Direct participation of higher education institution employees in the organisational change process: study report

Abstract

Motivation: Changes in the organization’s environment require its adjustment through the process of organisational change. For changes to bring expected, positive results, it is recommended that all employees be involved. Employee direct participation is one of the most effective methods of winning them for change and making them favour changes in the form of cooperation, engagement and reduction of resistance. In the literature, there are not too much studies focused on employee direct participation in the organisational change process at universities. Therefore, this area seems to be an interesting research field.Aim: The objective of this study is to analyse the process of change of organisational structure (number of departments) at a faculty of a higher education institution in the Pomeranian Province, in terms of the direct participation of research and academic staff and teaching staff in this process. The study was conducted using quantitative methods (a questionnaire). The study sample (the faculty and its employees) was selected intentionally due to the usefulness of data sources.Results: It was found that the selected employees participate in the change cycle in a limited way, with indifference and resistance being main attitudes to that change. Research results suggest that the causes of that state include autocratic style of management on the part of change designers, little time devoted to involve employees in the process, and negative atmosphere caused by staff rotation (dominant internal factor).

Keywords

• employee direct participation
• organizational changes
• higher education institutions
• cycle of organisational change process
• employee resistance to change