Change Management Plan (Essay Sample)

Change Management Plan: Walmart
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Change Management Plan: Walmart
Description of Walmart
Walmart Stores is a multinational retail company that operates chains of warehouse stores and discount department stores. It was founded in the year 1962 by Sam Walton and was incorporated 7 years later in 1969. Its first store was launched in Rogers, Arkansas in ‘62. At present, this corporation is operating more than 11,000 stores using 71 dissimilar banners in roughly 27 nations and employs about 2 million people world wide (Walmart, 2014). This company is the biggest retailer globally and by revenue, it is the largest company in the world. With a workforce that exceeds 2 million, this corporation is the largest private employer globally. Walmart is also the biggest grocery retailer in America and generated $284 billion sales in the year 2014 in America from its grocery business. Moreover, Walmart is the owner of Sam’s Club retail warehouses (Walmart, 2014).
How the Human Resource (HR) program that has been proposed should be changed
The problem with Walmart’s HR program is that it fosters gender discrimination. It is worth mentioning that the company’s HR program does not treat each of its personnel with equality considering that there is gender discrimination at Walmart. Walmart’s HR program, which enables stereotyping of female staffs, discriminates against female workers when it comes to their salary and promotions. Female workers at Walmart are often underrepresented, underpaid, and provided with few opportunities for advancement (Reed, 2013). Even though female employees comprise most of the company’s staffs, few are in management roles and the majority of them occupy low-wage ranks (Reed, 2013). This HR program should be changed to allow female workers to be paid the same pay as male coworkers in the same position. There should also be the same number of women and men in managerial roles, and they should be given the same opportunities for advancement as men.
Three reasons why this change is important
This change is particularly important because of the following reasons:
It will allow female employees at Walmart to earn equal pay as male coworkers for the same position.
It will ensure that female employees at this corporation are well-represented in managerial roles and senior positions.
It will ensure that the female workers are provided with equal opportunities for advancement as their male coworkers.
This change is essentially aimed at bringing to an end sex discrimination and unfair treatment of female workers at Walmart.
Recommended change
The recommended change entails modifying the HR program such that all staff members are treated equally notwithstanding their gender. In essence, female employees should be paid similar pay as male coworkers; they should be well-represented in managerial positions; and they should be given equal opportunities for promotion as male workers. This will help in creating a dedicated, loyal as well as productive workforce. In turn, this will result in superior customer service that will be the best in the industry.
Addressing the eight Stages of Change
(1). Creating a sense of urgency: this first stage will entail motivating change. A sense of urgency will be created regarding the need for change. Walmart’s managers would be convinced to buy into the change to ensure that this change is effective. The problem of gender discrimination would be used as an opportunity to excite workers and the management at Walmart to change their organization. (2). Forming a powerful coalition: according to Kotter (1996), an effective change effort calls for the change agent to assemble a coalition of influential persons with a varied power base in the company. As the leader of the change, I will identify the true leaders within the company and instill a serious and enduring emotional commitment to the end of the change effort. I will assemble a group that has the energy and power to lead and support a collaborative change effort.
(3) Creating a vision for change: As an effective leader, I would communicate a convincing and clear image of what it would look like if the change takes place. In order to motivate Walmart’s decision makers to change their HR program, I would connect the outcome of the change with accepted and established values. I will shape a vision to assist in steering the change effort and developing strategic initiatives to accomplish that vision. (4). Communicating the vision: as the change leader, I will communicate the vision regularly, strongly, and clearly, and this will include communicating the benefits that would be brought by the desired change. (5). Removing obstacles: as an effective change leader, I will identify and eliminate any possible obstacles that may hinder or hold back the change. The obstacles could be people who need to be convinced or neutralized. They could as well be procedures, processes, or traditions that have to be removed or changed (Kotter, 1996).
(6) Creating short-term wins: I will show that the vision could be attained by identifying as well as celebrating incremental changes. This will entail looking for easy victories (Kotter, 1996). Attainments would be publicized and those individuals who made it happen would be praised. (7). Building on the change: I will build on the outcome as well as pride in successful incremental changes. During this seventh stage, what really went right would be analyzed and replicated. I will also establish what needs to be improved and then I will improve it. (8). Anchoring the changes in corporate culture: Kotter (1996) stated that analogous to reducing weight, it is usually more difficult to sustain the progress than to achieve the progress. In order to make the change sustainable, the new reality would become part of the culture of the company.
Potential resistance to change
Potential resistance include criticism from resistant people in the organization. Josephson (2011) pointed out that resistance is really an unavoidable response to any significant change within an organization. People naturally rush to defend the status quo whenever they think that their status or security are threatened. It is worth mentioning that this organizational change at Walmart could generate resistance as well as skepticism in staffs and make it impossible or hard to execute organizational improvements. The resistance would be managed by (i) ensuring visible as well as active participation by the company’s senior leaders, front-line supervisors, and middle managers. (ii) Communicating clearly the need for change, as well as the benefits of the change to staffs at the organization, and the impact on staffs.
Three communications strategies to use
These commun...