Change management and employee performance at Central University, Ghana

Abstract

This study sought to understand organisational change management at Central University. The specific objectives were; to determine the drivers of change at the Central University; to determine the nature of resistance to change at the Central University; assess the impact of organisational change on employee performance; and lastly to assess strategies adopted to manage change at Central University The study was purely survey which adopted a quantitative methodology. The design of the study was descriptive, with a sample of 186 of which 149 responded representing 80.12%. The study adopted a simple random technique. The most important driver of change at CU is advances in technology followed by competition. The results of the study also pointed out that, the most common reason for resistance to change is lack of communicating change and absence of employee participation in implementing change. The results indicated that organisational change has a positive influence on employee performance. On the final objective, the results showed that the most commonly adopted strategy to manage the implementation of change at Central University is communication, followed by clear definition of the need for change. The study recommends that the management of CU should be sensitive to the different forms in which resistance can be expressed and manage employees’ perception of the impact of change. Management of the University should clearly define the vision of change, set the right scope and incorporate it into the objective.