieved April 30, 2018, from CNBC: https://www.cnbc.com/2014/01/29/the-surprising-reason-college-grads-cant-get-a-job.html
