Change Management Post Covid: Adapting Lewin's change theory model to the post Covid workplace
Introduction
Given the immense challenges brought upon organisations since the pandemic, managing change has never been more important. Organisations can literally rise or fall due to an ill-executed strategy.
In this series of blog posts we have been looking at how SHRM has evolved since the pandemic and today we focus on how one of the most classical theories on change management can be adapted to workplaces post-pandemic.
What is Lewin's change theory model?
Developed by Kurt Lewin in the 1940s, Lewin's change theory model is a framework that describes three distinct stages that people go through when they experience change: unfreezing, changing and refreezing. (Indeed Editorial Team, 2023).
Source: /firestartersolutions.co.uk
As per (Juneja 2022) The 3 steps are defined as follows;
Stage 1 - Unfreezing: The first stage of change management is crucial, as it involves preparing people for the transition by making them aware of the need for change and improving their motivation to accept new ways of working. Effective communication is key to gaining support and involvement during this stage.
Stage 2 - Change: This stage of change management involves implementing the actual change, which requires careful planning, effective communication, and encouraging individuals to endorse the change. It can be challenging because of uncertainties and fear of consequences.
Stage 3 - Freeze (Refreezing): Refreezing is the final stage of change management, where people accept new ways of working and establish new relationships. It is vital to reinforce the new behavior through rewards, recognition, and supportive policies or structures.
What is Lewin’s Force Field Analysis?
The idea behind Force Field Analysis is that situations are maintained by an equilibrium between forces that drive change and others that resist change, as shown below (Mind Tools Content Team, 2022)
Source: www.mindtools.com
Lewin's force field analysis is used to distinguish which factors within a situation or organisation drive a person towards or away from a desired state, and which oppose the driving forces.
According to Connelly (2020), you use the following steps as a guide to using the force field analysis:
Define the change you want to see. Write down the goal or vision of a future desired state.
Brainstorm or Mind Map the Driving Forces - those that are favourable to change.
Brainstorm or Mind Map the Restraining Forces - those that are opposed to change
Evaluate the Driving and Restraining forces. You can do this by rating each force, from 1 (weak) to 5 (strong), and total each side.
Review the forces. Decide which of the forces have some flexibility for change or which can be influenced.
Strategize! Create a strategy to strengthen the driving forces or weaken the restraining forces, or both.
Prioritize action steps. Identify the resources you will need and decide how to implement the action steps.
Why is Lewin's change theory ideal for managing change post Covid?
Lewin’s model consists of just three stages, so anyone can figure it out and utilise it. This approach also works for teams of various sizes and in numerous industries.
The Force Field Analysis in Lewin’s change model is also a simple concept that people can catch onto easily and begin using right away.
The Model has its roots in behavioral psychology & human psychology rarely changes. Therefore, people generally respond to change today the same way they did decades or centuries ago
Lewin’s model allows team leaders and managers to introduce change, explain the need for it, and guide employees until they’re ready to accept and embrace those changes.
Limitations of Lewin’s Change Model
According to Airiodion & Crolley (2023) these are some of the limitations of the model
The Model is Not Detailed Enough
Some critics claim the model is a little too simple.& each phase is open to interpretation in different ways, and it becomes necessary sometimes to “fill in the blanks” using another change management model.
Too Rigid
The Freeze stage of Kurt Lewin’s model sometimes is deemed by critics to be too rigid because it “freezes” behaviors that will only need to be unfrozen again in the near future due to how fast technology advances and causes companies to constantly change to keep up.
Somewhat outdated
Given that Lewin's theory was developed in 1947 in a completely different world and well before technology became such a central part of today’s workplaces, critics argue that it may not be suited to modern organisations or scenarios
.jpg)
Hi Nithila, This blog article provides a comprehensive overview of how Lewin's Change Theory Model can be adapted to effectively manage change in the post-COVID workplace. The practical tips and strategies discussed in the article can be helpful for HR professionals and leaders looking to navigate the challenges and opportunities of the evolving work environment.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for the feedback Chamuda!
DeleteI agree that Lewin's change theory model offers a helpful framework for handling change in organisations, especially in the post-Covid era where organisations are dealing with unheard-of difficulties. Even while it could have some drawbacks like rigidity and a lack of specificity, it can nonetheless serve as a strong foundation for putting change initiatives into action. It is crucial to keep in mind that no change management model is ideal and that the best strategy frequently entails integrating many models and strategies to meet unique organisational objectives.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the feedback Udesh, you raise some valid points, one thing however that I do not fully agree with you on is the suggestion to integrate more than one model when rolling out change, perhaps you can find some models that can complement each other and can be rolled out concurrently but otherwise, you need to be careful when using multiple unique models together because change in itself can be very complex, therefore I think it might be more important to assess where exactly an organisation is & get more context so that you can find a change management model that is a better fit, because as the old proverb goes "too many cooks spoil the broth"
DeleteAs you correctly mentioned "Lewin's change theory model has its limitations, including its rigidity and lack of detail, which may require complementing with other change management models. Overall, while the model may be somewhat outdated, it remains a valuable tool for understanding and managing change."
ReplyDeleteWhat is the second best alternative model you would propose for a "Change Management" in Sri Lankan context?
Actually when I was researching to write this blog post I came across Jeff Hiatts "ADKAR Model" (www.prosci.com, 2023) the model is an acronym and stands for
Delete1) Awareness of the need for change
2) Desire to participate and support the change
3) Knowledge on how to change
4) Ability to implement required skills and behaviors
5) Reinforcement to sustain the change
You can watch this video that explains it very well (https://youtu.be/L_7I03LOyyk)
The "ADKAR Model " is also a relatively new change management theory, having first been published in 2006 by Hiatt.
I found this blog to be very informative and useful. You have done an excellent job of explaining the key concepts of Lewin's Change Theory Model and how they can be applied in the context of the post-COVID workplace.
ReplyDeleteIt would be great if you could provide some guidance on how organizations can effectively measure the success of their change management efforts and continuously improve their change management processes over time. Hope to see those in your future blogs.
Thank you for your comment Prasadi, yes that's a very pertinent question, according to Wren (2023) there are several ways in which the change management effort can be measured such by Project KPI measurements, Compliance and adherence reports, Employee satisfaction survey results and Employee readiness assessment results.
DeletePeter Drucker famously said, “What gets measured gets improved.” and as such when a major organisational change is done, it is vital that it is measured to assess it's success and how future initiatives can be improved
Hi. This blog post offers a thorough and informative analysis of how Lewin's Change Theory Model can be tailored to successfully manage changes in the workplace following the COVID-19 pandemic. The article provides practical advice and strategies that can be beneficial to HR professionals and leaders seeking to navigate the complexities and possibilities of the changing work landscape and this is very interesting
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your feedback Lalindra!
DeleteA great knowledge sharing post. I would like to that, in order to have health promotion initiatives which are successful in an organisation, it is mandatory to have a clear understanding of the organisational change process (Batras, Duff and Smith, 2014).
ReplyDelete