More and more restructurings take place in contemporary companies that are related to growth or survival. Change can take many different forms – it can be planned or spontaneous, sometimes it is on whole company or on certain features/units that are aimed at tackling the challenges and realizing opportunities.

The increasing competition presently means that products and services must continually improve and reach the market faster. New technologies and high demands of customers are sometimes the reason for companies to reorganize entirely.

The process is complex and naturally there are no ready formulas and recipes for managing change. Simultaneously, there are key questions that should be given special attention at the start of changes in the company.

• Effective leadership
• This is the catalyst for change, as it provides clear and realistic vision with regard to the upcoming changes.
• Timely and appropriate training - this is achieved by involving all employees in the new process to allow for changes to be adopted and supported by them.
• Awareness of workers and employees - during a change it is vital for employees to be informed in order to achieve the expected results. Communicating with employees, informing them about important decisions and processes that occur in the company, is a manifestation of commitment and responsibility on behalf of the management towards them.
• Systems of material and spiritual stimulation – applying diverse tools to build an adequate motivation policy.

The problems most often encountered in the SEE companies are connected with the fact that the owners of privatized enterprises are not familiar in detail with the work in the undertaking nor with the business specificity. The conditions under which the economic restructuring was carried out in these countries twenty years ago differ substantially from today ones. The management of companies has no sufficient experience in the continuous adjustment resulting from the technologic changes, innovation, increased competition, changes in the consumer’s preferences. There is a clear need for information and sharing of relevant expertise in developing preventive measures and strategies to mitigate the social consequences of the restructuring.

Objectives

• To increase the employers’ awareness and knowledge regarding good practices of change management;
• To familiarize with different change management strategies, techniques and models of information, motivation and commitment of employees;
• To introduce a set of instruments to commit employees in the change management process

Project activities

• Survey of companies from South Eastern Europe regarding their awareness of instruments, measures and strategies to surmount changes
• Seminars and final conference – how to manage change and the role of social dialogue Among the main topics to discuss during these events are:
• strategic planning of the labour force
• management of performanc
• commitment of employees
• socially responsible restructuring of companies
• Create a website with library of all accessible materials on change management
• Publish and disseminate a brochure – depicting the experience shared within the project about the development of preventive measures and strategies of change management and the role of social dialogue for its success.

Project partners

Employers’ organizations:

• Association of Employers of Slovenia - ZDS
• Bulgarian Industrial Association – BIA
• Training Center of Saxon Industry – BSW
• Croatian Employers’ Association – CEA
• Business Confederation of Macedonia (BCM)
• Bildungswerk der Wirtschaft gGmbH

Trade Unions:

• The Confederation of the Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria
• Trade union Confederation 90 of Slovenia
• Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia (UATUC)
• The Confederation of Free Trade Uinions of Macedonia (KSS)

The link to the GoForChange website: www.goforchange.biz/

The project GoForChange is co-funded by the European Union.