Change is an inevitable part of the business world. Companies must continually adapt to the conditions around them if they want to stay ahead. Unfortunately, many people find comfort in routine. They relish the status quo and view any change — even a positive one — with uneasiness or fear.
As leaders, we must help our employees not only deal with change, but learn to embrace it. When the change involves making tough decisions like cutting staff or decreasing budgets, accomplishing this goal can become even more difficult. But whatever the change — whether positive or negative — there are some ways you can make the transition go more smoothly for everyone involved:
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Acknowledge and understand your employees’ fears. Any change can bring with it fear, particularly fear of the unknown. With layoffs, those remaining may fear losing their jobs, too. Acknowledging those fears and reassuring your staff that they are important to you should help a bit. But even a promotion, which on the surface seems like an extremely positive change, can bring fear. The promoted employee may worry about failing or becoming over-whelmed by the new responsibilities. In those cases, assure the person that you believe in her and that you will be there to help her make a smooth transition into her new duties.
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Keep everyone informed. When change occurs, make sure your staff hears about the change from you — not through the office grapevine. Be open and honest about the change and your reasons for making it. Don’t try to gloss things over or oversell the benefits of the change. Both will hurt your credibility and only increase resistance and fear. Encourage questions from your staff, and let them know how things are going throughout the process.
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Give affected people an active role in implementing the change whenever possible. If you’re planning to make a change that affects a particular employee or team, try to give that person or group a say in how the change will happen. This may not always be possible, but when it is, it will give your staff a sense of ownership and control over the situation, helping to ease some of their fears and replace them with excitement for the change.
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Remain visible and accessible. Check in with staff members affected by change frequently to see how things are going. Offer encouragement, answer questions, and let them know you are proud of the accomplishments they are making.
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Give people time to adjust. Change, both positive and negative, affects different people in different ways. Some people need time to let go of the old ways (even grieve for them) before they can come to terms with the change and move on. Give your employees time to work through this adjusting process.
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