8600-302 Planning Change in the Workplace

Unit Overview

8600-302 Planning Change in the Workplace is a unit within the ILM Level 3 module that builds the understanding of the different tools that can be used to support the process of planning and implementing change in the Workplace. Change is a disruptive process received by significant rejection within the Workplace. This involves the lack of adequate information in appreciating and embracing the change that is being experienced. This could compromise the ability of the managers to effectively handle the changing environment or the individuals within the organisation to effectively perform their responsibilities within the changing environment.

As such, the leaders in the lower ranks of the organisation need to have the skills and ability to collect information from both internal and external business environments that builds their ability to plan change in a way that it causes minimal disruptions. This process helps to understand the need for change. Implement the change by providing relevant support to stakeholders including individuals and teams that they are leading which is important in improving the ability of the organisation to withstand the change experience.

The main purpose and aim of the unit is to improve the ability and skills of planning change in an organisation. This is achieved by eliminating potential barriers to the change process and understanding the context of the change which is the main responsibility of fisrt line managers and junior managers within the organisation. This unit is taught in 9 hours of guided learning and has credit value of 2.

Suitability of the Unit

The unit is designed to provide information that supports the ability to effective conduct environmental and situational analysis and identify the need for change within the organisations. Leader should have the ability to identify the need for change within the organisation environment by understanding bath the macro and micro environments. Failure to effectively identify and plan for change results to a state of irrelevance within the organisation which compromises both strategic and financial performance of the organisation.

As such, 8600-302 Planning Change in the Workplace is a critical unit in improving the abilities of the managers to facilitate sustained performance of the organisation amidst the changing environment. The unit is designed for training first-level and junior managers as well as supervisors within the organisation. It helps build the leadership and management skills to ensure that they can effectively contribute to the organisation productivity by influencing their areas of responsibilities.

However other managers like middle managers and executive managers can pursue the unit to build their competency in handing change in their areas of operation. Additionally, individuals and members of the team can pursue the unit to build understanding and improve the professional skills that could help in future leadership engagements.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the unit, the learners should be able to:

• Conduct a simple PESTLE and SWOT analysis to identify forces that necessitate change within the organisation

• Identify various examples of change that can be required within the Workplace based on the SWOT and PESTLE analysis conducted to ensure that the performance of the organisation is not compromised

• Identify different financial and human factors that influence the process of planning for change within the example identified

• Identify approaches that can be used to communicate with stakeholders and involve people to effectively support the change process within the organisation

• Identify different techniques of planning change with tin the context of the organisation in their areas of operation

• Select the best technique in implement and planning for the change identified using the SWOT and PESTLE analysis conducted

• Implement the planning technique to oversee the process of change in an organisational context

Key Learning Areas

8600-302 Planning Change in the Workplace build the understanding of principles of change that help the learners, practicing r potential first-level managers, to understand their contribution in facilitating change in their areas of responsibility. The unit covers critical areas that may include:

 Forces for Change

This area of learning lays foundation on the approaches that can be used to identify the need for change and effective scanning the environment to understand the nature and scope of change needed. The learners are introduced to tools such a s PESTLE analysis and SWOT analysis which are used to effectively analyses the organisation from its environment and devise different aspects that necessitate change within the organisation. The learners can then utilise this information to effectively plan for the change and support the people that they are leading.

Planning for Change

After identifying the need for change using the tools for analysing the macro and micro environment, it is important to ensure that the findings are used to create an effective approach for change. This area of learning helps to understand the role that the leader should play in facilitating this change and provide the knowledge that supports their fulfillment of their duties in this process. Learners are taken through the principals of change management and methods of planning change.

This involves being introduced to the process of preparing Gantt charts, network planning, duty allocation and action plans that are effectively used as tools for planning for change. Additionally, the learners are made to understand the human and financial factors that support or limit the process of planning and implementing the change within the organisation. This area further builds the communication skills of the leaders in ensuring that they are able to communicate with the individuals and teams they are leading to influence their perception towards the change process as well as report to the senior management on the process of change planning.

Wrap Up

The unit is taught using different approaches that include virtual learning or physical classroom contexts. Upon completion of the learning, the learners are required to complete a written assessment done using templates on the topic that have questions to determine the mastery of content and accomplishment of the learning goals and objectives.

The template examines both the acquisition of information that influences the theory and practice of the learner to ensure they are prepared to implement the concepts in real-life organisational contexts.