ORGANIZATIONAL
CHANGE & STRESS
Megan Mahoney
Industrial and Organizational
Psychology, The Chicago
School
IO 510 Organizational Behavior
Dr. Brigit Olsen
April 13, 2025
UNIT 11 CONCEPTS EXPLORED
• Appreciative Inquiry
• The compressed workweek
• Social trends and world politics as
forces for change in the workplace
Appreciative Inquiry
WHY I CHOSE THIS MODEL
I was interested in learning more
about the approach to organizational
change highlighted by Robbins &
Judge (2016) that focuses on what’s
working instead of what’s broken. A
lot is breaking around us right now
and it’s easy to feel hopeless; I
wanted to explore a framework that
might help us (me) regain a positive
orientation toward the future.
Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is also
reminiscent of the strengths-based
approach in Social Work, which is a
principle that drew me into the field.
It focuses on a person’s assets
instead of their deficits, building on
their abilities and tapping into their
resilience to heal and thrive (Caiels
et al., 2024). AI felt like a similar
principle applied at the
organizational level.
WHAT IS APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY
(AI)?
• Organizational development (OD) approach that engages people at all levels of an
organization to create positive change by identifying and building on strengths versus
focusing on fixing problems (Cooperrider et al., 2008)
• Predicated on the idea that there is always something an organization is doing right
• Follows the 4-D Cycle, working to build energy toward a collective future vision based
on elements of the positive core (e.g., values, capabilities, past successes)
• Both visionary and practical
• Can be used on its own as a tool for change or in combination with other OD activities
(e.g., strategic planning, coaching, mergers and acquisitions, team building)
• Developed by David Cooperrider and Suresh Srivastva in 1987
“
…Arguably, there
has been no
innovation in the
social technology of
organization
development since
appreciative inquiry
originated in 1987.
(Burke, 2010)
”
Phase
DISCOVERY
DREAM
DESIGN
DESTINY
Inquiry
What gives
life?
What might
be?
How can it
be?
What will be?
Goal
Identify and
understand
strengths
Facilitate
dialogue and
start crafting a
future vision
Define
structure for
vision to come
to life
Implement
provocative
propositions
Grounded
observation
and
appreciation
for what is
Sustaining
Challenging
through
the status quo; Collaboratively empowerment
envisioning
constructing
, learning,
the world as it
the ideal
adjustment,
could be
and
improvisation
Interviews,
storytelling
Draft
provocative
propositions
(i.e., design
statements)
Objective
THE 4-D CYCLE
Steps to identify the
positive core and move
toward a consciously
constructed,
collaboratively
developed vision
(Cooperrider et al.,
2008)
Sample
Activities
Interviews,
meetings,
summits,
workshops
Action
planning,
decisionmaking,
communities
of practice
CASE APPLICATION
SITUATION
East Carrole Parish
Head Start Program,
Louisiana
• Population decline
• Depressed
community
• Program lost
federal funding
• Low morale,
resentment among
30-member staff
(Cooperrider et al., 2008)
TASK
ACTION
RESULT
Community Development
Institute (CDI) stepped in
to enhance program
operations and restore
program reputation
CDI and staff took AI
approach following
eight months of failed
traditional OD efforts
Staff re-energized, felt sense of shared
ownership and commitment
Goals:
• Quality services
• Fiscal integrity
• New partnerships
• Teachers applied AI approach
following a parent complaint to explore
how they wanted to welcome children,
Staff Workshops:
parents and others to their classrooms
• Best memories
• Hopes for the future • Mental health consultant reported
positive changes in interactions and
Skill-building:
child outcomes
• Communications
• Teachers proactively sought
• Meeting facilitation
professional development
• Teamwork
• Raised money from community to
• Facilities
restore old equipment and play area
• Program operations • Site manager partnered with mayor to
revitalize the town using AI
RECOMMENDED RESOURCE
Essential
Elements
Step-by-Step
Instructions
Introducing,
Defining &
Planning an AI
Initiative
Sample
Interview Guides,
Activities &
Worksheets
Case
Applications
I highly recommend checking
out the very practical and
comprehensive Appreciative
Inquiry Handbook
(Cooperrider et al., 2008) to
anyone interested in learning
more about or utilizing the AI
model.
The Compressed
Workweek
WHY I CHOSE THIS CONCEPT
The compressed workweek that Daft &
Noe (2001) touch on as a strategy to
combat employee stress has been of
interest to me since the COVID-19
pandemic.
Work takes up an outsized portion of our
lives. It’s half of the so-called “work-life
balance” equation, but there are many
dimensions that require constant
balancing beyond work. With such limited
time on earth, shouldn’t we have more
control over how we spend it?
For the compressed workweek, or other
versions of the four-day workweek, to be
adopted, there must be a business case.
So, what is it, and how can it be
successfully implemented?
(own work)
WHAT IS THE
COMPRESSED WORKWEEK?
Not to be confused with another version of the four-day
model (the 32-hour workweek), the compressed workweek
(CWW) spreads the same number of full-time hours across
four days instead of the traditional five (Wadsworth & Facer,
2016).
According to Hamermesh & Biddle (2025):
Also known as
the 4/10s
CWW workers
have
quintupled
since 1973.
Workers with
children under five
are 10% more likely
to work a
compressed
schedule.
POTENTIAL BENEFITS
Offering a compressed schedule is a powerful
recruitment and retention tool that can also:
Increase
Decrease
• Productivity
• Morale
• Sleep and quality of life
• “Work-life balance”
• Job satisfaction
• Customer Service
• Organizational Commitment
• Turnover
• Absenteeism
• Commuting costs
• Energy costs
• Childcare costs
• Anxiety and stress
POTENTIAL
DRAWBACKS
Scheduling difficulty—
especially for primary
caregivers
Decreased productivity
and energy levels in
some cases due to
longer workdays
(Wadsworth & Facer, 2016)
IMPLEMENTATION CONSIDERATIONS
(Munyon et. al., 2023)
Coverage
Equity
Staffing level must be adequate
to conduct business operations.
When all work groups cannot
benefit equally from the
compressed workweek,
organizations should
communicate transparently and
provide equitable alternatives.
Interdependence
Staff must have access to
colleagues who may rely on
them to complete their work.
Workload
Employees already stressed will
not get relief by compressing the
same amount of work into a
shorter work week.
Increased anger or frustration is
a possibility in this case.
Metrics
Key performance indicators
should be used to measure
impact.
Adhere to state overtime wages
and collective bargaining
agreements that may restrict
schedule flexibility.
• Objective outputs (e.g.,
accounts secured, sales
dollars, number of pieces
produced)
• Attitudinal outputs (e.g., staff
engagement)
• Behavioral outputs (e.g.,
absenteeism, turnover
Proactive Communication
Pilot Testing
Leaders should share potential
changes in advance to mitigate
surprise and resistance.
Use data to adapt components
that will lead to maximized
success.
Legal
CASE APPLICATION
(Munyon et. al., 2023)
SITUATION
TASK
ACTION
RESULT
Big Brothers Big
Sisters (BBBS) of East
Tennessee
Assess and select
new flexible work
model(s) to pilot
Pilot and implement
compressed workweek
• 60% of staff adopted compressed
work schedule
• 100% adopted some form of the
flexible, hybrid workweek model
• Flexible work
accommodations
historically a priority
to offset low
nonprofit pay
• Remote work during
COVID-19
transitioned to
hybrid successfully
• Opportunity to
increase flexible
work environment
further
• Agency leadership
explored:
-Hybrid
-Remote
-Flexible
-Compressed
workweek
• Staff could opt-in; choose
to take off Monday or
Friday
• Everyone provided with
copy of upcoming
schedule so they’d know
when other staff would be
available
• Key performance
• Collected
indicators tracked via
anecdotal data and
confidential questionnaire
reviewed research
• Those who opted in had positive
experience, citing more time for
self-care and better productivity
• Staff who had primary caregiving
responsibilities said the schedule
conflicted with their non-work
commitments
• Affiliate BBBS locations now
implementing compressed
workweeks as well
Social Trends and World
Politics as Forces For
Change
WHY I CHOSE THIS CONCEPT
We’re living in a time of major social change and political
upheaval, and the impact on companies is making headlines
daily. The Executive Order seeking to dismantle DEI
initiatives in the private sector is a particularly high stakes
test of organizational values.
Robbins & Judge (2016) highlight social trends and world
politics as forces for change in the workplace. I wanted to
explore this further using our current social and political
context to understand what motivates organizational change
and what frameworks are available to help leaders decide
whether and how to respond to public pressure.
SOCIAL MOVEMENT ACTIVISM
Social Movement Theory: The nature of the social world is
contentious. Outsider groups challenge institutions to create
institutional, political, and social changes (Mombeuil et al., 2024).
• Belief that corporations have a responsibility to the societies and
communities in which they operate
• Aimed at holding bad actors accountable and forcing change
• Pressure is applied through:
- Collective legal action
- Boycotts
- Protests
- Demonstrations
- Media and public relations campaigns
TWO TYPES OF ACTIVISTS
Insiders
• Employees and people with
knowledge of the organization
and some type of dependence
on it
• More likely to avoid disruptive
tactics due to fear of retaliation
Outsiders
• People outside the
organization with no
dependence on it
• Use of disruptive tactics may
pose a greater threat but may
also be less effective due to
lack of insider knowledge
In a social movement,
these groups
sometimes work
together to maximize
their power.
(King & Carberry, 2020)
“POLITICAL OPPORTUNITY STRUCTURE”
Two types of structural shifts that create openness to organizational change:
Sudden change to
norms and habits
Instability of highly
central institutions
(e.g., the government)
(King & Carberry, 2020)
THREE PRACTICAL TOOLS FOR LEADERS
1
Taxonomy of Leadership Reponses
Six commonly observed reactions to employee activism
NONEXISTENT
SUPPRESSION
FACADISM
DEFENSIVE
ENGAGEMENT
DIALOGIC
ENGAGEMENT
STIMULATING
ACTIVISM
“Activism? What
activism?”
“Expel it before
it spreads.”
“Let’s just say
the right thing.”
“Do what the
lawyers say we
have to.”
“Let’s sit down,
listen, and
learn.”
“Let’s be the
activist!”
Leader silences
voices; makes
threats
Leader says
words followed
by no
meaningful
action
Leader does the
bare minimum
based on legal
requirements
Leader
approaches with
curiosity; shares
decision-making
power
Leader takes a
public stand;
recruits,
rewards, and
retains activists
Leader is
oblivious and
does nothing
Note that leaders often perceive their response differently than others do—overestimating
their approachability, listening skills, and employee feelings of safety to express their
views.
(Reitz & Higgins, 2024)
THREE PRACTICAL TOOLS FOR LEADERS
2
ACT IF Framework
Five factors to consider with stakeholders to influence when to do or say something
A - Authority
-How much authority,
power, or status does
the organization have
compared to other
stakeholders?
-How do we wish to
use the authority we
have?
(Reitz & Higgins, 2024)
C - Concern
-Are we concerned about this issue?
-Do we know how much stakeholders care about
this issue?
T – Theory of Change
-Do we feel we can make a difference?
-Do we feel we can resist change in the outside
world, or do we see how we participate in and are
influenced by it?
-What role do we believe we can play in influencing
change?
I - Identity
-Do we consider ourselves
to be activists?
-What do we stand for?
F - Field
What is happening
internally/externally that
impacts the action we feel
we should take (e.g., is this
in the news, are
competitors acting)?
THREE PRACTICAL TOOLS FOR LEADERS
3
Permission to Pause
Four recommendations from leaders with hindsight reflections on how to pay closer
attention to what’s happening in the world and what your employees care about
Identify your biases, assumptions, and emotions about the
issue and the employees raising it.
Engage employees with genuine curiosity. Be prepared to
let go of long-held ideas and share decision making.
Accept that you don’t know how your employees feel
about some issues.
Make sure corporate identity, purpose, and activist
intentions are documented in your strategic plan.
(Reitz & Higgins, 2024)
REFERENCES
Burke, W. W. (2010). A Perspective on the Field of Organization Development and Change: The Zeigarnik Effect. The
Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 47(2), 143-167. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021886310388161
Caiels, J., Silarova, B., Milne, A. J., & Beadle-Brown, J. (2024). Strengths-based Approaches—Perspectives from
Practitioners. The British Journal of Social Work, 54(1), 168–188. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcad186
Chung, H. (2022). A Social Policy Case for a Four-Day Week. Journal of Social Policy, 51(3), 551–566.
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047279422000186
Cooperrider, D. L., Whitney, D. K., & Stavros, J. M. (2008). Appreciative inquiry handbook: for leaders of change (2nd
ed.). Crown Custom Publishing, Inc.
Daft, R. L. & Noe, R. A. (2001). Stress and stress management. Organizational behavior (pp. 481 -505). Fort Worth:
Harcourt College Publishers.
Hamermesh, D. S., & Biddle, J. E. (2025). Days of Work over a Half Century: The Rise of the Four -Day Workweek. ILR
Review, 78(1), 37–61. https://doi.org/10.1177/00197939231209965
King, B. G., & Carberry, E. J. (2020). Movements, Societal Crisis, and Organizational Theory. Journal of Management
Studies, 57(8), 1741–1745. https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.12624
Mombeuil, C., Diunugala, H. P., & Saint Fleur, W. (2024). Social movement activism, institutional pressures, corporate
social responsibility, and corporate hypocrisy: Mapping the direct and indirect effects. Journal of Marketing
Communications, 30(6), 681–701. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527266.2023.2166567
REFERENCES
Munyon, T. P., LeClaire, C., Pace, L., & Boldin, T. (2023). What makes a compressed workweek
successful? Organizational Dynamics, 52(2), 100982-. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2023.100982
Reitz, M. & Higgins, J. (2024, February 6). A leader’s guide to navigating employee activism. Harvard Business Review.
https://hbr.org/2024/02/a-leaders-guide-to-navigating-employee-activism
Robbins, S. P. & Judge, T. A. (2022). Essentials of Organizational Behavior (15th ed.).
Wadsworth, L. L., & Facer, R. L. (2016). Work–Family Balance and Alternative Work Schedules: Exploring the Impact of
4-Day Workweeks on State Employees. Public Personnel Management, 45(4), 382–404.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0091026016678856