Leadership role and employee acceptance of change

Abstract

Purpose -The change management literature on strategy implementation identifies different dimensions of resistance to change. The contrary viewthat of dimensions of acceptance of change when implementing strategyhas received less attention. The purpose of this paper is to explore the implementation of environmental sustainability strategies by Nordic insurers, the role of leadership in implementing these changes, and employee acceptance of change. Design/methodology/approach -For achieving this purpose, this paper reports on an explanatory case study of Nordic non-life insurers, where interviews with insurance executives and specialists were the primary source of data. Findings -The authors have developed simple strategy maps, focusing on insurers' own operations, product offerings, loss prevention and claims settlements, investments and influence on stakeholders, to show how common elements of environmental strategies are implemented within the insurance industry. The importance of leadership in organizational change is evident in the data, as well as in employees' positive attitudes towards implementation of environmental sustainability strategies. Originality/value -The scientific contribution of this paper is the empirical mapping of a hitherto unexplored area of the implementation of environmental sustainability strategies within the Nordic insurance industry, highlighting the leadership role in implementing environmental sustainability strategies and the elements shaping employee acceptance of change when implementing environmental sustainability strategies.

Drivers of sustainability practices and contributions to sustainable development evident in sustainability reports of European mining companies

“…Research from Tost et al [26] states that none of the analyzed large mining companies support strong sustainability in their reports, especially lacking climate change and natural capital considerations [26]. To address social sustainability, companies must include positive social factors such as good employment opportunities, good working conditions, learning opportunities, gender equality, and diversity of cultural expressions [27,28].…”

Acceptance of Change Behaviour among Middle Managers: The Importance of Subjective Norms and Social Influence as Environmental Predictors

“…On the contrary, if the employees are openly expressive but passive, the will recognize and accept the proposed changes. Accordingly, concealed and active support means employees will give full cooperation, but concealed and passive support means they are adhere to the changes made (Johannsdottir, Olafsson, & Davidsdottir, 2015).…”

Us and Them – First-line Management and Change Resistance

“…This suggests that managers have a role in translating and legitimatizing ideas as well as enrolling and aligning employees to partake in change. To aid recipients' satisfaction with and acceptance of change, managers must align recipients' values with those of the organization, such as promoting ethics, pride, meaningful work, involvement, and making a difference (Johannsdottir et al 2015;Lozano 2013). Getting managers and employees in to embrace the change process is an important prerequisite for success (Johannsdottir et al 2015;Lozano 2013).…”

“…Other ways of counteracting resistance may include setting the course, establishing a sense of urgency, acting as a role model, sharing a vision, providing necessary resources, empowering recipients, and demonstrating a wholehearted commitment to the change (Johannsdottir et al 2015). All of these techniques require the manager to understand the recipients' points of view and to communicate effectively with them regarding the required change.…”