Introduction
The resizing and change processes that are currently carried out in companies are not exceptional in nature, but rather respond to a self-critical and perfective capacity taking into account internal possibilities and developed on the difficult path of responding to major external changes. of the economic and technological type, among which are the internationalization of the economies of different countries as well as the globalization of the economy itself; which revealed in the organizations, in addition, many changes that had been brewing since previous times.
The need to carry out an organizational change process forces the use of various analysis procedures, where obviously they cannot be ignored, among other aspects: comparisons between the current and the previous moment, criticisms and reflections on development and the results obtained in each stage of change as well as the similar experiences of other organizations.
One of the most solidly documented results of studies of individual and organizational behavior is the fact that organizations and their members resist any type of change that is made in them, so according to the way managers manage these changes, there will be more or less resistance.
In order to diminish or counteract the negative effects that organizational change causes in the conduct and individual and group behavior of Human Capital, administrations have to be properly prepared to understand the modifications that arise, aligning them towards new goals in the search for effectiveness. organizational.
The management of Human Capital during change cannot be left to spontaneity, but must be directed and oriented to go beyond the traditional practice of administration. Based on this, the administration of the company has to be the maximum responsible for introducing in a timely manner and driving the different changes in the organization, this being a very complex task and also constituting an important challenge for them.
The diagnosis of the organizational climate during the process of change is important since the systematic analysis of the prevailing work environment helps administrations to permanently minimize the negative resistances that arise, to improve results and to feed back on people's behavior. and from each group. With a prior knowledge of these aspects, the occurrence of certain events that constitute latent risks can be mitigated and in this way the desired modification is facilitated both in the attitudes and behavior of its members.
For this reason, the study of the organizational climate is a topic of great importance today for all organizations, which seek continuous improvement of the environment of their organization, in order to achieve the increase in productivity that any company demands, without losing considering the management of human capital, an asset of greater importance within the organization.
The above justifies the study of the work environment during the process of change in a company since it allows to follow the evolution of changes, anticipate problems and evaluate the sources of possible dissatisfaction of the members of the organization to act immediately on them and improve said weather.
Development
The verb change in its broadest expression means "to give or replace one thing for another." Change is called the “action to change or the modification that results from it”. This concept has been extended to the scope of organizations to refer to their dynamics.
Some organizations treat all changes as something that happens accidentally. However, this constitutes a serious problem to guide the organization in such a changing environment. The change activities in an organization must be proactive and with a final purpose, that is, the change in any organization must be an intentional and goal-oriented activity, that is, a planned change.
Planned change is defined as that change that is made in an organization and that has as essential goals, firstly, to improve the organization's ability to adapt to changes in its environment and, secondly, to try to change the behavior of employees. (Robbins 2005).
The planned change in an organization is made based on its magnitude. This can be:
First-rate change that is linear and continuous and there are no fundamental changes in the assumptions that members of the organization have about the world or in the way the organization can improve its operation.
Second-level change that is a multidimensional, multilevel, discontinuous and radical change that implies the rethinking of assumptions about the organization and the world in which it operates. (Levy 1986) In this sense it is stated that in an organization you can change: the structure, the technology, the physical environment and people.
The change in structure implies modifying authority relationships, coordination mechanisms, job redesign, or similar structural variables. The technology change encompasses modifications in the way work is processed and in the methods and equipment used. The change of the physical environment covers the modification of the space and the physical distribution in the workplace. Change of people refers to changes in the attitudes, skills, expectations, perceptions and / or behavior of employees.
Those responsible for managing change activities in organizations are the change agents. These may be administrators or non-administrators, company employees or external consultants.
In today's business and budgeting world, change is associated with a power relationship; no change is carried out without the necessary power, real or formal, to implement it. For this reason, it is that people who hold positions as leaders are often recognized as agents of change, since they are the ones with the necessary power, within the limits of authority within their reach.
Resistances to change do not necessarily arise in a standardized way. Resistance can be overt, implicit, immediate, or delayed. It is easier for management to deal with resistance when it is open and immediate.
The most widely used classification of sources of resistance to change is the one proposed as the main sources: individual resistance and organizational resistance. In the real world, fonts often overlap.
to change they reside in basic human characteristics such as perceptions, personalities and needs. Recent research has found different coinciding reasons why an individual resists change in an organization. These are: habits, security, economic factors, fear of the unknown and selective information processing.
Organizational resistance: By their very nature, organizations are conservative and actively resist change. Various studies carried out have coincided in the existence of six main sources of organizational resistance. These are: structural inertia, limited focus on change, group inertia, threat to demonstrated ability, threat to already established power relations, and threat to already established resource allocations. With all these resistances, it is evident that it is not easy to implement a change in the business world.
In the author's opinion, and taking into account all that has been raised about the theories of resistance to change that are manifested in organizations and faced by agents of change, it can be affirmed that resistance has an implicit positive sense, since it provides stability and predictability in worker behavior. In the absence of resistance, organizational behavior would have the characteristic of being randomly chaotic. Resistance to change can also be a source of functional conflict. But at the same time, it has a disadvantage and that is that it hinders adaptation and progress.
Working environment
In the meteorological sense, climate is understood as the set of characteristics that are stable over time within a defined geographical region and that includes a range of different elements. It is not about the "weather that makes", but the peculiarities of the "prevailing time" in an area or place.
The prevailing climate in an organization is a metaphorical concept transported from meteorology to organizations to define a set of features that maintain a certain regularity during a certain period. This is susceptible to change, to the extent that basic elements that make it up in the course of the development and maturity of the organization itself are modified. One of the most important effects of the work environment is that it influences human behavior and reflects the existence of dysfunctions within the organization.
The concern for achieving a high quality of life for individuals in a society inevitably involves the creation of favorable working environments, where subjects feel pleasure in belonging to the workforce, in which they can channel their professional concerns and personal interests and grow up every day as individuals. If it is taken into account that more than a third of our lives are spent in labor collectives and another part, no less important, we are in function of this, it is essential that our eyes and efforts be directed towards achieving favorable organizational climates to reach levels of life satisfactory in human beings.
The climate of an organization is one of the aspects that is frequently most alluded to in the organizational diagnosis.
On the term organizational or work climate there are an important variety of definitions given by different authors:
- It is the set of objective characteristics of the organization, lasting and easily measurable, that distinguish one labor entity from another. They are management styles, norms and the physiological environment, the purposes and processes of consideration. Although individual perception is intervened in their measure, the fundamentals are the indices of said characteristics ”. (Forehand and Gilmer, 1965) It is the set of global perceptions (personal and psychological constructor) that the individual has of the organization, reflecting the interaction between the two; what is important is how a subject perceives her environment, regardless of how others perceive it; therefore, it is more a dimension of the individual than of the organization ”.(Nicolás Seisdedos) Brown and Moberg (2003) argue that climate refers to a series of characteristics of the internal organizational environment as perceived by its members. On the other hand, Dessler (2003) states… “that there is no consensus As for the meaning of the term, that the definitions revolved around purely objective organizational factors such as structure, policies, rules and even perceived attributes, which in this case
Taking into consideration that in the previous definitions there are common aspects, I agree with the definition given by Nicolás Seisdedos in that the organizational climate is the perceptions that individuals have of the physical work environment, which arise from the evaluations carried out of the set of interrelationships that they originate in the company (in the environment in which it is immersed) and that have a great influence on the behavior of these individuals.
The organizational climate is focused on understanding the internal environmental variables that affect the behavior of individuals in the organization, its approach to these variables is through the perceptions that individuals have of them.
Variables considered in the concept of organizational climate.
The shaping elements of the organizational climate are diverse, but in any organization it is possible to identify a set of variables or coincident dimensions that were considered essential for their evaluation, since they integrate the perceptions that workers have in both objective and subjective aspects.
- Variables of physical environment: are those related to the physical space, noise, work, heat, pollution, installation, machines, etc. Structural variables: are those related to the size of the organization, formal structure, management style, etc. Variables of the social environment: are those related to communication, camaraderie, conflict between people or between departments. Personal variables: are those related to the attitudes, aptitudes, motivations, expectations of the members of the organization. Variables typical of organizational behavior: are those related to the behavior of the results, such as productivity, absenteeism, turnover, job satisfaction, tension or stress.
Organizational climate structure.
To understand the structure of the organizational climate, it must be taken into account what has been proposed by the two schools of study of work climate, mutually exclusive:
- Dimensional approach: it is assumed that the organizational climate is a "multidimensional" perception, which explains the variety of perceptions - due to the variability in the development of each dimension - in the different areas of the organization according to their various circumstances. Typological approach: assumes that the organizational climate has a total configuration, made up of different properties, which explains the existence of the global macroclimate of the organization, and its inertia.
Multidimensionality alludes to the fact that even forming a close unity, the organizational climate is made up of multiple aspects, none of them incapable of explaining or solving the entire concept, its effects and consequences.
This multidimensional nature of the organizational climate means that the variables are not always easy to define due to the interaction that occurs between them, which hinders the process of conceptual isolation of them, due to which there has been a clear profusion in the taxonomy of the dimensions of the organizational climate. This makes it not convenient to reduce the study or research of only one of its components due to the feedback processes among all its components.
There are various elements or dimensions that configure the work environment.
According to Litwin and Stringer, (1971) within an organization there are several coincident dimensions that are considered essential since they integrate both perceptions about objective and subjective aspects.
Regardless of what they are called: dimensions, variables, scales, and taking into account what has been raised by different scholars on the subject, the author of this article considers that in an investigation on work environment, what is sought is to identify and determine those variables Objectives that can negatively affect people's perception of the quality of the work they are in. These variables in turn can be investigated or verified through different organizational elements.
Of all the existing variables, the author also considers that the dimensions that must be taken into account in this research on the work environment, due to the importance they have and due to the influence they exert on the organization as a system are:
1- The structure and interaction of systems: The exploration of the perception that workers have of the structure on which the organization is based and of the place that each of them occupies in it. The organization structure is the set of all the ways in which work is divided into different tasks, then achieving their coordination, according to (Mintzberg, 1991), with 5 fundamental parts:
Operations core. It is where the fundamental basic work related to the production and services provided by the entity is produced and is made up of the operators who carry out said process.
Strategic Summit. It is the part of the organization that ensures that it fulfills its mission and in our case it responds to the state for the efficient and effective fulfillment of its corporate purpose. Her tasks are related to supervision, relations with the environment and strategy development.
Midline (middle management). It is made up of the executives who unite the strategic summit with the operational nucleus, these middle-line executives form a chain of command that goes from the summit to the operational nucleus, the more levels there are, the greater this chain of middle managers will be in the organization.
Technostructure. It is made up of analysts who are responsible for executing the formalization of the entity. They are out of the operational work stream.
Support staff. It is the part of the organization that ensures with its services that the work stream of the operating core runs smoothly.
2- The exercise of Management at all levels. The study of the perception of this dimension is essential, due to the role it plays in making people willing to do their best to achieve organizational goals. The characteristics that are subject to evaluation are: development of the motivation of the subordinates to achieve the goals, technical knowledge and mastery of the activity of the person who directs, the characteristics of communication and interpersonal relationships for the development of the activity between managers and their group, decision-making process and participants.
3- This dimension crosses the wide spectrum of activities carried out by people within the organization. It works in 2 supposed ways: it is itself and simultaneously influences behavior in other parameters. This will be measured in two basic ways:
a) through a direct route that will consist of inquiring if they feel satisfied and motivated in the task they perform, the possibilities of achieving their expectations and satisfaction with the reward system as well as with the conditions and work environment.
b) by exploring a set of key elements about the perceptions of future prospects that workers believe the organization offers.
4. Communication and interpersonal relationships for work. In this dimension their functions and directionality, intra and intergroup relations, informal networks and social support are studied. Communication is the resource to coordinate the work of people and groups of people in the organization towards common goals, therefore it guarantees or hinders its proper functioning and determines the human dynamics within it.
Communication can flow vertically or laterally. The vertical dimension can be subdivided into descending and ascending directions. (Robbins 2005)
DESCENDING: Flows from one level of a group or organization to a lower level. Group leaders and administrators use it to assign goals, give work instructions, inform their subordinates of policies and procedures, point out problems that need attention, and offer feedback on performance. It does not need to be oral or face-to-face contact.
ASCENDANT: Flows to a higher level in the organization. It is used to provide feedback to superiors, inform them of progress towards goals, and report current problems. Bottom-up communication allows top-level managers to stay up-to-date on how employees think about their jobs, coworkers, and the organization at large.
SIDE It is when the communication takes place between members of the same work group, at the same level, between administrators at the same level, or between any equivalent horizontal level personnel. This is often necessary to save time and facilitate coordination.
This dimension should not be excluded in a diagnosis of the climate of an organization since communication problems affect the entire system. A large part of the problems that occur in other areas of the organization's life are essentially determined by deficiencies in communication.
5- Image and sense of belonging. In this dimension, aspects related to the image that workers have about the organization are addressed, where the before, the now and the after are intertwined to delineate the organizational culture. It deepens in the perception of how things are thought and done as a result of the interactions in the organization as part of its culture, sense of belonging and the loyalty of the workers that allows us to analyze the current stability and forecast the future stability of the force of job.
Elements that make up a favorable climate.
Objectively, there is no ideal work climate, so it is more convenient to manage terms such as favorable, suitable, adequate climate.
The favorable organizational climate is key to success for the materialization of its objectives and goals because it conditions the attitudes and behavior of its workers, where bosses and workers speak the same language, aid and cooperation relationships are established in a climate of respect, emotional identification with the group arises in each member, the feeling of pleasure, successes and failures are experienced, there is emotional warmth, joy and pride. That is why it has been demonstrated how important it is for companies to have feedback mechanisms and periodic measurement of their organizational climate. This periodic feedback and evaluation allows us to know how organizations are perceived by their internal public: if their philosophy is understood and shared by all, what communication problems do they face,how boss - worker interpersonal relationships work.
Workers experience the existence of a favorable climate, when they feel that they pay tribute to the organization and impregnate a sense of personal value to the organization, so they crave jobs that represent a challenge, that satisfy them internally, they like to be heard and treated in a way that As their value is recognized as individuals, they want to feel that the organization truly cares about their needs and problems. (Goncalves, 2000)
The organizational climate has an impact both on the organization and on each of the individual subjects. Among the consequences that the existence of a certain climate has on the members of an organization appear: the states of mind and in general the affective and motivational processes, their attitudes towards the specific activity that they carry out and towards the group as a whole and in the satisfaction with group activity and membership.
The organizational climate can be a vehicle or obstacle to the good performance of the company, it can be a factor of distinction and influence on the behavior of those who make it up.
But it cannot be argued that there is a casual relationship between climate and organizational efficiency in the strict sense of the word, since climate as such is a collective phenomenon, which is filtered by the individual personality of the subjects. More than a casual effect, what exists is a probability factor for the appearance of certain behaviors.
Regarding the effect of the work climate on job satisfaction, its influence depends on both the type of climate and the type of satisfaction, that is, even if there is an influence relationship, this relationship cannot be considered linear or direct.
The effect of the organizational climate on behavior at the work level is manifested in the productivity or performance of the individual in his task. The relationships between climate and performance go in the same direction as those between climate and satisfaction, but with a higher level of determination.
Research carried out by Likert shows that "… highly productive organizations are generally characterized by a high participation climate" (Likert 1961).
A good organizational climate can reduce employee turnover and absenteeism, reduce the number of accidents and expenses, increase production.
I consider that the climate as it is a dweller between the characteristics of the individuals and the behavior that they develop, is a relatively stable emotional factor: very high levels of demand from the company can lead to taking excessive risks while when the degree of Knowledge is very scarce, or the level of support is very low, can lead to high risk behaviors at work.
Conclusions
one To successfully achieve an organizational change, it is necessary to: diagnose the existing situation in order to be able to direct, guide and direct the attitude of people in each of the stages. Once the situation is diagnosed, the change must be carried out as such but little by little, having the objectives clearly and precisely in advance and always looking for ways to involve and give greater participation to the workers at the different levels at which they are involved. find. Finally, control mechanisms must be established to assess how the change is progressing. That is to say,change management should be carried out and not let change occur spontaneously, and then try to follow it or reduce the negative consequences when it is practically impossible for change agents due to the fact that the company has gone another way than not be desired.
two.Many can be the tactics that are used to reduce these resistances such as education and communication to those workers who will be subjects and objects of change; participation as a way for change to come from “below”, facilitating and supporting the change process and, ultimately, negotiating change. Other less popular tactics are manipulation, to seek some cooperation, and coercion, to impose change. The latter are not the best, although the practice at certain times requires their use, to later combine with another complementary method, such as participation. So if the change is properly planned before it takes place,if workers are adequately informed and motivated explaining the necessary causes of the change so that they do not see it only as an imposition from the top level, if the intentions that encourage the change and the methods that will be used are sufficiently clarified; If the existence of the problem or opportunity is demonstrated, linking the key people in driving the change, and if, in addition, the best moment is expected by providing the necessary support resources, then these resistances can be diminished, minimized or eliminated.The best time is expected by providing the necessary support resources, then these resistances can be diminished, minimized or eliminated.The best time is expected by providing the necessary support resources, then these resistances can be diminished, minimized or eliminated.
3. The importance of climate studies for the redirection of human or functional processes lies in the practical utility it represents to assess the impact of a process of organizational change on human dynamics and can become a resource to cushion the effects of a change that has not been fully participatory since its initial implementation. With the analysis of the current climate of an organization, it is also possible to obtain feedback about the consequences of the change introduced in order to correct it, and eliminate the negative effects it has had on workers based on their criteria and with their participation.
Four.The key to success in any research or work carried out on the work environment is inexcusably to start the task at the right time, to be convinced that the time to start the exploration is favorable and accepted to do so, to have the necessary sponsorship (declared and convincing commitment above all of senior management), consider all the time the cultural elements present in the organization under study, articulate an adequate and effective communication plan, do not overlook the organizational structure and interrelations of the entity and of course be very clear what dimensions are necessary to investigate in order to have the most exact criteria on the manifestations of the phenomenon. The start time, sponsorship, culture, communication strategy,Structure vary from one organization to another; Regardless of these elements, there is a certain consensus on what criteria, variables or dimensions would result. Accordingly, the evaluation process requires in-depth knowledge of the subject, creativity and synthesis, of all the things that make it up, which is why the Climate Organizational must offer quality of working life.
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