Reflection Assessment: Lewin's Change Model for Business Issues

This report provides a reflection assessment of change management, focusing on the application of Lewin's Change Management Model to address the issue of employee turnover at DesignByThem, an Australian furniture manufacturer. The report details the three stages of Lewin's model—Unfreezing, Change, and Refreeze—and how they can be strategically implemented to manage organizational change effectively. It emphasizes the importance of stakeholder analysis, leadership, motivation, awareness, and empowerment in driving successful change initiatives. The assessment highlights how understanding and applying these elements can lead to increased employee retention and a more stable workplace environment. The report concludes by stressing the need for a robust feedback system to sustain the implemented changes and foster continuous improvement within the organization.

Reflection Assessment

TABLE OF CONTENT
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Issue faced by the business organization:....................................................................................3
Using Lewin's Change Management Model as a framework:.....................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
Every business organization want continuous improvement in the process to enjoy
success, firm bring major changes in the workplace and their structure to change and control any
issue that arrive due to unstable workplace environment. It is very clear that business leader
perform reflection and use change management model like Lewin's Change Management Model
which allow them to consider three most important stage to carefully bring change in the
business without breaking cultural strength into pieces. Using effective leadership and model of
change it becomes crucial for leaders to have control on impact of change in business (Bamberg
and Schulte, 2018).
This report is based on DesignByThem, this company is leading furniture manufacture of
Australia which have customizable furniture allowing customer to design their own furniture and
décor their home according to needs. This report will discuss one critical issue faced by the
DesignByThem in the daily operation which need to be changed or resolve. Later this report will
discuss Lewin's Change Management Model and its stages to bring change in the workplace
carefully. At last reflective statement will be provided.
MAIN BODY
Issue faced by the business organization:
Employee turnover is one of the biggest problem faced by almost every business
organization, this simply means there is high rate of employee dissatisfaction in the workplace.
Employee turnover arrive when firm fail to maintain healthy culture and workplace environment,
this issue is common when firm do not have strategies to manage employee retention.
DesignByThem is facing issue of high employee turnover where they are losing valuable
employee due to ineffective management or due to lack of proper human resource management
(Galli, 2018). This company required skilled worker to manage furniture dealing, losing skilled
worker will be dangerous for the company for long run. It is very clear that furniture dealing
simply required professionalism where employee try to sell the furniture using professionalism.
Employee turnover is critical which impact performance of the company, DesignByThem
need to manage this issue by bringing major changes in the process. Leaders of DesignByThem
need to bring change according to the demand, to manage employee turnover it is important to
change certain things in the workplace including change in the management process, change in

structure, change in employee performance management and change in policy and procedure.
Using Lewin's change management model, leaders of DesignByThem can manage this issue.
Using Lewin's Change Management Model as a framework:
Every business organization focus on change to bring betterment in the workplace, they
implement stages of Lewin's change management model to effectively manage change that
occur. It is very clear that bringing change in the workplace is not an easy process, firm need to
have strategic direction to manage dis balance that will arrive in the process (Burnes, 2020).
Lewin's change management model contain three most important stage, these stages are in
direction where leaders of the firm need to implement each strategy carefully to make this
change possible. DesignByThem is facing issue of employee turnover which need to be managed
with the help of Lewin's change management model, there are three stages which will be
implemented, these are:
Stage 1: Unfreezing: This is very first step where business need bring change in the status quo,
here firm try to push employee to get ready to bring and adopt change in the workplace. Business
leaders have to provide statement why change is necessary and provide clear vision what will
happen if change is applied to the business. Leaders have to include benefit of bringing change to
manage an issue. For example if business is facing issue of high product return and product
complaint due to packaging then firm will bring change in manufacturing and production unit,
they even change the policy of packaging (Cummings, Bridgman and Brown, 2016). Each
change bring major impact on firm's performance, it is very important to manage firm after the
change. DesignByThem have focus on unfreezing stage where they have to be clear why they are
bringing change, this company is facing issue of high employee turnover which means change
will be big and firm need to be prepared. There are certain elements in unfreezing stage of this
model, these are:
Stakeholder analysis: This is important element which need to be considered when
implementing change, it is very clear that every stakeholder of the company need to be involved
in the process because without their level of agreement, implementing change will be
challenging. DesignByThem need to focus on power and interest carried by every stakeholder in
the workplace and which can disagree to change, these are: High power and high interest: Every organization carry those stakeholders who have
high power and high interest in the workplace, these are leaders, manager, CEO and even

investor. DesignByThem need to convey their change idea to these stakeholders to make
change successful in the workplace, unfreezing stage it becomes important to know high
power employee whose interest matter in the process. High power, low interest: These employees might have high power but do not have
interest. For example; investor and government who can impact business. DesignByThem
need to consider these stakeholders before implementing change in the workplace/ Low power, high interest: These employees have low power and high interest in the
management process where they try to influence decision include employees and
workers. DesignByThem need to consider these stakeholders before changing workplace
culture and structure to manage employee turnover.
 Low power, low interest: These stakeholders do not interfere in the process of change, if
DesignByThem is implementing any policy to manage employee turnover then these
stakeholders will be informed to keep the process effective.
Importance of change: This is one of the most important thing, leaders of the business have to
provide reason, why change is beneficial for the business and workplace (Hussain and et.al.,
2018). Leaders of the company have to highlight why change is important in terms of benefit and
what are its impact on other area. Leaders of DesignByThem need to convey reason for bringing
change, there are certain reason: Increase employee retention: Every change have impact on the business which allow
them to become effective, DesignByThem is facing issue of high employee turnover
which can be managed with the help of implementing change which will help in
increasing employee retention. For example if DesignByThem increase payroll then they
might manage employee turnover and increase retention of employee in the business.
 Reduce uncertainty: Change is important, this help business reduce many negative
element. DesignByThem will reduce chance of any uncertainty that might arrive due to
high employee turnover, it is very important for them to focus on betterment of
employee's future to reduce uncertainty. For example; DesignByThem have to add
financial benefit for long run that reduce employee stress, they need to add investment
and growth opportunity to reduce any issue related to employee turnover.
Stage 2: change: Once business able to unfreeze the status quo, it becomes important to
implement change, in unfreezing stage, business provided reason for bringing change but at this

stage implementation of change will be performed. Change stage is crucial because company
majorly focus on implementing change were result are unpredictable, business before
implementing change have to consider variety of option that are available to understand which
strategy will work. DesignByThem have to implement change, but is crucial to craft effective
strategies which will help them to manage this issue. For example; changing organizational
policy of payroll then employee might be impacted, here business need to add new structure for
the salary allowing them to manage change in the workplace. There are certain elements of
change stage in the model which need to be considered when implementing change in the
workplace, these are:
Leadership: Leadership does matter when it comes to implementing change, it is very important
to adopt a leadership style to make the process effective. DesignByThem have to consider
democratic leadership style which allow them to involve employee in the decision-making
process, here employee will get chance to have their viewpoint (Jayatilleke and Lai, 2018).
Effective leadership will solve any issue that will arrive in the process. For example; if
DesignByThem is planning to introduce change in structure of work by including flexibility in
working then impact will be great, here leaders have to involve employee to capture their
behaviour and with leadership they have to influence their behaviour regarding change.
Motivation: Motivation does matter when it comes to implementing change in the workplace, it
is very clear that change impact employee they need continuous motivation to make themselves
comfortable in the environment. Leaders of the business need to motivate their employee during
the process of change, they can not leave employee in confusion. DesignByThem have to
motivate their employee when implementing change. For example; if they are planning to change
work structure, then employee might resist to adopt the change, here, leaders of DesignByThem
need to motivate employee by listening to their requirement in the work structure to reduce
employee turnover.
Awareness: Awareness is important element in the process of implementing change for
something, employee need to be aware about the change, they should know each and every
element which help them to become stable when change is implemented to the workplace.
Awareness here simply means if change is not visible then business have aware employee about
the impact. For example: DesignByThem have to aware their employee when changing policy
regarding leave to manage turnover, here HR bring change in provided leave to employee and

employee should be aware to reduce any uncertainty that impact the process of reducing
employee turnover.
Empower action: Business need to empower action of employee when they are adopting change
and managing its impact, business know impact remain powerful when something is changed in
the workplace. DesignByThem is planning to change the structure, management and every thing
related to employee to reduce employee turnover, here they need to empower efforts of
employee and have to manage the issue accordingly (Rajan and Ganesan, 2017). Empowerment
can be done with the help of different strategies including financial benefit to employee
according to their performance. Change arrive when employees are empowered in the process,
action need to be considered where employee need to perform as per the expectations of the
company.
Change management exercise: Change is not easy process, firm need to add some practice
which allow employee to perform on daily basis. To improve employee retention, firm try to
perform change management exercise where they introduce new style of working and certain set
criteria which allow them to become stable, every firm know that communicating change with
employee is important because employee often stay in confusion, DesignByThem need to
communicate change with employee and have to focus on continuous betterment allowing them
to reduce chance of change failure.
Stage 3: Refreeze: This is final stage where business have sustained the change that have
implemented in the above stage, refreeze means business have to freeze the change they have
made and have to become stable (Rosenbaum, More and Steane, 2018). When business try to
force freeze then they simply focus on keeping the change in the workplace, here business listen
to feedback of employee and bring modification accordingly. Refreezing stage allow employee
to develop an habit to adopt these change. For example; if DesignByThem implemented change
regarding workplace culture then every employee need to remain stable after change stage. It is
very clear that implementing change is challenging process, most of the employee will leave the
workplace and might impact business but those who stayed with the firm even after change need
to be considered. There are certain elements of this stage which need be considered by the firm,
these are: Establishment of feedback system: Business need to add feedback system to manage any
barrier that will arrive due to change, here business have to listen to their employee and

have to act accordingly. DesignByThem is focusing on brining change in the
management structure of employee to reduce employee turnover, here business know that
employees are the one who will be impacted the most in the process (Tang, 2019).
Setting feedback system will help them to reduce any impact on the firm by getting
internal knowledge of the firm. Feedback from employee will allow business to become
aware and stable, firm will implement change and modification according to feedback
provided by the employee. Establishment of reward system: This is important process which need to be considered
when focusing on workplace betterment after the change, it is very clear that change is
long term process which means firm can not enjoy instant success with the help of
change, here firm have to wait for things to get normal. Business need to add reward
system that will help them to reduce employee low morale, reward system can reduce
issue like lack of motivation. DesignByThem need to consider that every employee need
financial benefit to become effective in the workplace, if they want their employee's to
work effectively then they have to financial benefit to the employee. Rewarding is
essential process where business need to motivate employee to reduce high turnover,
issue faced by DesignByThem is clear, firm need rewarding to reduce employee turnover
and to increase employee retention.
 Measuring success: This is one of the most important element where business need to
measure success of their change which is only possible by reviewing the set KPI, every
business organization set a criteria or standard or KPI which allow them to focus on
bringing change. These KPI are reviewed after change is been implemented which means
business can measure any improvement required in the process. It is very clear that
adopting change is not an easy process, here business need to stay stable with the help of
strategic direction. DesignByThem need to add KPI at every level to measure success
(Wojciechowski and et.al., 2016). For example; changing hiring practice by HR then they
have to add set criteria and certain measurement standard allowing them to measure the
change. Success of these criteria will help firm to reduce any impact on employee, setting
KPI is easy process but firm need to set realistic KPI which allow them to measure
success effectively.

CONCLUSION
This report has discussed business problem faced by the organization for example; employee
turnover issue where firm's performance is impacted. Later this report has discussed Lewin's
change management model that allow firm to manage change in the workplace, this model
includes three most important stage where firm try to become stable using unfreezing stage to
reduce the impact of change by awarering employee and to perform stakeholder analysis to
understand which stakeholder will get impacted during the change. Later discussed other two
steps of change management model to manage change in the workplace, the stage change is
important where change is implemented in the workplace using strategies and effective
leadership and discussed third stage which focus on freezing where change occur or
implementation is freezing which means now impact will be low. At last this report has
discussed reflective piece focusing on lesson learnt during this module in the process.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
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Behavioral Science, 56(1), pp.32-59.
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Rethinking Kurt Lewin’s legacy for change management. Human relations, 69(1),
pp.33-60.
Galli, B.J., 2018. Change management models: A comparative analysis and concerns. IEEE
Engineering Management Review, 46(3), pp.124-132.
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and employee involvement in organizational change. Journal of Innovation &
Knowledge, 3(3), pp.123-127.
Jayatilleke, S. and Lai, R., 2018. A systematic review of requirements change
management. Information and Software Technology, 93, pp.163-185.
Rajan, R. and Ganesan, R., 2017. A critical analysis of John P. Kotter's change management
framework. Asian Journal of Research in Business Economics and Management, 7(7),
pp.181-203.
Rosenbaum, D., More, E. and Steane, P., 2018. Planned organisational change management:
Forward to the past? An exploratory literature review. Journal of Organizational Change
Management.
Tang, K.N., 2019. Change management. In Leadership and change management (pp. 47-55).
Springer, Singapore.
Wojciechowski and et.al., 2016. A case review: Integrating Lewin’s theory with lean’s system
approach for change. Online journal of issues in nursing, 21(2).
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