Recommend An Appropriate Organizational Change At Desjardins

Recommend An Appropriate Organizational Change at Desjardins as of 2012

This assignment requires you to recommend an appropriate organizational change at Desjardins as of 2012. Based upon the case introduced in Week 1 Assignment 3, prepare a final paper discussing the following aspects:

Firstly, identify which of the six types of organizational development (OD) interventions, covered in W4A2 assignment, were undertaken at Desjardins between 2008 and 2012. For each intervention, analyze the aspects that contributed to its success and those that were less successful. Provide reasons supporting the success stories and suggest improvements for the less successful interventions.

Secondly, describe the organizational structure or process change activities conducted by Desjardins during this period. Analyze why these changes were necessary, specify what the changes entailed, explain how they were implemented, and evaluate their impact on the organization.

Next, develop a list of six strategic recommendations for Monique Leroux to enhance future change initiatives in 2012 and beyond. Additionally, identify three people-related issues that likely arose between 2008 and 2012. For each issue, propose two actionable recommendations aimed at mitigating negative outcomes and supporting employee well-being during change processes.

Assuming the role of an OD consultant hired in 2012, discuss how you would implement change using the nine-step process outlined by Anderson and Anderson, as described in the W4 online lectures. Develop a compelling vision statement for Desjardins as of 2012 and justify its feasibility.

Furthermore, address how you would guide the organization through the four steps of communicating change discussed in this week’s online lectures. Describe communication strategies that would facilitate successful change adoption. Lastly, outline measurement and evaluation tools to assess the effectiveness of the change efforts.

Maintain a formal yet engaging tone throughout your paper. Feel free to incorporate charts or graphics to support your analysis. Support your arguments with credible research, reasoning, and concrete examples. All sources must be cited using APA format.

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

In the rapidly evolving financial services sector of the early 21st century, organizations like Desjardins faced unprecedented challenges necessitating strategic organizational changes. Between 2008 and 2012, Desjardins embarked on several OD interventions and structural adjustments to remain competitive, agile, and responsive to its members' needs. This paper critically analyzes those changes, evaluates their effectiveness, and provides strategic recommendations for future initiatives, all grounded in organizational development principles and scholarly research.

OD Interventions at Desjardins (2008–2012)

The six types of OD interventions include survey feedback, team building, diagnostic activities, education and training, process consultation, and third-party interventions. At Desjardins, several were implemented during this period.

• Survey Feedback: This involved gathering member and employee feedback to identify areas for improvement. The success lay in its ability to surface key concerns, but less success was seen when feedback was not effectively integrated into organizational actions (Cummings & Worley, 2015).
• Team Building: Initiatives focused on enhancing teamwork within branches and departments. Success was achieved through improved collaboration, but some teams experienced resistance due to change fatigue (Burke, 2017).
• Diagnostic Activities: Conducted to identify systemic issues, these activities helped target areas needing development. Their success was evident where leadership actively responded; however, neglect in follow-up limited results (French & Bell, 2012).
• Education and Training: Focused on upskilling staff for new technology and customer service excellence. This intervention was largely successful, fostering staff competence (Heskett et al., 2013).
• Process Consultation: Engaged in streamlining operational processes; success was variable depending on employee buy-in. Less successful when change was imposed without adequate engagement (Schein, 2010).
• Third-party Interventions: External consultants were brought in for conflict management and strategic planning. These efforts showed success when tailored to organizational culture, but less so when not fully integrated (Golembiewski, 2012).

Organizational Structure and Process Change Activities

Between 2008 and 2012, Desjardins undertook several structural changes—most notably, the integration of digital banking platforms and the reorganization of regional branches. The motivation stemmed from the need to enhance operational efficiency, respond to digital transformation demands, and improve member service delivery (Desjardins, 2012).

The change process involved consolidating administrative functions, adopting new IT infrastructure, and redefining regional roles. These activities were executed through phased implementations, staff training, and stakeholder communication. The impacts included increased operational efficiency, improved member access, and greater flexibility in service provision (Kessler & Worley, 2005). However, some resistance and transitional confusion underscored the importance of effective change management.

Strategic Recommendations for Future Change

1. Enhance stakeholder engagement early and continuously to foster buy-in and reduce resistance.
2. Implement comprehensive change communication plans tailored to different employee groups.
3. Invest in ongoing training and development to sustain skill relevance in evolving environments.
4. Adopt flexible change management frameworks to adapt to unforeseen challenges.
5. Establish feedback loops for continuous learning and adjustment during change initiatives.
6. Strengthen leadership capacity to champion change and embed a culture of innovation.

People Issues and Mitigation Strategies

• Resistance to Change: Often rooted in fear or uncertainty, mitigated through transparent communication, participative decision-making, and providing support resources.
• Job Security Concerns: Addressed by offering retraining programs, career counseling, and clear explanation of organizational benefits.
• Workload Increase and Stress: Managed by pacing change implementation, providing stress management resources, and recognizing employee contributions.

Nine-Step Change Process by Anderson and Anderson

The nine-step process begins with creating a sense of urgency and establishing a guiding coalition. Subsequently, developing a compelling vision and aligning organizational systems are pivotal. Effective communication of the vision, empowering employees, generating short-term wins, consolidating gains, and anchoring new approaches in organizational culture complete the cycle (Anderson & Anderson, 2010).

Applying this framework, I would first assess the organizational readiness and define clear goals aligned with Desjardins’ strategic vision. Building a coalition of advocates across leadership levels ensures buy-in. Developing a vivid, compelling vision relevant to Desjardins’ mission, such as becoming a leader in member-centric financial services, is essential. The process involves transparent communication channels, continuous feedback, and recognizing milestones, which fosters engagement and sustains momentum.

Vision Statement and Its Viability

“Transforming Desjardins into the most trusted and innovative financial cooperative, empowering members and employees through sustainable growth, digital excellence, and inclusive services.”

This vision aligns with Desjardins’ core values of integrity, member focus, and innovation. Its viability hinges on aligning operational strategies and fostering a culture committed to continuous improvement and stakeholder engagement.

Communication and Measurement of Change

Effective communication involves multi-channel strategies—town halls, intranet updates, targeted training sessions, and feedback mechanisms—ensuring clarity, transparency, and participation (Kotter, 2012). Moving through the four steps—from creating awareness to reinforcing change—requires consistent messaging, active listening, celebrating successes, and adjusting approaches based on feedback.

Success measurement utilizes both quantitative and qualitative tools—employee surveys, performance metrics, customer satisfaction scores, and cultural assessments—to evaluate progress and impact. Regular review cycles and stakeholder involvement facilitate continuous improvement (Cameron & Green, 2015).

Conclusion

Desjardins’ strategic initiatives between 2008 and 2012 laid a foundation for future growth, yet also revealed challenges in change management. By applying structured OD interventions, engaging stakeholders, and adopting a comprehensive change process, the organization can further enhance its adaptability and member focus. Strategic recommendations, effective communication, and ongoing evaluation will be critical in sustaining successful transformations.

References

• Anderson, D., & Anderson, L. A. (2010). Beyond change management: How to achieve breakthrough results through paradigm shift. Pfeiffer.
• Burke, W. W. (2017). Organization development: A research-based approach to change. SAGE Publications.
• Cameron, E., & Green, M. (2015). Making sense of change management: A complete guide to the models, tools and techniques of organizational change. Kogan Page Publishers.
• Cummings, T., & Worley, C. G. (2015). Organization development and change. Cengage Learning.
• Desjardins. (2012). Annual Report 2012. Retrieved from https://www.desjardins.com
• French, W. L., & Bell, C. H. (2012). Organization development: Behavioral science interventions for organization improvement. Pearson.
• Golembiewski, R. T. (2012). Managing change in organizations. Jossey-Bass.
• Heskett, J. L., Sasser, W. E., & Schlesinger, L. (2013). The service profit chain: How leading companies link profit and growth to loyalty, satisfaction, and value. Free Press.
• Kessler, E. H., & Worley, C. G. (2005). Organizations: Behavior, structure, processes. Thomson/South-Western.
• Kotter, J. P. (2012). Leading change. Harvard Business Review Press.