Times of change and transition can be both difficult to deal with and exciting. Managers tasked with guiding and directing staff, implementing new projects, communicating openly with employees and partners, mediating feelings of uncertainty, and much more can easily become overwhelmed when considering an organizational change. In management, it is common to feel like you are becoming a reactor to unexpected challenges rather than having the time to plan for the future and be innovative.
When managing projects to provide services to victims, we often feel that we don’t have the time to create strategies for organizational change. It is important to consider the idea of change more in depth. Ask yourself, “Who will be impacted by the change?”, “How will it affect staff?”, How will I, as a manager, respond to the impact of organizational change on my staff?”. Preparing for change in your organization is crucial to responding effectively to any questions or needs from staff throughout the process.
Brager and Holloway (2002) suggest that there are five stages of planned organizational change:
- initial assessment
- pre-initiation
- initiation
- implementation
- institutionalization
