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Big organizational changes can affect the everyday lives of your employees and the work they do for you. Whether it’s leadership changes, restructurings or mergers, they will undoubtedly bring a feeling of unrest to your employees. If you’re planning any major changes, it’s essential to follow these steps. Otherwise, it could be detrimental to your company.
When employees don’t understand why the changes are happening, it can create a divide and can even result in resistance or push back. You can’t assume that your employees understand the reason behind any changes you plan to make, so you need to take some time to explain them and why they are important. According to McKinsey, employees’ resistance to change is a leading factor for why so many change transformations fail.
You can’t just tell your employees what’s happening once and be done with it; change is a far bigger job than that, and it’s essential to keep your employees informed at every step of the way. Studies have found that continual communication is a leading factor in a transformation’s success, so make sure that you are always clear and consistent. For example, if you are moving office, you have to consider how relocating impacts your employees, and let them know good or bad. According to mybekins.com, it’s highly recommended to keep your employees up to date with any changes that will directly (or indirectly) affect them, such as lack of parking, longer commute times, a smaller kitchen, having to update their access cards, etc. Remember, though, that you won’t have all the answers, and that’s okay, but always remember to reiterate what’s in it for your employees too.
What most employees actually object to is not change, but being changed. So make sure you give them notice of what’s going to happen because the sooner you involve your employees in the process, the better off you will be implementing the change. A formal communication channel is more effective at implementing change than a negative, informal one, which you’ll get if you don’t do this with the likes of gossip and rumours.
Your employees must know that your door is always open and that they can talk to you about any feelings or concerns they have about the impending change. You don’t just you’re your employees to understand the change, but you need to know how your employees are feeling regarding the change. It is only when you properly understand their feelings that you know what issues need to be addressed.
Your attitude will be a significant factor in determining what the environment is like in the office. Your attitude every day in the office is something that keeps you in control, and while change can be stressful and confusing, try to remain upbeat, positive, and enthusiastic. During times of transition and change, try to compensate your employees for their extra effort and tell them what a great job they are doing.
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