Sanni, Oseni Zuwedu, Fnivs, is the Managing Director, SPD & Realty Limited, Abuja
Change is a constant in any endeavor. In the Construction industry, new technologies, regulations, and customer demands are constantly emerging, and Management should be able to adapt quickly in order to stay competitive. Our focus are the steps we need to take in managing the changes occasioned by the removal of subsidy on petroleum products in Nigeria by the President Ahmed Bola Tinubu (GCON).
Change management is the process of planning, implementing, and monitoring changes in a way that minimizes disruption and maximizes success.
There are a number of key steps involved in effective Change Management in the construction industry:
1. Identify the need for change. The first step is to identify the need for change. This may be driven by a number of factors, such as new regulations, customer requirements, or technological advances. On the day and time of the inauguration of President Ahmed Bola Tinibu, he announced the removal of the subsidy in petroleum products in Nigeria. Many people welcomed the move but question the timing.
Today, subsidy has be removed. The pump price of petrol jumped from N194 per liter to about N540 per liter. This new government regulation created major distortions in projections of companies, industries and persons.
2. Assess the impact of change. Nigeria, depends largely on road transportation system for movement of people and goods. With the about 300% increase in petroleum, costs of goods and services escalated in response to increase in cost of transportation.
Construction staff now have to pay more to get to sites or offices. Movement and cost of materials also increases. Staff are now demanding for increase in salaries and companies have no budgets provisions for such demands. This might lead to industrial disputes, increase cost of project delivery, cutting corners and shift in completion period.
3. Develop a change management plan. Once the impact of change has been assessed, a change management plan can be developed. This plan should include a timeline for implementation, a communication plan, and a training plan.
Change Management is a Human Resource function that requires quality leadership style to drive it. The tips for managing change are:
- Get buy-in from all stakeholders. It is important to get buy-in from all stakeholders, including the project owner, staff, the contractor, and the subcontractors, before making any changes. This will help to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that there is no resistance to the change.
- Application of change management tools. There are several change management tools available that can help to streamline the process and make it easier to track changes. Particularly the application of computer aided devices.
- Flexibility. Things don’t always go according to plan, so it is important to be flexible and adaptable when implementing change. Be prepared to make adjustments as needed.
- Effective Communication. Communication is key to successful change management. Keep all stakeholders informed of the changes and their impact.
- Celebrate successes. When changes are implemented successfully, it is important to celebrate the successes. This will help to keep everyone motivated and engaged.
4. Implement the change. Once the change management plan has been developed, it is important to implement the change in a timely and effective manner. This includes communicating the change to all stakeholders, providing training, and monitoring the impact of the change.
5. Monitor the change. It is important to monitor the change on an ongoing basis to ensure that it is implemented effectively and that it is meeting the desired objectives.
Change management is an inevitable phase of any organization. It is an organization ability to management change that make it sustainable. Change is an essential part of project and office management in the construction industry. By following the steps of identifying the need for change, the impact of the change, develop change management plan, implement the plan and monitor same, the organization can minimize disruption and maximize success when facing change, being it internally or externally induced.
