Case Study: Managing Employee Resistance to Open Plan Office Designs

This report analyzes a case study of Cheetham and Wynne, a commercial law firm, and their transition to an open-plan office design. The report explores the reasons behind employee resistance to this change, including fear of the unknown, lack of knowledge and trust, and concerns about job security. It examines the strategies implemented by the partners, Mark and Cathy, to mitigate this resistance, such as creating comfortable work environments, fostering open communication, and providing job security. Furthermore, the report identifies and discusses the communication barriers within the firm, including perceptual, language, and performance barriers, and suggests methods to overcome them, emphasizing the importance of clear communication and feedback. Finally, the report investigates the sources of power held by the partners and the tactics they use to influence employees, highlighting the impact on employee performance and the overall organizational dynamics. The report concludes with a summary of the findings and recommendations for effective leadership and change management within the firm.

Open Plan

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
a. Reason for employees resisting the change to open plan office approach..............................1
b. Explain what is being done by partners to minimise resistance in the company.........................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
a. Barriers of communication that exist in firm...............................................................................3
b. How to overcome with these barriers..........................................................................................4
TASK 3 ...........................................................................................................................................5
a. Sources of power the partners and impact on the other employees.............................................5
b. Tactics which influences by employees and partners in effective way.......................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Organisational behaviour studies the employee’s reaction and expression which develop
due to changes in situation within an organisation. The main focus is to observe team member’s
response towards their goals and objectives. This case study is on Cheetham and Wynne
company which was started in 1976 by Owen Cheetham and Jack Wynne. From last 40 years
company is serving its consumers with a higher quality services (Baldry and Barnes, 2012).
Company specialised in commercial law and their clients are in state banking, insurance and
finance. The Mark and Cathy are partners like their fathers and both convinced their father to
adopt an open plan approach to design their business. The company need to identify reasons of
employees which resist changes in open plan.
TASK 1
a. Reason for employees resisting the change to open plan office approach
The reason behind the change to open plan office approach is clear and simple. The
employees resist the change in open plan approach because there are many problems or issues in
the company’s environment. There are some reason due to which employees resist to change in
the organisation, they are as described below:
 Fear of unknown issues- The managers in Mark and Cathy firm have identified some
fear related of unknown issues or problems which might arise in future. The fear to
protect an intellectual property or rights of an employees are some example. These are
some issues which create problem in an entity.
 Lack of knowledge- The company's partner cannot change anything without proper
knowledge of some task. If an employee has lack of knowledge for open plan approach in
office then the firm cannot adopt any changes in an organisation. This suffers loss to the
growth and development of the company (Butler and Rose, 2011). This is the reason
which forces their staff to resist change in open plan office approach.
 Lack of trust- Cathy and Mark as a top manager need to build trust in their staff
members’ mind which will make them more flexible for changes in the business
functions or activities. The open office approach aims to make adaptation of changes in
the company system effectively.
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 Mindset- If the individual working in company won’t have the mind set in alignment to
the vision and mission of company then the whole organisation will have tough time.
 Loss of control- When the firm face difficult time and their employees tend to develop
fear in their mind than managers need to motivate their workers for achieving task. It is
related to job insecurity and other aspects of organisational life. The Cheetham and
Wynne is growing at a very fast speed but it also faces issues or problems which lead to
fear among their staff for the job position.
 Failure- This is a fear which is related to the change that is being adopted by company
(Kitchin, 2017). The organisation predicts future and current issues which leads to
changes in the firm. The business cannot adopt open plan if they feel that this will lead to
failure in the Cheetham and Wynne.
b. Explain what is being done by partners to minimise resistance in the company
The Cheetham and Wynne company's partners convene their father to accept an open
plan form of office design. The Cathy and Mark tried to minimise resistance in the company and
provides their staff a large space which help to do work better. The firm was continuously
growing by changes in open plan that provides benefits and more opportunities to their
company's team members. The partners can restructure and renovate whole office building of
the organisation. It was very expensive for the company’s partners to restructured the whole
office. Leaders develop comfortable environment or atmosphere for their staff members. The
partners was discussed any type of problem or issue which will can not solved by their leaders
or managers then they should discuss with top management for this problem.
The firm adopted different strategies which eliminated fear of failure in the employees
of staff members. Also, Cathy and Mark promised to their all employees that they need to
changes adopted design which was liked by workers and it could minimise resistance issues.
The company was develop structure of meeting rooms in which they provided confidential
meeting room where only top management member are allowed to discuss business deals with
their clients. The firm changed the colour of office walls in new design, hang modern or
attractive painting on walls and make desk with glass top that attracted employees (Llewellyn
and Hindmarsh, 2010). There was an area where large kitchen for staff members and also an
employee’s area where beanbags for rest, magazines for read, plays games online in free time or
breaking time at office.
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Cathy and Mark provides desk space to all their employees where they were discuss task
or work. The partners minimise resistance for listening and solving their staff member’s
problems in an effective manner. It creates trust in the mind of company's employees. The firm
provides job security to their current workers that minimise resistance by the employees. An
organisation adopted changes in their functions or business operation which provides growth and
development (Misra and Puri, 2011). So, the partner’s changed in their office structure, they
make separate room for staff members for rest or entertainment, paint the walls with different
colour, hang unique paintings on office walls etc. This was the reason by which the company
minimise resistance by employees or workers.
TASK 2
a. Barriers of communication that exist in firm
Communication is the essential element in the success of an organisation. The company's
employees face effective communication barriers that occurs in the firm. It creates difficulty,
confusion, frustration among the staff members.
There are certain barriers of communication that exist in the law firm and they are as
follows:
 Perceptual barriers- It is that barriers in which two people have different point of views
on one topic. When Anna Ivanova join office then one employee evaluate that she get
salary on basis of performance and another one said that she gets salary which gives to
every employee.
 Language barriers- The language barrier describes expression and communication with
others individual. In this barrier, the person cannot understand each other local language.
Anna said I get salary on the basis of my performance but other person said that she get
4% extra salary.
 Confidential barriers- This barrier arises when company's employee share any detail or
information with other person which are cannot be share by anyone . If any person who
provides data to the other individual are creates confidential barrier (Pejtersen and et. al.,
2011). Anna who is worker in the firm, she shares some confidential information of
competitors to her brother. Jack had suspected this but he has no proof of some kind
barrier.
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 Performance barrier- The performance barrier arises when an individual does not
perform well in the company. Mr Wynne who is partner of company she is slow to
process some contract and makes too many mistakes in the performance.
 Interpretation barriers- In this case, Anna said I get salary to my performance basis and
other person interpret it that she gets 4% extra salary . This arises barriers in their staff
performance. And then she got contract of her brother's property company so other
person thinks that she gets bonus for this contract. Anna provides some confidential
information of his one of the competitor said by jack. And then he shares his opinion with
Owen who nothing said to Anna about the topic.
b. How to overcome with these barriers
The Cathy and Mark try to overcome with these barriers. They need to agree on the same
point which provides clarity to their staff members. Emotional communication provides
motivational power, help to guide an individual towards specific goals. The interpretation
between all employees and Anna can be arises due to lack of communication. The company
remove this barrier due to manage their effective communication and provides similar
information or data to all staff members. Firm need to interact with each employee and provides
them face to face communication which eliminate barriers (What is organisation behaviour.
2017). They should exchange data or detail by the help of spoken or non-spoken messages in
clear manner. The Cathy and Mark who are partners of company need to evaluate behaviour of
their employees which helps to change views and thoughts of them.
The company need to overcome with interpretation barrier are as under:
 Usage of simple or clear language- The member of team should use simple or clear
language which help to avoid miscommunication between employer and employee. Anna
use tough language which arise barrier in the company's staff mind.
 Active perception- The Cheetham and Wynne company gives same perception to their
employees to do any work (Baldry and Barnes, 2012). The partners of firm have similar
point of view which provides clear ideas to the staff.
 Feedback provides- To overcome with interpretation barrier the company need to get
feedback from their employees which understand the demand of them.
A noise environment refers to that place where person cannot hear voice of each other
and that creates barriers in an organisation (Baldry and Barnes, 2012). In this cited company,
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Anna said I get salary on the basis of performance and other staff members hear that she gets 4%
extra salary which is more than other workers. The firm overcome with difficult barrier to
remove unnecessary interpretation, perform good work, does not share confidential information
with another person.
TASK 3
a. Sources of power the partners and impact on the other employees
Jack and Owen are the real partners of the company and their children Mark and Cathy
was new partners who had some authority to rule on their employees and employers. The
company makes new strategies, powers, policies, plans which directly impact on workers
performance and work (Reason for employee resisting change. 2017). The entity partners hire or
recruit some new partners who provides growth and development.
 Make new policies- Cathy and Mark role is to make new policies or plans which
provides effective growth in the organisation. The employees improved their
performance of work which help to achieve target goal and objectives. The entity partners
make policies which changes performance criteria in an effective manner (Baldry and
Barnes, 2012). Some other plans make by new partners who was Anand Moodley share
views and thoughts to control issues or problems of environment factors. He also finds
external and internal environment barriers which helps to identify competitors.
 Develop strategies- Firm was develop strategies which helps to motivate their employees
to solve client’s problems and make new clients. Pulina Herata make strong connection
with Maori business that provides them strength to increase the business growth and
develop new schemes.
 Hire new employee- Another power of partner is to hire new employees and workers
who have skills and knowledge (How to overcome barrier of communication. 2017). If a
company recruit partner like Anand Moodley and Pauline Herata who solve staff issues
or problems of employees that directly impact on their performance. Firm had only four
main partners which were Jack Wynne, Owen Cheetham, Mark Cheetham and Cathy
Wynne. There were 13 lawyers that includes five legal executives, six secretaries,
receptionist and an accountant.
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b. Tactics which influences by employees and partners in effective way
The Cathy and Mark was influenced tactics which provides effective work in an
organisation. The company specialised in law, and they had mostly banking, finance and
insurance sector clients who were come to them for solving their case. Mostly they have some
women in the staff member (How to minimise resistance to change. 2017). There was use some
tactics which help to influence employees for effective work.
 Hiring new partner- Cheetham and Wynne firm consulted with their staff members for
hiring new partner in the business. Anand Moodley was a new partner of company who
solve environmental issues and another partner name is Pauline Herata who had
connection with Maori company and community organisation. Another two more
partners who hire lawyers in the firm. There was 30 members staff in their organisation
but the area is too small for employees. They had four main partners and there were total
13 lawyers in which five legal executives, six secretaries, a receptionist and one was
accountant.
 Open new office- Firm opened new office branch for their staff members and reduce
problem of convenience. Jack the original owner was open office in the other location
where more clients were attracted with the company (Communication Barriers. 2017).
Some top managers complains that they had lost reputation or status without their own
offices and they would need to open new office in another area.
CONCLUSION
As per the above report, it can be concluded that there are two partners who were Owen
Cheetham and Jack Wynne and the new partners of firm whose name were Mark Cheetham and
Cathy Wynne. They are lawyers and deal with banking, finance, insurance sector clients and
specialised in commercial law contract. Firm had mostly women staff. Company minimise
resistance to improve office structure that includes colour on the walls, hanged paintings on the
office wall, strategy to improves communication, provides separate room for staff that includes
beanbags, magazines, video games and other indoor games. The open another office which
provides space to their employees for doing good work and improves performance. In this report,
there are some communication barriers which helped to remove conflicts or miscommunication
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among workers. So, this case study describes the firm presence of partners and hiring new
partners who make connects with others business.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Baldry, C. and Barnes, A., 2012. The open-plan academy: space, control and the undermining of
professional identity. Work, employment and society. 26(2). pp.228-245.
Butler, M. and Rose, E. eds., 2011. Introduction to organisational behaviour. Kogan Page
Publishers.
Kitchin, D., 2017. An introduction to organisational behaviour for managers and engineers: A
group and multicultural approach. Routledge.
Llewellyn, N. and Hindmarsh, J. eds., 2010. Organisation, interaction and practice: Studies of
ethnomethodology and conversation analysis. Cambridge University Press.
Misra, S. K. and Puri, V. K., 2011. Indian economy (p. 174). Himalaya Publishing House.
Pejtersen, J. H., and et. al., 2011. Sickness absence associated with shared and open-plan offices
—a national cross sectional questionnaire survey. Scandinavian journal of work,
environment & health. 22. pp.376-382.
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September 2017].
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resist-change/>. [Accessed on 5th September 2017].
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<http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-organizational-behavior-definition-and-
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