
In today’s environment, change has become an inherent
feature that can impact any industry, including the organizations in Nigeria.
According to a recent survey, it was revealed that 82% of Nigerian firms have
experienced a certain level of structural changes in the last 3 years. On one
hand, change offers new growth prospects, but on the other – it triggers
employees’ stress, resistance, and interruptions.
Encouraging employees during such a time is very important
to ensure morale is high and productivity is not compromised. Now let us
discuss what success strategies Nigerian managers could follow in this context,
turning to successful examples of change management.
Why Teams Struggle With Change in Nigerian Organizations
1. Resistance to Change
People inherently tend towards stability and that applies to
all levels in the workplace, including teams. Organizational change resistance
in the Nigerian context may result from rational attitudes such as fear,
mistrust, or perceived self-interest threat.
Solution: To successfully address the issue of resistance to
change in Nigerian organizations, serious efforts should be made to embark on
early, and adequate communication. Change should be managed by recruiting
support at all the levels of an organization and this should be accompanied by
providing the teams with information on why something has to be done. Communal
feedback and passion can help change the hearts and minds of the once-cynical
audience.
2. Ineffective Communication
One of the most frequent issues that lead to the decline of
change initiatives’ success is the absence of clear messaging that is
consistent across different levels. If employees cannot appreciate why the
change is taking place, when it will happen, or what the benefits of the change
are then employee involvement is likely to reduce.
Solution: Use appropriate communication strategies for the
change management process in Nigeria as follows, town hall meetings,
infographics and team briefings. Cultural and organizational congruency
guarantees that the message communicated is understood and meant to be received
in that manner.
3. Employee Anxiety
Times of change are always characterized by increased
stress. Employees working under such circumstances are likely to develop
anxiety most of which arises from the possibility of job loss, new
responsibilities, and inadequate skills.
Solution: Reducing change anxiety for employees in Nigerian
contexts involves dialogue in dealing with change situations. It is suggested
that one should provide for mental health or develop and hold stress management
sessions. When leaders provide warmth, some of the employees’ concerns can be
easily alleviated.
4. Skill Gaps
At other times, employees are helpless with change just
because they are deflated with the skills necessary for them to be effective in
the new situation. These gaps can slow down change: whether the change is
adopting a new type of technology or a new way of doing work.
Solution: Providing training for Nigerian teams that are
experiencing change helps make employees feel ready to deal with issues. Online
courses and in-house training could help in closing these gaps, but special
mentorship programs should also work.
How to Fix Change Management Challenges
1. Build Resilience and Adaptability
Sustainability is highly dependent on the firm’s capacity to
respond to changes in the environment and overcome setbacks. Interdependency
seems to exist in Nigerian teams; while workers are often found to show some
level of grit, purposefully cultivating this characteristic can help accelerate
organizational change.
Practical Tip: Nigerian workplace teams can begin creating
resilience through team activities, personal growth, and endorsing achievement
in anticipation of change. For instance, when a company is implementing ERP
across the company, it can mark the achievement of the onboarding of each
department as a big achievement.
2. Foster Agility and Flexibility
Effective processes may hinder development efforts during
change. Organizations in Nigeria should therefore learn to be flexible to meet
the changing demands once identified.
Practical Tip: For Nigerian businesses to become agile and
adaptable they require decentralising decision-making. If empowered, middle
managers can more actively own up to the initiatives, this way the
organisational implementation process is speedy and effective.
3. Support Morale During Disruptions
Most changes are always associated with a certain level of
uncertainty and this is always bad for the morale of a team. This consequently
implies that Nigerian organizations must pay keen attention to the welfare of
their employees to sustain high levels of performance.
Practical Tip: Possible ways through which staff morale can
be boosted during a disruption in Nigeria include; Developing flexible working
conditions which can help employees manage their time during the disruption,
ordering small incentives that can be awarded to the workers and engaging the
staff in communication with the leaders.
4. Navigate Uncertainty Through Leadership
Most times, the team leaders have the responsibility of
making sure that the teams remain on course even during these uncertain times.
This is the reason why leadership based on a vision can provide confidence even
to people who are finding themselves in a more complex situation.
Practical Tip: If organisational leaders are expected to
manage the uncertainties of the Nigerian workforce, they are required to be
competent and caring. Leadership is more credible and trustworthy when the
leader shares his or her stories of how the organization accomplished great
things in specific problem situations.
5. Implement Best Practices for Organizational Transformation
Change is one of the greatest challenges of management in
any organization most especially in Nigeria and this is why it must be done
with a lot of tact: strategy, understanding and realism. Research has also
shown that organizations that take time to factor in cultural imperatives in
their change management strategies achieve improved results.
Practical Tip: This research has clearly demonstrated that
for effective change management to occur in the Nigerian context it is necessary
to synchronize the change with the workers’ values and visions. For example, by
arguing that change is simply to enhance career mobility or the welfare of the
nation then this elicits higher commitment levels.
Real-Life Example: A Tale of Two Teams
Let’s suppose there are two companies in Nigeria launching
the same project, such as an AI-based CRM system.
Company A has a top-down organisational culture than the
other two companies. Employees are informed through email but there is no
maximum response time and no training given to them periodically. In
approximately one to several weeks, the complaints pile up since the personnel
are disoriented with the new environment hence delays in all the deadlines
demoralization.
Company B starts the engagement by conducting a town meeting
whereby the management presents the rationale behind the CRM and the
organization’s strategic plan. They implement an upskilling program for
Nigerian teams in transition with workshops and internal resources available.
Working employees are keen the change with more self-employment and get the
change as professionals progress.
The difference? A smart visible and sensible approach
towards the process of change management.
Best Practices for Leading Change in Nigerian Corporate Culture
1. Start with a Clear Vision: Successfully outline what
success looks like, and strive to make sure that people at every level have the
same concept set into their minds.
2. Involve Employees Early: According to Evey, it benefits
greatly from employee contact during the planning stage as it creates
willingness and minimizes opposition.
3. Leverage Data and Metrics: Have goals that are
quantifiable and which can be evaluated so that changes can be made as may be
necessary.
4. Celebrate Small Wins: Praising the efforts which have
been made during the project also creates morale for the teams.
5. Focus on Continuous Learning: Change is ongoing. This
requires the development of a learning organization ethos that would prepare
organisational members for future practice change.
Conclusion
There is no definitive guide to managing change effectively,
but it doesn’t have to be disastrous to your organization. When it comes to
disruption, Nigerian businesses may find it possible to turn the disruptive
forces in their favor, and here is how; Addressing resistance, enhancing
communication, strengthening the skills and morale of workers. Managers
therefore have the task of creating psychological capital in work groups,
promoting flexibility and summarizing and practicing applications in the
Nigerian context.
Firstly, one realizes that it’s all about the people,
secondly, one must ensure that the change is a means to an end – the end being
organizational objectives, thirdly, it’s all about passion and true leadership.
This way, Nigerian companies will not only manage risk but also build
success amidst an unpredictable business environment.