Change management is a routine and continuous process in most organizations globally. The process aims at achieving successful processes, strategies, and manpower in the company. Multinational companies such as coca cola may undergo change management due to stiff competition attributed to demographic trends, globalization, and technological innovations. Change management also affects organizational culture. Companies that fail to implement change management according to the global issues tend to fail in the long term or lose their market share to competitors who have adopted the necessary changes (Goetsch & Davis, 2014). One of the most important aspects of change management is communication with customers, employees, and management. Whether Coca-Cola intends to develop new products, streamline company processes, increase market share, or search ways of enhancing quality, it must be implemented through employees. Communication is essential in change management and must be deliberately managed. The essay will evaluate resistance and communication in Coca-Cola.
Diagnosis and Sources of Resistance
One of the reasons for resistance is poor communication and engagement. Good communication solves various problems in a company but poor communications cause problems. It is one of the main reasons why employees oppose the proposed changes. How the proposed change is communicated to employees is essential because it determines how they will react. If Coca-Cola does not properly communicate the proposed changes, it is highly likely that employees will resist. Employees must understand the need for change before they accept the changes (Doppelt, 2017). Employees may feel worried that the processes they have used for a long time is going to be changed or discarded and the management may receive a backlash from the employees.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The second reason is fear of the unknown. The more the organization's employees are unaware of the effects of the change, the more likely they will be fearful. Leading change in an organization does not require springing surprises. All the stakeholders must be prepared for the change. The absence of an efficient two-way communication may allow grapevine rumors to fill the communications gap and sabotage the change management process (Rosemann & vom Brocke, 2015). Also, the management must realize that communication does not only involve telling the employees about the change, it also involves listening.
Furthermore, resistance may occur because of the climate of mistrust. Trust includes having faith in the behavior and intentions of other people. Mistrust may sabotage well-conceived change initiatives. If the company attempts to implement change in a work environment where there is a high level of mistrust, it is highly likely that the change process will fail or have limited success (Hayes, 2014). The management must first rebuild trust if they want successful outcomes from the change efforts. All the stakeholders at Coca-Cola must understand that trust is a fragile asset that can easily be harmed.
Strategy for Minimizing Resistance
Regardless of the well-planned strategy of implementing the change, Coca-Cola will experience resistance. The first step is to identify the source of the resistance and engage the employees or stakeholders opposed to the change. By engaging the people opposed to the change, the management will know their concerns and possibly address the concerns. When the company involves employees in the change management process, the employees will feel assured that they are part of an organizational team that values them. Moreover, Coca-Cola must communicate early and frequently to prepare the employees for the change. There should be constant and efficient two-way communication in the company. Also, the company must communicate why the change is necessary and how it will affect them. Employees can only support a change that will benefit the entire company and not just the shareholders (Hayes, 2014).
The Relationship between Communication and Resistance to Change
Change management is a difficult task. Every organization including Coca-Cola must change over time so that they can adjust to external and internal issues, adapt to marketplace fluctuations, make improvements, and capitalize on new technologies and ideas. Change is accompanied by loss of control and uncertainty. Change in any organization may translate to a loss of dignity, job loss, concerns about competence, and unwanted moves. The organizational change processes have a fail rate of more than 60%. Resistance is inevitable but it can be controlled by good communication strategies. Effective communication strategies involve establishing a collegial environment where all employees are comfortable communicating with their employers (Goetsch & Davis, 2014). Managers must be able to persuade and influence employees to implement proposed organizational initiatives. Employees must feel that that the change will not affect them negatively. Without proper communications, resistance to change may overcome the change initiatives.
Communication Strategies
The company should communicate with all the participating members. Communicating with employees is a key challenge for most organizations. Most employers feel that because they hire employees, they must do what the management wants. Although there may be some truth in the belief, employers must realize that employees may understand the needs of the market more than the management. Employers must embrace, encourage, and support communication from and to the employees because they have firsthand information regarding customer needs (Rosemann & vom Brocke, 2015). When employers listen to the concerns of employees, it builds trust and makes employees feel valued.
The second strategy involves communicating with the executive team. Communicating with the executive team is important so that they articulate and convey the organization’s values and message to employees. Besides, it is the executive team that develops policy statements and communication strategies. When the executive clearly understands the vision for the company, they will properly communicate the message to all stakeholders and it will boost the success of the change management. When the entire executive team properly understands and communicates the vision to all stakeholders, it will be easier for the company to reach a consensus (Goetsch & Davis, 2014).
The third strategy involves communicating with customers. Successful leadership in an organization should offer positive role models for workers so that they can learn the best techniques for dealing with clients. Some managers fail to recognize their role as role models to their employees. Managers who are good at communicating with customers are highly likely to be good communicators with their employees. The same skills that are used to communicate with customers are the same skills that should be used when communicating with employees (Rosemann & vom Brocke, 2015). The most successful businesses listen to their customers and address the expectations and needs of the client.
Recommendation
A combination of the three strategies involving customers, executive team, and employees will be the best option for Coca-Cola. When the executive team makes communication a significant value in the business, there is a positive shift that takes place in the entire organization. The execution of change management will improve because all participating members will understand the value of change management to the organization. All the leaders in the company should break down the change into small bites that can easily be communicated to employees. Also, all members should consider using positive phrases and words regarding the change while resolving all conflicts. When members are excelling in communication, it will motivate them to implement the changes. In fact, good communication should be aligned with the corporate culture (Doppelt, 2017). The management should ensure that they train all employees regarding communication. Strong communication skills often build strong relationships.
Communication Plan for Change Management
Coca-Cola should have a written communication plan that addresses all the processes in the change management. Furthermore, they should communicate frequently, consistently, and through various channels such as speaking and email to communicate the change. The information should be concise and accurate to avoid misunderstanding. On the other hand, the management should offer significant time for employees to provide input, ask questions, and request clarification. Also, the management should explain how the change is aligned with the mission and vision of the company. However, the communication should not just be a presentation of the proposed changes, it should be two-way. The communication should be made in a way that all members understand the need, context, and purpose (Hayes, 2014). Also, there should be interactive forums and workshops where the employees freely interact with the executive team so that they can explore the change process. Each small win in the change management should be celebrated publicly.
Conclusion
The essay evaluates resistance and communication in Coca-Cola. Change management is a routine and continuous process in most organizations globally. Change in Coca-Cola Company will not occur in isolation. It will affect the entire company and all the people who interact with the organization such as customers and partners. Without proper communication channels, employees may become negative and uncertain. They may be unable to understand the purpose or benefits of the change process. Therefore, communication determines the outcome of the change process. The most successful change management processes involve good communication plans and support from all employees, customers, and executive team (Doppelt, 2017). When customers are involved in the change process, they will have a feeling of “ownership” and they will be highly likely to support the change process. Ultimately, good communication strategies in Coca-Cola among the executive team, employees, and customers will improve and tighten relationships in the short and long term.
References
Doppelt, B. (2017). Leading change toward sustainability: A change-management guide for business, government, and civil society : Routledge.
Goetsch, D. L., & Davis, S. B. (2014). Quality management for organizational excellence : Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Hayes, J. (2014). The theory and practice of change management : Palgrave Macmillan.
Rosemann, M., & vom Brocke, J. (2015). The six core elements of business process management. In Handbook on business process management 1 (pp. 105-122). Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
