STRESS, CRISIS AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT Flashcards
(18 cards)
Meaning of stress?
A state of emotional or mental strain.
The strain can affect memory and lowers the morale of employees.
Causes of stress in the business environment
Long working hours
Job insecurity
Lack of accountability
Bullying
Importance of stress management in the workplace
Managing stress will curb absenteeism in order to maintain productivity at workplace.
Conflict and interpersonal problems can be avoided if stress is managed at the
workplace.
Too much stress can become a barrier to success and lowers the performance of
workers.
If stress is not managed effectively, it can get out of control and cause staff health
issues
Ways employees can manage stress in the workplace
Exercise regularly and keep fit.
Follow a balanced diet
Get enough sleep and relaxation
Apply good time-management skills
Definition of crisis
Crises is an unforeseen event that can cause major changes in an organisation.
Refers to sudden and potentially disastrous events.
It is time of intense difficulty/ trouble/ danger.
Any situation that threatens people at home or work.
Examples of crisis in the workplace
Power outages
An accident
Conflict
Lawsuit
Ways businesses can deal with crisis in the workplace
Plan and prioritise the actions required
Provide accurate and correct information
Attempt to contain the situation to minimise further damage
Evaluate how effective the emergency plan was throughout the crisis.
Definition of change
A process that takes people, employees and organisation from the present
to a future desired change.
New ways to get things done.
Internal causes of change
- New management
- Restructuring
- Retrenchment
- New equipment
External causes of change
Political
Economic
Social
Technology
Legal
John P Kotter’s 8 steps of leading change
Establish a sense of urgency by motivating their employees
Develop a vision and a strategy, decide what values are central to the change
Create short term wins and make sure their businesses taste success early in the change process
Anchor the changes in corporate culture and this must become part of the core of their business
Major changes that people and businesses deal with:
Unemployment
It is when employees lose their jobs because they are fired, or they quit their jobs
Change can lead to unemployment due to retrenchment.
A business may close down/sold/merge resulting to unemployment.
Copying with unemployment is traumatic and can lead to depression.
Retrenchment
Retrenchment is when a business cuts the number of workers to reduce their wages
and salary bill.
A process whereby the employer reviews its business needs to increase profits or
limit losses, which leads to reducing its employees.
Economic changes may result in many people being retrenched from their jobs.
Globalisation
It is a trend where businesses are able to trade in different countries.
Businesses must deal with and adapt to changes that globalisation brings.
Globalisation means that many local businesses struggle to compete with
bigger/stronger/experienced markets abroad.
Strategies business can use to deal with globalisation
Source overseas manufactures/materials/suppliers etc.
Build a strategy for connecting with governments.
Comply with international standards of quality.
Comply with international trade laws
Affirmative action
a policy that ensures that qualified people from designated groups have equal opportunities in the workplace.
The policy aims to ensure that Black South Africans, women and people with
disabilities are well represented in businesses.
Workers can resent affirmative action appointments and people who have been
appointed in affirmative action positions.
Strategies business can use to deal with affirmative action
Inform employees on how affirmative action will be implemented in the business.
Businesses must have acceptable affirmative action programmes
Businesses must indicate in all their job adverts that they are affirmative action employers
Ways businesses can deal with/manage change in the workplace
Do not deviate from the original plan
Involve employees in the transformation process
Respect differences and focus on achieving the goals/objectives.
