Change. Some people love it; others despise it. Change in the workplace is inevitable. Let’s be clear, companies must evolve in order to remain competitive. So, how do employees learn to accept change AND thrive in the process?
From an employee’s perspective, it can be difficult to perceive opportunities that effective change brings to the company. Also, they may not fully understand how improvements can advance their career. Sometimes, employees focus on disruptions and their fears…nothing else.
To counteract negative feelings, encourage employees to look for the silver lining by identifying at least one positive outcome from the new way of doing things. For example, what new skill will they learn?
Focusing on self-care is essential to managing physical and emotional impacts of change in the workplace. Encourage employees to:
- Practice stress relieving techniques such as visualization, talking it out, meditation, etc.
- Flexibility is key. Help them identify ways to blend old practices with new ones
As a leader:
- Create a psychologically safe environment for them to offer input/feedback
- Be transparent
- Be consistent with updates
- Keep the lines of communication open…it fosters trust and inclusivity
- Create committees tasked with addressing the specifics on how the change will impact morale
Some people will be slower to adapt to change but that does not make them poor employees. Slow adapters are still valuable team members and must be afforded extra time to accept change. Employees and leaders working together position the company to thrive throughout the change process.
Talk to us in the comments below and remember…make it a great day!
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