The first-line manager’s role as a facilitator of change and regular work activities during radical organisational change: A social exchange

Radical organizational change (ROC) often has negative impacts on employees. The psychological contract between employee and employer is likely to be violated, resulting in a negative work climate. The negative impacts on employees puts pressure on first-line managers (FLMs) to achieve the required outcomes for change planned by senior managers. FLMs assume a central role because they are intermediaries between those initiating the change and those implementing it at the operational level. Furthermore, FLMs also need to ensure that a consistent standard of service is provided to external clients during the ROC. This means the FLMs are expected to manage the current operations as normal and at the same time facilitate the radical change requirements. As these circumstances of dual expectations suggest, the FLM needs considerable relational expertise.