Rethinking organizational change in the COVID-19 era

Abstract

Planned organizational change has a long history in formal organizations of all types. A model of planned organizational change from the existing literature can be used to identify a set of principles which can be offered for use during the current COVID-19 crisis, but this traditional model may not be fully adequate during this especially challenging period. A relatively new model from the field of complexity theory for organizations, Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS), offers promise for addressing the unique crisis conditions facing hospitals in the COVID-19 era. These conditions require constant assessment; ongoing high levels of communication; and iterative cycles of experimentation, reflection and learning, which can be better addressed in a CAS framework. Healthcare providers are experiencing periods of relative calm and interspersed crisis, which need to be proactively recognized and managed through sustained, “big picture” changes using timely combinations of traditional methods, complexity approaches, with the flexibility and ethical considerations of crisis management strategies built in. Successful crisis management requires leadership skills of those involved in decision-making at the local level, with a preference for the use of inclusive and adaptive leadership styles. Innovative strategies, teamwork, and crisis management models that have recently emerged may enable deeper systemic change in the long term. Any hospital or program in a healthcare system should be able to use this material to address a significant organizational change need.