Change for Motivation at T-Mobile

Change for Motivation at T-Mobile

​Experts associate organizational change with workers’wellbeing. When organizations make large-scale changes like outsourcing, downsizing, and restructuring, employees are directly affected (Fløvik et al., 2019). For instance, Fløvik et al. (2019) note that staff members may experience long-term sick leaves, presenteeism, and health complaints. In this regard, managers must prioritize clarifying the consequences of organizational change to all stakeholders to enhance successful transition and prevent negative effects on all the affected parties(Fløviket al., 2019). Notably, large-scale changes often alter the cultures, procedures, strategies, and structures of companies.Accordingly, multinational companies, such as T-Mobile and others must be keen to address employees’ feedback and complaints, especially the long-serving staff members. These organizations must observe specific change issues for a successful transition. 

Background

The areas of change at the T-Mobile company are many. Foremost, my report highlighted a two-week study that pointed out areas of change at the company. According to the report, lowemployee job motivation is to blame for T-Mobile’s internal and external workplace issues. Even though the company made several changes to increase its dominance in the industry, many critical aspects were left out. For example, T-Mobile plans to expand its current LTE signal by eight folds and capture a larger market share in the United States (US) (T-Mobile, 2020). The company also plans to increase its customer base in the rural USthrough its recent merger with Sprint company. However, the company has done little to address interpersonal communication, feedback channels, conflict resolution, engagement, focus, compassion, patience, trust, flexibility, leadership, and judgement. 

Recommended T-Mobile Organizational Changes

Change 1: Increase Job Control and Reduce Job Demand

​T-Mobile’s employees need a clear understanding of job demands and the company’s expectations both in the long and short term. For example, with the recent T-Mobile’s changes, employees’ job demands increased, leading to reduced control. Besides, when the company implemented the large-scale changes, senior management reported low job control resulting from reduced resources and limited support from the company. Therefore, to correct the high strain work environment, Fløvik et al. (2019) recommend that organizations should help employees gain control by facilitating a supportive social climate. Besides,the management must also support its employees and show concern for their productivity, job satisfaction, turnover, and mental health. 

Change 2: Increase Role Clarity and Reduce Role Conflict

​T-Mobile’s recent changes led to increased role conflict and reduced role clarity. Accordingly, experts recommend that adjustments in resource allocation and resource availability must accompany organizational changes (Fløviket al., 2019). Moreover, Senior management must clearly illustrate new responsibilities and roles to employees and increase theirexperience to curb potential conflicts and misunderstandings(Fløviket al., 2019). In this regard, rearranging and redefining the new roles and responsibilities will bring clarity and eliminate unnecessary role conflicts. 

Change 3: Enhance Supportive, Empowering, and Fair Leadership

​According to the report, T-Mobile employees portrayed their seniors as less empowering and fair. Others lamented unfair leadership, increased pressure, and a lack of inclusivity from senior T-Mobile management. In this regard, experts warn that companies must pay attention to their employees’ perspectives and concerns whenever they make any changes (Fløviket al., 2019). Therefore, the management must demonstrate fairness to address reduced productivity and poor social climate. Notably, Fløviket al. (2019) agree that employees are trustworthy in handling change and readily accept new change when their leaders are more competent, empowering, and fair. 

Change 4: Improve Job Predictability

​ The recent changes in T-Mobile’s management and structure as a result of the merger caused uncertainty among its employees. Many workers complained about low future employability, reduced job predictability, and other insecurities. Fløvik et al. (2019) warn that these uncertainties may cause both long-term and short-term reduced trust in an organization’s management and low productivity among employees. Therefore, experts recommend that companies must allow their workers to participate in the implementation and planning of large-scale organizational changes (Fløviket al., 2019). The participation will result in higher levels of perceived control, lower levels of job insecurity, and enhanced employees’ wellbeing.  

How the Changes Will Improve Job Motivation in the T-Mobile’s Workforce

The four recommended changes will help T-Mobile attain job motivation in its workforce because it is critical to itssuccess. Experts like Maslow agree that self-actualization, ego, social, safety, and psychological factors contribute to employees’ wellbeing and their general job motivation (Lee & Raschke, 2016). Similarly, the four recommendations advocate for T-Mobile’s new culture of mutual reliance, teamwork, and collaboration among senior staff members and other employees. Moreover, the changes encourage a new culture of innovation at T-Mobile and foster adherence to company policies and rules. Notably, Lee and Raschke (2016) affirm that an excellentorganizational culture fosters bond among staff members, increase resource allocation, and ensures job security for its workforce (Lee & Raschke, 2016). Therefore, since the changes are employee-centered, they will result in job motivation.

Potential conflicts Resulting from the New Changes

​T-Mobile’s subordinates and managers may conflict. Lower-ranking employees may feel pushed or bullied by their seniors, who will be in charge of implementing the four recommended changes (Kiitam et al., 2016). Notably, senior management may set ambitious measures to implement the changes, and the subordinates may feel a lack of guidance from their superiors (Kiitam et al., 2016, p. 144). Nevertheless, the staff members may disagree during performance reviews due to a possibility of negative feedback during the review period(144). In this case, it will be prudent for T-Mobile to place protesting employees under the supervision of more understanding managers. It is possible that dissatisfied employees may transfer their frustrations to T-Mobile’s customers. 

​T-Mobile may experience conflict among its subordinate workers. Even though the recommendations aim to improve job satisfaction, not all workers may agree with them. Junior employees may conflict since they have diverse personal goalsand differing personalities (Kiitam et al., 2016, p. 144). In this regard, a toxic work environment may arise because individuals may strive for dominance in the new environment. Nonetheless, some factions of subordinates may not agree with the priorities set by the new reforms (144). While one group may want improved job predictability, others may prefer more job control and role clarity. Therefore, the recommended changes may cause a division among junior workforce staff due to individual workers’ personal preferences and priorities. 

​T-Mobile may witness a conflict among senior management. Lack of expected performance standards and proper communication among managers may hinder the transition. Besides, authoritarianism and interpersonal relations may cause a conflict because managers may disagree on the implementation plan (Kiitam et al., 2016). Nonetheless, the task of implementing the changes may overwhelm senior management and cause frustration (144). While the new changes may need immediate implementation, some individuals may have different priorities like fighting over departmental resources, pay rise, and disagreement over goals (Kiitam et al., 2016). However, the conflict may be defeated through accommodation, compromise, and collaboration. 

Change Implementation Plan

​Step 1: Make the Goals Measurable and Well-Defined

​T-Mobile must recognize the areas recommended for change and devise a tracking mechanism. According to Jones (2019), the management must understand why the change is necessary and identify the end goal to overcome any resistance to change (55). Experts also affirm that successful companies have measurement metrics, goals, and objectives that allow management to measure, modify, and tweak the changes through the implementation stage (Jones, 2019, p. 56). Notably, modification results from feedback and metrics to ensure the goals are achievable, sustainable, and successful in the long run. Therefore, defining an organization’s goals and having measurement metrics is critical. 

​Step 2: Initiate Teamwork

​Since T-Mobile has agreed to the recommendations and has one goal, it has to allow employee involvement and participation. Since it is every employee’s responsibility, the company’s workforce must participate throughout the implementation process to allow for smooth sustainability and implementation. In this regard, T-Mobile must identify experts from all its departments who will lead and support all the recommended changes to overcome potential resistance and conflicts. According to Jones (2019), team members may constitute stakeholders, subject matter experts, non-managers, leads, and managers (58). Teamwork constitutes a coalition that communicates the company’s vision, creates urgency, and removes obstacles. 

Step 3: Strengthen Communication

The different forms, ways, and frequency of communication are all critical. Employees and the management may have a breakdown in communication if they fail to interact (Jones, 2019, p. 60). Therefore, to successfully implement the four recommended changes, T-Mobile must have robust communication channels and enhance its workforcecommunication skills. All the levels of employees must show transparency by communicating their concerns via email and groups to build trust and foster stronger relationships (Jones, 2019, p. 61). For instance, the company’s workforce may use vertical communication between different levels and horizontal communication within the same level of management (61). Nevertheless, T-Mobile must strengthen its downward and upward communication to improve the success of the change implementation. 

Communication Plan

​Foremost, T-Mobile management must be prepared for resistance. The leadership ought to prepare for responses topotential objections. Therefore, Batti (2019) advises that transition to new organizational changes should happen gradually to bring all stakeholders aboard. Besides, all communications regarding the changes must flow both ways, and T-Mobile must be prepared to listen to feedback and act accordingly (Batti, 2019). In this regard, the transition’s communications must be tailored to the different levels of employee involvement and how they are affected by the new changes. Furthermore, Batti (2019) affirms that companies must use multiple channels like forums/slacks, newsletters, emails, presentations, and in-person meetings to communicate new changes. 

​In summation, T-Mobile must observe specific change issues for a successful transition. The company must consider all the report’s recommendations and take a keen look into the issues raised regarding employee motivation and complaints. In this regard, T-Mobile must increase job control, reduce job demand, increase role clarity, reduce role conflict, enhance leadership, and improve employees’ job predictability. Accordingly, the new changes will improve job motivation in wide aspects. For example, the recommended changes are all employee-centered, and they advocate for a new culture at the organization that fosters communication and togetherness. However, potential conflicts, such as disagreements between subordinates and managers may occur, but the company should be prepared for resistance and any potential conflicts. In this regard, experts have recommended different change implementation plans and a suitable communication plan. Overall, T-Mobile is well-positioned to achieve its goals and objectives if it successfully implements the suggested changes.

References

Batti, K. (2019). 7 Best Practices in Change Management Communication [Blog]. Retrieved 11 April 2021, from https://whatfix.com/blog/best-practices-change-management-communication/.

Fløvik, L., Knardahl, S., & Christensen, J. (2019). The effect of organizational changes on the psychosocial work environment: Changes in psychological and social working conditions following organizational changes. Frontiers in Psychology, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02845

Jones, J. (2019). Implementation Strategies for Change Initiatives (Ph.D). Walden University.

Kiitam, A., McLay, A., & Pilli, T. (2016). Managing conflict in organisational change. International Journal of Agile Systems and Management, 9(2), 114. https://doi.org/10.1504/ijasm.2016.078575

Lee, M., & Raschke, R. (2016). Understanding employee motivation and organizational performance: Arguments for a set-theoretic approach. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 1(3), 162-169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jik.2016.01.004

T-Mobile. (2020). TMobile Completes Merger with Sprint to Create the New TMobile | TMobile Newsroom. T-Mobile Newsroom. Retrieved 10 April 2021, from https://www.t-mobile.com/news/un-carrier/t-mobile-sprint-one-company.