Scenario
As the lead consultant for Workplace Solutions Consulting, you are the one to deliver recommendations for organizational change to the management of Informational Systems. Some of the ideas involve centralizing some duplicated administration functions in regional locations and others involve de-centralizing product departments to break down silo walls across locations. You collected significant data in order to conduct the best analysis. The bottom line: although all of these changes are for the better for organization, they will be quite disruptive to the personnel at IS.
Your Task~After reading your textbook, particularly modules 11, 12 and 15, answer to the best of your ability.
Part I
1 You used the data you collected in order to arrive at the most-informed decisions possible regarding changes to the organization.
2What steps would you follow and what information would you collect to ensure sound data-driven decisions?
Part II
3 It is now time to execute the reorganization of Informational Systems. Describe how you would implement the following:
The centralization of Finance and HR (no jobs lost, but increased specialization and responsibility).
The de-centralization of the heretofore separate product departments (break up of existing teams, reforming new teams, and new reporting relationships).
Full Answer Section
- Transition employees to the new structure and roles. Once the new structure and roles have been defined, it is important to transition employees to the new system. This may involve training employees on their new roles and responsibilities, and helping them to relocate to new offices if necessary.
- Monitor and evaluate the changes. Once the changes have been implemented, it is important to monitor and evaluate them to ensure that they are meeting the desired goals. This may involve collecting feedback from employees and customers, and tracking key metrics such as employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction.
De-centralization of product departments:
- Communicate the plan to employees. As with the centralization of Finance and HR, it is important to communicate the plan to employees as early as possible so that they have time to prepare for the changes. The communication should include the goals of the reorganization, the timeline, and the impact on employees' jobs.
- Identify the new structure and roles. Once the plan has been communicated, it is important to identify the new structure and roles for the product departments. This includes defining the new reporting relationships and the responsibilities of each role.
- Transition employees to the new structure and roles. Once the new structure and roles have been defined, it is important to transition employees to the new system. This may involve training employees on their new roles and responsibilities, and helping them to relocate to new offices if necessary.
- Monitor and evaluate the changes. Once the changes have been implemented, it is important to monitor and evaluate them to ensure that they are meeting the desired goals. This may involve collecting feedback from employees and customers, and tracking key metrics such as time to market and product quality.
Specific considerations:
- Increased specialization and responsibility: When centralizing Finance and HR, it is important to ensure that employees have the necessary skills and training to fulfill their new roles. This may involve providing employees with on-the-job training or sending them to external training programs. It is also important to give employees the opportunity to take on new challenges and responsibilities.
- New reporting relationships: When de-centralizing product departments, it is important to clearly define the new reporting relationships. This will help to ensure that everyone knows who they are accountable to and who they can go to for help. It is also important to create a system for communication and collaboration between the different product departments.
- No jobs lost: When implementing the reorganization, it is important to do so in a way that minimizes the impact on employees. This means avoiding layoffs and job cuts. It is also important to provide employees with support during the transition period.
Conclusion:
The centralization of Finance and HR and the de-centralization of product departments are significant changes that will require careful planning and implementation. By following the steps outlined above, Informational Systems can minimize the disruption to employees and ensure that the reorganization is successful.
Additional tips:
- Get buy-in from employees. It is important to get buy-in from employees for the reorganization. This can be done by involving them in the planning process and by communicating the benefits of the reorganization to them.
- Be transparent and honest with employees. It is important to be transparent and honest with employees about the reorganization. This includes communicating the goals of the reorganization, the timeline, and the impact on employees' jobs.
- Provide support to employees. It is important to provide support to employees during the reorganization. This may involve providing them with training, counseling, or other resources.
- Monitor and evaluate the changes. It is important to monitor and evaluate the changes after the reorganization is implemented. This will help to ensure that the reorganization is meeting the desired goals and that any problems are addressed early on.