Information, kommunikation och motivation i förändringsarbete : En studie inom Distriktsveterinärerna

Society is going through fast changes and organizations faces new challenges (Jacobsen & Thorsvik, 2002). In order to survive an organization needs to adjust towards the altering envi-ronment (Berggren et al., 2003). Kotter (1998) states that a successful change should be imple-mented step by step and driven by a high qualified leadership. Sometimes the vision disappears in the vast amounts of information that an organization communicates to its employees. The amount of information flow existing in our society is expansive and this can lead to informa-tion overload. (Heide et al., 2005). According to this fact, the existence of a well implemented communication plan is important (Erikson, 2002). The main objective of this report is to recover information and communication in a geographi-cally spread knowledge intensive organization planning for a big change. The intention is as well to find out how the employees can be motivated to develop the change; the report will also provide data that may serve as a basis for a communication plan. The purpose has been delimited and applied on Distriktsveterinärerna since a bigger change will take place in the or-ganization. A variety of methods have been used, among others interviews and data of subordinated im-portance. In order to gather opinions regarding the change, telephone interviews were con-ducted. Since the report is interdisciplinary different parts are discussed, for example informa-tion, communication and change. Distriktsveterinärerna is a knowledge intensive organization and the catch words ”Competence, commitment and availability” points at this fact and so does the comparison with the theory. It is difficult to tell if the employees are positive to the change when analyzing the interviews, but the resistance does not seem to be widespread. It seems like many of the employee posses’ shallow knowledge regarding the change but few can explain the motives. It is vital to inform the employees about the consequences. Some of the employees are anxious not to receive in-formation in time. Distriktsveterinärerna can with assistance from a well planned and effective communication plan manage to communicate the change in time. This can be done by follow-ing seven principles recommended by Kotter (1998). Distriktsveterinärerna should develop a detailed communication plan created in direction of specific target groups and their needs. Calling all employees a target group is not to be recom-mended since they will be affected in different ways during the change. By dividing them into smaller groups the communication can be better adapted, with respect to message and informa-tion channel