Communication Plan for Wal-Mart Store

¶ … Change model for Wal-Mart

HR professionals are agents who initiate change and will help define the change. As they define the importance of the change, HR professionals must build an emotional and compelling case for change. The case for change usually stems from evidence that successful change will lead to positive organizational and personal outcomes. In order to achieve this at Wal-Mart, HR professionals must embrace the continuous change model. This will help them gather support for the change by engaging key people to contribute to the change process. Studies indicate that if people participate in the change process, there will be less resistance to change. In the case of Wal-Mart, change leaders must be patient and allow much employee participation in the change process. At Wal-Mart, this continuous change is linked to the concept of organizational culture. Wal-Mart's culture will assume a critical part in continuous change as it holds the change together, offers legitimacy to non-conformers, hence improving adaptation. In order to establish the need for change among employees, leaders will be required to reflect changes in their behaviors and attitude. New beavers in leaders will attract new behaviors from subordinates (Flamholtz & Randle, 2008).

A communication plan

The process of change will involve all parties concerned from an early stage. This is because employees at various levels will offer unique knowledge concerning their departments. Often, this knowledge will be crucial and warrants proper consideration. Decision makers must exercise caution when analyzing all views and information and be aware of the possible risks of lack of objectivity. In this context, employee involvement means active participation in decision-making. Wide participation will also assist guarantee a higher level of staff acceptance of the organizational changes. Communication entails the following phases:

Getting organized

Because change can be constant, it is helpful for Wal-Mart to maintain a record of people and their roles, tasks, and responsibilities related to the change. This will make assessment be done in an easy manner.

Review and challenge

The leaders must have sufficient information to conduct regular reviews. Wal-Mart must be ready to change plans if risk assessment reveals a potential risk. Here, a contingency plan will be crucial. During such an organizational change, it might be challenging to remain objective. This is because of pressures from stakeholders, enthusiasm, budgetary pressures or stress of uncertainty. Assessments and reviews of the plan by external and independent experts must be used to minimize such issues (Belasen, 2000).

Implementing and monitoring

Change would be inhibited if there were inconsistent programs in Wal-Mart's environment. Through realigning programs, all initiatives and programs within Wal-Mart have to be handled to arrange with the continuous change system. Conviction that management within the company can handle a transforming company is a crucial base for staff's confidence toward a successful change system. Implementing continuous change is the most important, but also is the least recognized, the management's expertise. Numerous companies have experienced less than suitable efficiency enhancement and undesirable staff's responses to needed organizational changes

Managing resistance