Organizational Change Tools in Government Structures

Some of the most useful tools within the organizational change arsenal are not available (or their implementation is so complicated as to make it unfeasible) in State structures. Thus, staff dismissal, the tool to eliminate rebellion focus, is normally contraindicated. We can say that a rebellion focus is any pocket of resistance to change within the organization. Based on this, in general terms, the following tools are available instead:

1. Process automation: This tool is focused on studying those processes already running at the organzation, how support systems can be implemented, along with all the associated changes (legislation, internal regulations, personnel assignment, etc. ) to improve the efficiency of a process.
2. Internal promotion campaign: This tool must be initiated even before starting the change tasks themselves. It must be focused on convincing current staff that the paradigm in use is insufficient to face the new challenges.
3. Charismatic internal champions: Rebellion foci can be neutralized in many cases with internal change leaders (or champions) who raise the need to participate in the proposed change. In general, the best internal champions are those who were opponents in the past, since they are not only convinced of the change but also know the approaches of the opponents in detail.
4. Training under the new paradigm: A paradigmatic change does not happen from one day to the next and for many employees it is impossible to assimilate without external help, since this change implies an abandonment of the old practices. For them, the training tasks are necessary to help them move onto the new paradigm. This training must cover not only its most outstanding aspects (such as systems or legal framework) but also its motivations and reasons. In addition, it must be continuous in time.
5. Voluntary retirement: A common rebellion focus is given by those who are in their last years of professional life and do not wish to change the methodology under any circumstances since they assume that with it they also change who they are. For them, a departure may be a voluntary retirement scheme that encourages them to leave the organization.
6. Referral to a different area within the organization: If none of the above work, then a last-resort option is to move the problematic staff member to an area where he does not have to experience the full force of the organizational change, so that he does not feel the full impact.

This and other tools are available in the book Principios de Administración Tributaria published by Thomson Reuters - La Ley.