Readiness for organizational change: A longitudinal study ...

1 377 Journal of Occupational and organizational Psychology (2002). 75, 377-392 2002 The British Psychological for organizational change :A longitudinal study of workplace, psychologicaland behavioural correlatesCharles E. Cunningham'*, Christel A. Woodward^,Harry S. Shannon^, John Macintosh', Bonnie Lendrum',David Rosenbloom' and Judy Brown^'Hamilton Health Sciences and McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada^McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, CanadaTo examine factors influencing Readiness for healthcare organizational change , 654randomly selected hospital staff completed questionnaires measuring the logisticaland occupational risks of change .

2 Ability to cope with change and to solve job-related problems, social support, measures of Karasek's (1979) active vs. passive jobconstruct (job demand x decision latitude) and Readiness for organizational in active jobs (Karasek, 1979) v/hich afforded higher decision latitude andcontrol over challenging tasks reported a higher Readiness for organizational changescores. Workers with an active approach to job problem-solving with higher jobchange self-efficacy scores reported a higher Readiness for change .

3 In hierarchicalregression analyses, active jobs, an active job problem-solving style and job-changeself-efficacy contributed independently to the prediction of Readiness for organiz-ational change . Time I Readiness for organizational change scores and an activeapproach to job problem-solving were the best predictors of participation inredesign activities during a year-long re-engineering organizations are undergoing unprecedented changes (Shortell, Gillies,Anderson, Erickson, & Mitchell, 1996).

4 (Competition, funding reductions, efforts toimprove cost-efficiency, mergers and the re-engineering of work processes are placingenormous demands on healthcare organizations and their employees (Woodwardet al., 1999). Research on individual differences in Readiness for organizationalchange, workplace processes that facilitate change and factors that influence theimpact of organizational change on the health and emotional well-being of employeesIs important to the success of efforts to improve the health service delivery for change research suggests that a demonstrable need for change , a senseof one s ability to successfully accomplish change (self-efficacy))

5 And an opportunity toparticipate in the change process contribute to Readiness for organizational change (Armenakis, Harris, & Mossholder, 1993). Readiness for change models havebeen applied widely in the organizational and behavioural sciences. Prochaska and^Requests for reprints should be addressed to Charles E. Cunningham, Department of Psychiatry and BehaviouralNeurosdences. Faculty of Health Sciences. McMaster University, 1200 Main Street, Homiltor], Ontario, L8N 3Z5.

6 Canada(e-mail: Charles E. Cunningham et , for example, found that Readiness for individual change proceeded throughstages (Prochaska et al., 1994; Prochaska, Redding, & Evers, 1997) beginning at theprecontemplative stage, where the need for change is not acknowledged. At thecontemplative stage, individuals consider but do not initiate change . As a preparatorystage is reached, planning for change occurs (Prochaska etal., 1994, 1997).)

7 Individualsengaged in the process of behavioural change are at the action stage, whereas thoseattempting to sustain changes are at the maintenance stage. Movement throughthese stages is governed by decisional balance, the anticipated risks of change vs. thepotential benefits of study applied an individual Readiness for change model to a longitudinal studyof organizational re-engineering in healthcare settings. We developed a brief measureof individual Readiness for organizational change based on Prochaska et a/.

8 's (1994)questionnaires and tested several assumptions of individual and organizationalreadiness for change vs. risks of organizational changeReadiness for change begins with an individual's perception of the benefits of change (Prochaska et al., 1994), the risks of failing to change (Armenakis et al., 1993; Beer,1980; B. A. Spector, 1989), or the demands of externally imposed changes (Pettigrew,1987). We hypothesized, therefore, that workers' perceptions of opportunities forimprovement in staff competence, service quality, quality improvement programme ororganizational staff relationships would contribute to Readiness for change for change research suggests that staff perceptions regarding the risks ofre-engineering should also influence Readiness for organizational change (Prochaskaet al.)

9 , 1994). Employees in healthcare organizations facing re-engineering are con-fronted with at least three types of risks. First, because organizational re-engineeringposes a threat of job change or loss, we postulated that perceptions of occupationalinsecurity would lower Readiness for organizational change scores and limit partici-pation in re-engineering activities. Second, the logistical burden of re-engineeringrepresents a risk that may shift decisional balance and reduce Readiness for organiz-ational change (Prochaska et al.

10 , 1997). In a healthcare work force composed largely ofwomen, the domestic responsibilities assumed by many employees might increase thelogistical demands of organizational re-engineering (Hall, 1989, 1992). Shift workmight contribute to an already difficult logistical burden. We predicted, therefore, thatchild care, household tasks, shift work and a perception of conflict between domesticand occupational responsibilities would reduce Readiness for organizational changeand limit participation in re-engineering.