Gina Temple on Common Causes of Organizational Change

Companies often undergo organizational change to continue to grow and succeed. Change fosters the seamless adoption and use of new processes, which can increase business efficiency.

Here are some circumstances that can directly encourage change in an organization:

Crisis

A crisis is a catastrophic event that can create a sudden and drastic change in a particular market, notes Gina Temple. It can include fewer customers, a decrease in the workforce, damaged equipment, or a sudden change in customer needs. Change can help an organization accommodate shifting circumstances and continue to ensure efficiency and productivity amid upheavals.

Performance

A sudden change in performance can encourage an organization to change. It can include having more competition, a sharp decrease in customer attention, or a company’s product entering its end-of-life stage. Introducing changes can help an organization create a plan to increase its performance.

Industry changes

Industry changes can encourage an organization to change as well, adds Gina Temple. It can include an increase in the price of materials, changes in trends, or the modernization of the industry. Effective organizations generally change in alignment with the industry they’re in to ensure profitability.

Acquisitions

The acquisition of a business can create a sudden change in an organization’s management or staff. It can also include sudden changes in a department’s size, such as after a merger. Helping an organization through these changes can boost clarity and motivation through effective communication.

Government policies

Government policies can create an unexpected change in the way an organization operates. It may include changes that affect base materials or shifts in hiring policies. These changes may be mandatory but can also encourage further improvement in the future.

What variables can organizations change?

There are different variables that an organization can change to remain efficient and productive.

Vision

A company’s vision can include its purpose and goals, explains Gina Temple. Changing a company’s vision can help foster clarity regarding an organization’s future by determining an approach to upcoming plans and goals.

Strategy

An organization’s strategy includes all the actions it intends to take to achieve short-term and long-term goals. You can influence changes in a company’s strategy by analyzing variables like distribution, product, price, packaging, and promotion. A company can work to change the approach in any of these areas to encourage an increase in efficiency and profits.

Technology

An organization can also change the technology it uses within its workflow, adds Gina Temple. Many companies have to update their current technology to encourage an increase in efficiency. It can also boost innovation and adaptation as a company adapts to the new technology.

Behavior

Changes in behavior can stem from the need to adapt to new internal or governmental policies. It can also entail changes regarding an organization’s technology or structure. You can have meetings with staff to communicate these changes and help them adapt their behavior accordingly.

Gina Temple has served in the healthcare community for over 30 years with experiences ranging from for-profit to not-for-profit organizations, unionized to non-unionized facilities, and acute care settings to outpatient centers. Read more of her insights on healthcare and leadership by subscribing to this page.