To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often. - Winston Churchill
Churchill was right. If we want to become better versions of ourselves then we must improve, and doing so requires change, both personally and professionally. This is a cliché but for good reason: markets, organisations, labour and entire industries have undergone seismic shifts in recent years. These pressures and changes are likely to continue through the near future.
A perennial problem for businesses is employee resistance to change. Since change is unavoidable in today’s fickle economy, leaders must carefully design and implement their change initiatives. A change resistance strategy must also be developed. Let's look at why and how.
Reasons for Resistance to Change in the Workplace
Why is change resistance a common problem? Blame it on human nature. People are wired to look for patterns that indicate predictability and routines. Change defies these and creates uncertainty, which can trigger discontent and anxiety.
Beyond the general fear of the unknown, those managing resistance to change in the workplace should also be aware of the following:
Lack of trust - this is often connected to the leader or the leadership team.
Loss of stature or security - employees worry that their role will be reduced or eliminated.
Fear of failure - there may be concerns about failure of the entire change plan or of the individual’s performance.
Too much change - there is too much change at once or there has been ongoing change for too long.
Poor communication - plans for change are sound, but were not clearly communicated to staff in a timely manner.
BUT, what if we told you it is not all gloomy, and there can also be glory? Let's look at how with these five strategies to minimise resistance to change.
5 Strategies to Minimise Resistance to Change
Minimise and potentially avoid change resistance by incorporating these five simple strategies into your transition plans:
1. Say What Is In It for Them
Start with outlining the purpose for the change and how meeting these goals will directly help the team. In other words, show what is in it for them. Your team is more likely to trust your leadership if you demonstrate a clear direction for the change initiative. Stating how it benefits staff illustrates that you are considering their perspective. And of course, employees will be more motivated to jump on board if they see the personal advantages. For example:
- If you want your team to attend a Time Management Training (like this one😉), ensure to tell them that after this training they will be able to free up their time, become better at following-up others and not lose track of tasks.
2. Involve the Executive Team
Employees naturally take cues on behaviours and company norms from executives. Your C-levels and upper management need to be engaged in communicating change initiatives and signalling their support of them. The executives do not have to be involved in implementing the program or managing resistance to change, but their actions should set the example of having faith in the transition.
3. Communicate Effectively
Clearly inform staff what the changes involve, how and when the roll out will be implemented, and what expectations there are of employees. Again, state the goals and how these will positively impact staff.
Be conscientious about when the information is divulged. In particular, waiting too long until the transition is about to launch does not give employees ample time to process the imminent adjustments. Consider your communication channels too. In many cases an all-staff meeting is the appropriate vehicle to first deliver the news. Rely on follow-up communications to constructively reinforce your points. This may be in the form of emails, a specified messaging channel and/or team meetings.
4. Make It About Individuals
Account for the human impact of organisational adjustments. Failing to do so is a major reason for resistance to change.
Consider one-on-one meetings between team members and their direct supervisors to assess employee adaptation or surveys even. Encourage forthright conversations and a method for tracking employee progress. Managers should offer guidance and resources to their reports. Training and upskilling programs that fill in skills gaps and assuage hesitant workers will be part of a smart change strategy.
5. Anticipate Cultural Shifts
There are many types of change initiatives, with the two broadest categories being technical (or operational) and social. Often these go hand-in-hand. In particular, operational changes frequently inspire cultural adjustments.
Managing resistance to change means anticipating cultural shifts that arise from technical transformations. Clearly, any variations to the organisation’s social order should be directed towards positive outcomes, such as improved manager-team communications or enhanced employee education programs. See the opportunities in budding cultural changes and seize them!
Managing Resistance Change
Despite your best efforts, some intransigent employees may fight the changes coming their way. Resistance to change manifests in overt behaviours, such as increased resignations or reduced production, or subtler forms, like an uptick in employee complaints or staff languor. A smart leader managing resistance to change is sensitive to these clues and swiftly intervenes. After resistance to change has been identified, the next step is to find out why. Speak with employees to learn their concerns. If there is poor awareness about the full implications of the initiative, consider other communication strategies to support employee understanding and acceptance of the changes.
Besides taking employee concerns at face value, dig a little deeper. You may discover underlying operational or cultural dysfunctions contributing to employee unease. For example, a team may be in the habit of taking directives verbatim from managers or company headquarters. The new operational changes, on the other hand, require that the team follow the spirit rather than the letter of instructions. Here the team needs a cultural adjustment that inspires them to interpret managerial guidance and implement it in their own ways.
In short, managing resistance to change means being a hands-on leader who appreciates the human impact that change initiatives have on employees, and collaborates closely with people to ensure they adopt and comfortably adjust to the changes.
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Priority Management is a worldwide training company with 55 offices in 15 countries. We have successfully trained more than two million graduates in Priority workshops. Our programs help companies and people be more effective and manage their workflow in and out of the office by providing tools, processes and discipline. Simply put - A Better Way To Work! Clients range from Fortune 500 companies, small-to-medium businesses and government/military employees.
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This blog has been sourced by Priority Management International and edited by Priority Management London.
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