Manage Organizational Change Assignment Brief

Assessment Task

Scenario

Lonsdale Fitness is due to become registered with Fitness Australia www.fitness.org.au as a Fitness Australia Club Operator Member.  This will require meeting the Code of Conduct for the state in which each centre is located.  Lonsdale Fitness also wants to ensure that all trainers meet, or immediately undertake training to meet the standards associated with Fitness Australia business registration. (More about registration can be obtained by going to the Fitness Australia website and clicking on the Register Your Business tab.  The codes of Conduct for each state are linked on this page if you scroll down.)

Also there is a lack of standardization of operations at Lonsdale Fitness and the different training levels have reduced the quality of the customer experience as well as safety. This makes it difficult to plan for the future as each fitness centre currently makes many of their own decisions. Lonsdale Fitness requires you to act as the Change Manager for a new initiative to be undertaken at all Lonsdale Fitness Centers. Your job is to prepare a plan to implement a widespread business change.

Lonsdale Fitness has committed a budget of $20,000 for this. The financial consideration in terms of fees payable includes:

• The membership payable to Fitness Australia is: $830 for the first centre and $535 for each linked centre after that with a $105 joining fee applied to each centre for first time membership.
• There is no stipulation as to trainer numbers outside those in the Code of Practice (recommending a registered exercise professional be on the gym floor during opening hours; or where outdoor group exercise/PT is being offered where the recommended ratio is 1:18). Registered businesses complying with the Code will only employ registered exercise professionals.
• Individual exercise professionals must also be registered.  This is $190 + GST for 2 years.  In the 2 years they are required to complete 30 professional development points before renewing their registration.

The minimum educational qualification currently necessary for all trainers is the Cert III in Fitness Instructing and all trainers must hold this to continue to work as a trainer of classes and individual clients. Up to now this has not been consistently applied.  In Perth all are qualified; In Sydney 2 requires basic training, as well as 2 in Canberra and 1 in Adelaide.  It is intended under the change management that all trainers, once they have completed the basic training, should continue to pursue further training in Certificate IV and Diploma, as part of their professional development.

Lonsdale Fitness will pay the training fees and other incidentals such as text books and provide 1 paid hour per week for study leave.  Lonsdale Fitness will also reimburse travel and accommodation for compulsory study attendance sessions.  (You can get more information on this at Fitness Australia website under the Fitness Careers/Get Qualified tab.). It is expected that the change management process will be fairly smooth if adequate measures are taken and the process is well managed.  The major resistance is expected to come from the 5 trainers who do not have this qualification and have learned through experience.  They also do not want to participate in the further training initiative

                                                                     

                                                                                                    

Assessment Task

Introduction
Provide background; explain strategic goals and other changes
Project Sponsor 
Name the person who will approve and lead the change project and is accountable for ensuring the project and change plan is implemented
Project Objectives 
Detail what the project will achieve.
Change Objectives and Principles 
Provide details of:

• What the change process will achieve [e.g. information sharing, engagement, input into system changes];
• Principles that underpin the change plan [e.g. inclusiveness/consultation, timeliness]
• Ethical issues that need to be considered and how the change plan will address them.

Change Plan Elements
what are the main elements in the change plan? [E.g. people/culture, systems/technology, documentation, positions/roles, process, skills] Each of these elements may require a particular focus in the change plan.
Rationale for the Change
List the drivers and constraints for change. Explain what kind of risks the change process may face?
Key Stakeholder Analysis
List the key stakeholders and:

• Analyze their possible response to the change [e.g. what will be their main concerns/fear, where is there likely to be support for the change];
• Identify their needs in terms of change management and consider the style of communication required [language style & level]
• Identify the preferred media for communicating or consulting with them about the change [e.g. sessions involving dialogue about the changes, newsletters, briefings from project team members, frequently asked questions].

Assessment of Readiness to Change

• Analyze and explain the status of the change so far
• What elements might support the change [e.g. dissatisfaction with current processes; a workplace culture that supports change and innovation].
• Assess the employee’s readiness for change.
• Is there strong senior support for the change?
• What methods should be used for the assessment of readiness?

Key Change Messages

• Identify 5 key messages to convey the change process. Identify the gains and losses and consider:
• What will be gained/lost for the key stakeholder groups in the change process;
• The messages from the stakeholder perspective;
• What will be their main concerns; and
• Presenting changes in a positive light even whilst acknowledging loss.

Identify Change Elements

• Structures/Processes/Responsibilities/Resources/Timeframes/Performance Measures
• Consider the need for change in the support structures [e.g. a change team, super users/specialists who are trained first and can support people in the workplace, involvement of users/key stakeholders at various stages, change champions in the workplace].
• Consider if there is a need for transitional arrangements to support and whether the introduction of the change process needs to be done in stages.
• What will be the impact on workloads and how will these be managed?

Consolidation

• Ensure policies, procedures and performance measures reinforce the changes.
• Remove organisational barriers to the change.
• Reinforce how changes have provided benefits.

Evaluation

• How will the change be evaluated in relation to the achievement of the planned objectives?
• How will the change management processes be evaluated – consider summative as well as final evaluations planning, how can you assess your change management strategies as you implement them?
• How will the evaluation outcomes be circulated and promoted to stakeholders?
• How will evaluation outcomes be used in other organisational processes?