Impact of Change Management on Employee Behaviour, Attitudes and Perceptions in the Public Sector

Abstract

This paper analyses the impact of change management on employee behaviour, attitudes and perceptions in the public service with reference to the National School of Government (NSG). Change management is a concept which denotes how businesses manage the people side of change, and if they are successful at doing so. Management of change is contingent upon the people involved, the type of business conducted, and lastly the actual action of the change taking place. Regardless of the sector, size, or age of the business or corporate entity, change is a common all-embracing phenomenon and impacts all organizations. Guided by Kotter's research on change management models, the research questions examined the behaviour, attitudes and perceptions of employees within the organisation. Empirical research was conducted on a research sample of 209 employees within the National School of Government. A survey was administered to all employees. In addition to the analyses of the impact of change management on employees, the paper further explores best practices and makes recommendations for future study.