Introduction
This essay explores the application of change management principles to evaluate and propose more effective interventions for British Airways (BA), a prominent UK-based airline that has faced significant challenges over the years. From an industrial and organizational psychology perspective, change management is critical in ensuring that organizational transitions are smooth, sustainable, and supportive of employee well-being while achieving strategic goals. BA has undergone various transformations, including cost-cutting measures, digital transformations, and responses to crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. However, some interventions have faced resistance or limited success due to poor planning or execution. This essay critically examines what could have been done differently to enhance the effectiveness of these interventions using established change management models like Lewin’s Change Management Model and Kotter’s 8-Step Process. The discussion will focus on the importance of communication, stakeholder engagement, and cultural alignment, supported by academic evidence and relevant examples.
Context of British Airways’ Challenges and Interventions
British Airways, as one of the UK’s largest airlines, has encountered numerous challenges necessitating change interventions. For instance, in the early 2010s, BA faced financial pressures due to economic downturns and competition from low-cost carriers, prompting cost-cutting measures and workforce reductions. Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the airline had to adapt rapidly to travel restrictions, implementing furloughs and restructuring operations (BBC News, 2020). While these interventions were necessary, they often met with employee resistance and public criticism, highlighting flaws in their implementation. Industrial and organizational psychology emphasizes that successful change requires more than structural adjustments; it demands attention to human factors such as morale, trust, and motivation. Without a robust change management approach, even well-intentioned interventions risk failure, as evidenced by BA’s struggles with strike actions by cabin crew over pay disputes in the late 2010s.
Applying Lewin’s Change Management Model
One foundational framework for understanding change is Lewin’s Change Management Model, which comprises three stages: Unfreeze, Change, and Refreeze (Lewin, 1947). Applying this to BA, the ‘Unfreeze’ stage involves preparing the organization for change by identifying the need for transformation and communicating it effectively. Arguably, BA has often failed to adequately prepare employees for change. For example, during workforce reductions, the rationale for cuts was not always transparent, leading to distrust. A more effective approach would have involved clearer communication about the financial pressures and competitive landscape, coupled with empathetic dialogue to address employee concerns. This could have reduced resistance and fostered a shared understanding of the need for change.
In the ‘Change’ stage, BA could have benefited from involving employees in designing and implementing interventions. Research suggests that participatory approaches increase commitment to change (Armenakis and Bedeian, 1999). For instance, rather than imposing top-down restructurings, BA might have established task forces including union representatives to co-create solutions. Finally, in the ‘Refreeze’ stage, embedding new practices into the organizational culture is crucial. BA’s interventions often lacked sustained reinforcement through training or policy updates, risking a reversion to old behaviors. A more systematic effort to institutionalize changes—such as integrating digital tools post-COVID with ongoing support—would likely have enhanced long-term success.
Leveraging Kotter’s 8-Step Process for Strategic Change
Kotter’s 8-Step Process offers another lens to critically assess BA’s interventions (Kotter, 1996). The first step, creating a sense of urgency, was sometimes missing in BA’s approach. During the pandemic, while the crisis naturally created urgency, the airline did not always articulate how immediate action would secure its future, leaving employees feeling alienated rather than motivated. A stronger narrative linking individual roles to organizational survival could have galvanized support. Furthermore, Kotter emphasizes building a guiding coalition. At BA, leadership often appeared detached from frontline staff during change initiatives, evident in public disputes with unions. Establishing a coalition of diverse stakeholders, including employee representatives, could have ensured more inclusive decision-making and mitigated conflicts.
Another key step is developing and communicating a clear vision. While BA often had strategic goals (e.g., becoming more cost-competitive), these were not always translated into relatable terms for employees. As Hayes (2018) notes, effective communication during change must be consistent and tailored to different audiences. BA could have invested in regular town hall meetings or digital platforms to clarify how changes aligned with the company’s long-term vision of customer excellence. Moreover, Kotter’s step of empowering broad-based action suggests removing barriers to change. At BA, bureaucratic resistance and cultural inertia often slowed interventions. Leadership should have actively addressed these by streamlining approval processes or incentivizing innovation among teams.
Cultural Alignment and Employee Engagement
From an organizational psychology perspective, cultural alignment is pivotal in change management. BA’s corporate culture, historically rooted in tradition and hierarchy, has at times clashed with the agility required for modern interventions. Schein (2010) argues that culture shapes how change is perceived and adopted. To make interventions more effective, BA should have prioritized cultural audits to identify values or norms resistant to change. For example, during digital transformations, older employees might have felt overwhelmed by new technologies. Targeted training programs, mentorship, and celebrating small wins could have bridged cultural gaps and built confidence in new systems.
Employee engagement is equally critical. Research by Saks (2006) highlights that engaged employees are more likely to embrace change. BA’s cost-cutting measures, often involving layoffs, eroded engagement by fostering insecurity. A more balanced approach—such as offering voluntary redundancies, redeployment opportunities, or mental health support—could have preserved morale. Indeed, demonstrating care for employees’ well-being during turbulent times would likely have strengthened loyalty and reduced resistance to other interventions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, British Airways’ change interventions could have been significantly more effective by applying key change management principles from industrial and organizational psychology. Using Lewin’s model, greater emphasis on unfreezing through transparent communication and refreezing via sustained reinforcement would have minimized resistance and embedded new practices. Kotter’s framework further reveals the need for urgency, coalition-building, and a clear vision to inspire collective action. Additionally, aligning interventions with organizational culture and prioritizing employee engagement could have addressed human factors critical to success. These insights suggest that while BA’s strategic goals were often sound, execution flaws undermined outcomes. The implications for practice are clear: airlines, and indeed any organization, must integrate psychological principles into change initiatives to balance economic imperatives with employee needs. Future research might explore how cultural nuances specific to the aviation sector influence the applicability of these models, ensuring that interventions are both theoretically robust and contextually relevant.
References
- Armenakis, A.A. and Bedeian, A.G. (1999) Organizational change: A review of theory and research in the 1990s. Journal of Management, 25(3), pp.293-315.
- BBC News (2020) British Airways to cut up to 12,000 jobs as air travel collapses. BBC News, 28 April.
- Hayes, J. (2018) The Theory and Practice of Change Management. 5th ed. Palgrave Macmillan.
- Kotter, J.P. (1996) Leading Change. Harvard Business Review Press.
- Lewin, K. (1947) Frontiers in group dynamics: Concept, method and reality in social science; social equilibria and social change. Human Relations, 1(1), pp.5-41.
- Saks, A.M. (2006) Antecedents and consequences of employee engagement. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 21(7), pp.600-619.
- Schein, E.H. (2010) Organizational Culture and Leadership. 4th ed. Jossey-Bass.
