ROLE OF UNFREEZING PRACTICES IN ENHANCING EMPLOYEE RETENTION DURING ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE

Abstract

In today’s ever-changing business environment, change in organizations has become unavoidable due to various reasons such as technology, increased competition, and changes in business strategies. However, one of the most common problems that organizations face during change is how to retain their human resources. Change is likely to bring a sense of uncertainty and insecurity among the employees of the organization. Therefore, for change management to be fully effective, it is not only important to bring changes in the business processes of the organization but also to prepare the employees of the organization psychologically before the change takes place. The main objective of this research is to examine the impact of the application of unfreezing practices in employee retention during change in organizations, using the change management model proposed by Kurt Lewin. The change management model proposed by Kurt Lewin consists of three steps: unfreezing, changing, and refreezing. The main focus of the present research is to examine the impact of the application of the unfreezing step of the change management model proposed by Kurt Lewin on employee retention during change in organizations. The results of this study are expected to make a valuable contribution to both academic literature and management practice by underscoring the need to prepare for change at an early stage. Organizations will be able to benefit from this study by developing effective HR interventions that will create a climate of employee preparedness, minimize resistance to change, and boost retention during periods of change. The study results underscore that effective change management in organizations is not only about implementing changes to structure or technology, but also involves managing employee perceptions, motivation, and preparedness to achieve sustainable organizational effectiveness.