Change Management Implementation: A-List Hair Salon Staff Reactions

This report examines the proposed change program at A-List Hair Salon, focusing on potential staff reactions, effective communication strategies, and necessary HR support. It evaluates the impact of the change on the 25-man administrative staff, considering factors like perceived organizational support, procedural justice, and fear of change outcomes. The report advises on the best communication plan to minimize negative business outcomes, emphasizing the importance of internal communication, transparency, and two-way dialogue. Finally, it suggests HR strategies to help A-List leadership achieve business objectives while ensuring staff confidence, adaptability, and flexibility, which is available for students to study on Desklib, a platform providing a wide range of academic resources including past papers and solved assignments.

Introduction
The structured strategy to the implementation of knowledge, resources, and tools for
dealing with change is known as "change management." It entails developing and
implementing company policies, structures, processes, and technology to address changes
in the corporate world and the wider world. Handling the "people side" of significant change
within an organisation entails more than project management and technical duties carried
out to implement organisational changes. The main objective of change management is to
efficiently introduce novel procedures, items, and corporate strategies while minimising
adverse effects.
Organisations frequently require to adopt enterprise-wide changes impacting their
operations, products, and personnel in order to keep up in a corporate environment that is
continuously changing. Change is a constant in today's corporate world. It could be
challenging, and numerous individuals object to it. However, in order to foster an agile
workplace culture, businesses should manage significant change in a diligent way.
Professionals in organisational development have developed strategies for surviving change.
A-list which is a reputable up-market hair salon has largely been influenced by Covid-19
ranging from shift from salon shop to on-line marketing during the period of pandemic, and
to fall in the online service at the post-pandemic period, thereby laying a considerable effect
in the general performance of the business. After the exit of some personnel, the existing
25-man administrative staff are now confronted with paradigm shift in organizational
activities which necessitates a change program to manage the current situation.
Therefore, this report seeks to examine the impact of the proposed change program in
terms of potential staff reaction, effective communication plan in change management and
the necessary HR strategies neded to support the process.
Discussion
Evaluation of the Impact of Proposed Change and the Potential Staff Response
Among the the key topics addressed by research on change management is how personnel
will respond to organisational change. Personnel perceptions and attitudes towards change

might be either favourable or adverse. For management and change drivers to successfully
implement organisational change, employee attitudes and behaviours that embrace
organisational change are key. Organisational change looks at the skills of managers,
workers, and the workplace itself. Shifting a circumstance from the familiar to the unknown
has an impact on employee behaviours and reactions since it could induce stress, tension,
and anxiety in workers (Shah & Irani, 2010).
There are factors that can affect the affect the A-list 25-man administrative staff and induce
their reaction to the proposed organizational change that could make them support or resist
the change initiatives among these are perceived organizational support, perceived
procedural justice, fear of consequences of a change, self-confidence for learning and
development, trust in management and perceived need for change are the factors that
influence employee reaction to organizational change. All these indicators are necessary for
A-list hair salon to watch out for and see how well to tackle them because researchers who
specialise in organisational change typically concur that change initiatives frequently fail.
Kotter & Cohen (2012) reported that over 70% of all organisational change projects fail,
while Appelbaum et al. (2012) reported that failure rates for change initiatives ranged from
30% to 80%.
Factor 1: Perceived Organizational Support
According to Eisenberger et al. (1986), one of the internal situational factors which would
affect the outcome of a change initiative is perceived organisational support. According to
earlier research (Eisenberger, Fasolo, and Davis-LaMastro, 1990), perceived organisational
support is connected to a variety of workplace behaviours and results. The 25-man
administrative staff, on the other hand, is more inclined to have sceptical responses,
experience negative emotions, and eventually oppose the change because they now
perceive the atmosphere at work as typically hostile, particularly in terms of work burden
and consequent strain (Kiefer, 2005; Martin et al., 2005). Likewise, if they perceive the
business owner as being helpful, they are more inclined to reciprocate the owner's gesture
of a little wage rise. They seem compelled to assist those who aided them in given the
standard of correspondence, implying a good standard of correspondence (Gouldner, 1960).
As a result, if the 25-man administrative staff's perception of the organization's support is

linked to specific choices, we might anticipate that they will be more prone to consider that
perception when deciding whether to oppose or adhere to organisational change. However,
the 25-man administrative staff is more inclined to practise organisational citizenship
behaviour if perceived organisational support is high (Pernica, 2011).
Factor 2: Perceived Procedural Justice
The perception of procedural justice is one of the aspects affecting the change procedure
and it is more probable to affect how personnel respond to the change. For instance, certain
investigations connected responses to organisational change with interactional and
procedural justice (Wang & Kebeke, 2020). Procedural justice was linked to greater
acceptability, willingness, and dedication to organisational change, according to Spreitzer
(2002). The actions of staff members in the name of justice—whether distributive,
procedural, interpersonal, or informational—determine how people respond to change, in
the manner the 25-man administrative staff's would stick to sense of justice is a prerequisite
to how they respond to the change program (Greenberg, 1990). This is consistent with the
findings of Ince and Gül (2011), who noted that employees react to the actions which have
an impact on them and are impacted by the procedures which result in these decisions. In a
nutshell, the 25-member administrative staff is concerned with procedural justice and
strives to comprehend how decisions are reached regarding the proposed change program.
Factor 3: Fear of Change Outcome
The defence against change that employees exhibit is commonly attributed to fear (Agocs,
1997; Kotter & Cohen, 2012). Fear of the known consequences of a change becomes an
obstacle to the 25-man administrative staff's acceptance of the change in the case of A-list,
where change is being attempted to change the the context of tasks, as it has a pessimistic
effect on anyone's common logic. On the off chance that we accept the notion that fear
might affect our reasoning and thought processes, we might anticipate that fear could also
affect our general dynamic and our dynamic with regard to how we react to change in
particular. It is clear from the study that dread is associated with resistance to change. As an
example, Dubrin and Ireland (1993) found that resistance to change is caused by employees'
fear of hopeless outcomes, unknown, and their awareness of pitfalls associated with the
change. Kotter & Cohen (2012) established that fear or hysteria induces self-assurance or

immobility. Therefore, the 25-man administrative staff will be fearful of the process of
change due to anticipation of either negative or positive outcomes, particularly in terms of
work stress, incommensurate compensation, etc.
Factor 4: Self-Confidence for Learning and Development
Personnel' self-confidence in their ability to learn and improve, according to Vithessonthi &
Schwaninger (2008), is a significant element in determining whether they would embrace or
oppose change in the organisation. This indicates that a few of the 25 employees who have
a high level of self-confidence in their ability to learn and grow could use the move as a
chance to build up additional capabilities. Others, on the other hand, who lack confidence in
their ability to learn and grow, might view organisational change as a threat. This is due to
the fact that self-efficacy is another name for confidence in the literature (Maurer, 2001).
Effective Change Management: Advise on Best Communication Plan for Minimizing
Negative Business Outcome
The significance of guiding people through change has grown in relevance as change
programmes have proliferated and advanced. All tiers of organisations could be impacted by
significant changes. Several business executives have come to the conclusion that it is
potentially expensive to fail to handle personnel through change: Workers that are agitated
or displeased with change typically work less productively. A responsible boss, such as the
proprietor of an A-list hair salon, should accordingly create a communication strategy for
change management.
Communication and organisational change are closely related procedures, posits Lewis
(2000). In fact, a key tool for managing change is communication. It is essential to creating
and carrying out transformation projects. In an effort to keep people engaged, win support,
and produce the required results, communication strives to address their concerns and ease
their tension. It goes beyond merely conveying information to the recipient.
In the opinion of Hardy (1997), the following issues should be taken cognizance of, by A-list
to approach the 25-man administrative staff and consequently, reduce the propensity of
negative business outcome:

Who needs to be told: There is an urgent need to carry along everyone in the 25-man team
who will be affected by the change initiative. This is at the core of internal communication
which imperative in achieving communication process. Several organisational change
endeavours fall short because of deficiencies in internal communication, according to an
array of recent studies (Leopoldi, 2002). In fact, poor communication can lead to
misunderstandings, doubt, rumours, & ignorance. A tool for creating and establishing
consciousness regarding the necessity for change, as well as for inspiring support for it, is
communication.
What needs to be told: The 25-man administrative staff need to be told as much
information and contents about the change process and that should know no bounds. The
25-man staff can only work efficiently if they could participate in the organization and they
can only participate if they are well-informed (Mayhall, 2009). They must understand the
rationale behind the change and must feel secure regarding their top priorities, such as job
security, incentives, remuneration, base salary, and job performance. Without everyone in
the organisation being eager to assist, frequently to an extent of enduring temporary
sacrifices, transformation is difficult. Without reliable communication, it is impossible to win
over employees' hearts and minds (Nickols, 2010). Additionally, it is necessary to make the
25-man staff understand that communication before, during, and after the change process is
not directive or one-way. In reality, it must be two-way, giving employees access to
information as well as opportunity to voice their worries and thoughts about the change,
especially the new roles they are taking up.
When needs to be told: A-list must try as much as possible to inform the staff about the
change initiative as soon the decision of implementation has been taken. This will encourage
efficient communication, which is the ideal tool to assist employees accept change, help
them appreciate it, and help them feel secure regarding their upcoming job duties. On the
other hand, effective communication aids management in ensuring that workers are able to
implement the new method of operation and utilise the acquired abilities. The main goal of
the communication strategy is to deliver the crucial information to the intended audience at
the appropriate moment (Barret, 2002).

How should they be told: A-list should determine the best communication means that best
fit in their salon through different media, formally or informally, and directional or
bidirectional.
Also according to Malek & Yazdanifard (2012), the following factors are important to
consider in communication plan:
Environment: One of the most important considerations for A-list in the context of change
management is the organisational culture. The business owner must be able to adjust the
procedures and communication to the circumstances as long as she is aware of the salon
dynamics that call for change, such as staff reduction, a lengthened workday, and the
demand for productivity. To ensure that the communication outputs are in the appropriate
format for the organisation in question, close staff coordination is necessary (Barret, 2002).
Goals: The environment study essentially serves as the foundation for the communication
plan, and the following sections are its real components. The development of the
overarching objective and vision for the change is a crucial first stage. A vision should be
basic, vivid, clear, and meaningful to the individual. Finding objectives for every message
stated in the communication plan is a further step (Barret, 2002).
Suggested HR Strategies
A-list leadership must implement methods to accomplish the business's objectives and make
sure the team feels confident in their job while also being adaptable and flexible for an
alteration in the business's course in order to be able to adjust to change efficiently.
According to Browning (2015), organisations that want to effectively guide their employees
through the acceptance of organisational change should implement a methodical, proactive
strategy which includes four key procedures: overcoming resistance, engaging employees,
implementing the change in stages, and communicating the change. This is why in his model
of change, Lottery (2014) identified phases of change A-list should follow:
a. Creating Sense of Urgency: A-list must ensure the challenge the salon is facing is clear to
the staff in terms of staff reduction and the need to stay productive and competitive.

b. Build a Guiding Coalition: This will require a strong leadership in making the staff come
together an exert authority on the new change, work together in trust and common goal to
ensure the salon stabilizes.
c. Form a strategic vision and Initiative: The guiding coalition of the staff should be able to
drive a sustainable and mutual direction in ensuring the Salon maintains competitive
Advantage.
d. Enlist Volunteer Army: This stage will help raise staff members who will be willing to take
up roles after the leadership have specified the need for change and the accruing benefits.
e. Enable Action by Removing Barrier: Efforts should be made by providing solutions to
problematic leadership structure, low expertise and information system which may hinder
efforts.
f. Generate Short-term wins: Early enough, there is a need to make the team learn about
how online marketing has improved as a means of motivating them.
g. Sustain Acceleration: There is a need to ensure the organizational culture is adapted to
the new change so as to avoid resistance.
h. Institute Change: This is the stage where the change program will now become the staff
behaviour and organizational daily culture.
Therefore, A-list should take the following into account while assisting employees during a
transition process:
Build a culture employees want to be a part of
Culture is the secret to drawing in and keeping top talent. Creating a strong corporate
culture will enhance communication among current staff members, create opportunities for
better customer service, and draw top talent. A key component of developing a culture
which stands out is rewarding employees who regularly respect the company's values. These
ideas ought to be applicable to every employee, thus it's critical to convey them in a manner
that is understandable to everybody. Describe how A-list's aim influences ways the staff
interacts with partners, clients, and suppliers and connect business objectives to products
and services. A-list could endeavour to increase corporate alignment by changing

fundamental rules with the help of the personnel. They have the context necessary to mould
genuinely relevant values because they interact with the corporate culture every day.
Prevent burnout by focusing on employee wellness
Employee burnout is a serious issue that results in high employee turnover. Fatigue,
unfavourable emotions, and a sense of alienation are typical and hard to address symptoms
of burnout. There might also be physical signs of burnout, providing personnel with little
choice but quit the organisation. In addition to making sure that tasks and objectives are
appropriate and clear, A-list should think about providing more flexible hours to employees.
The team-led among the 25 personnel should receive training on how to recognise burnout
symptoms and help individuals who could be in need. Encourage employees to make the
most of their time off and help them find hobbies or activities which spark their enthusiasm.
Create exercise contests, present a webinar on the need of sleep, or ask a specialist in
nutrition to give a lecture regarding healthy eating habits.
Conclusion
Change mangement is now a new normal but its context is challenged by strong resistance.
This is why the process of leading staff in the process is complex. However, HR strategies
may be extremely important in promoting communication between A-list leadership and the
25-man staff, making sure information is conveyed promptly and openly, and identifying and
tackling any particular issues or hazards before they might become long-term problems.
.

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