Administrative Policies

In case the employees or the departments oppose the new administrative policies, then these resistances need to be nipped in the bud proactively and with equal efficiency.

1. Root Causes:
Obtain Information: Organize surveys, meetings, and even one-on-one interaction with the staff to understand specific reasons and objections.

Active Hearing of the Grievances of the Employees: Listen actively and acknowledge their stand and concerns so that there is no negation.

-Senior issues: Is the concern workload-related, unclear, scared of the unknown, or perceiving it as not fair?

2. Deal Directly with the Issues

Clear Communication: Clearly state the rationale behind such policy shifts, what it would achieve and the benefits to be anticipated.

Clarify the Misconceptions: Rebut all misinformation or myths surrounding the policy.

-Recognize and Resolve: Resolve employees’ concerns and objections. Explain to them how those concerns have been taken into consideration or how the policy will be modified to satisfy them.

3. Employee Participation in the Policy Process

-Involvement: Engage the employees in policy development whenever it is feasible. This will be a great avenue for building ownership and minimizing resistance.

-Pilot Programs: Develop a pilot on a small scale to solicit the opinions of all employees before total implementation.

-Task Force or Committee: The affected departments shall be represented in a task force or committee, which would be of help for implementation and enforcement of the policy.

4. Training and Support:

-Comprehensive Training: Full-scale training on the new policy must include objectives, procedures for implementation, and how the law would be enforced.
–Ongoing Support: Offer ongoing support and counseling to employees as they adjust to the new policy. This can involve mentoring, coaching, and providing access to available resources.

5. Monitor and Evaluate:

-Regular Reviews: Constantly review how effective the policy is and fix any issues or concerns that keep arising.

-Collect Continuous Feedback: Collect constant feedback from the employees on how the policy has affected them and make changes appropriately.

6. Lead by Example:

Management Commitment: The desired behavior should be shown by management at the right moments to compel enactment of the new policies.
Equitable and Unbiased Enforcement: The policy must be applied in an equitable and unbiased manner in the workplace.

Key Considerations: The trust between the management and the employees is as significant in helping defeat resistance from employees; it must be dealt with compassionately, knowing change can be painful to employees.

Positive reinforcement: Show appreciation and compensate the employees who make an effort to adapt to the new policy.