Many workplaces are changing, but that doesn’t alter the fact that employees often find change stressful. Brian de Haaff has some thoughts on how to ease their concerns.
Have you heard of the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale?
It is essentially a scale of life events, ranking from the most stressful to the least.
Some negative markers include things like the death of a loved one or losing your job, but there are also things typically thought of as positive like marriage or having a baby.
No matter how you look at this scale, I believe it reveals a simple truth.
Positive or negative — change of any kind in our life can be hard to navigate.
This is especially true in our professional work lives.
Yet this is also where some of the biggest changes are happening.
Many organisations are undergoing enterprise transformations that impact the way they operate.
I have written about this topic quite a bit on the Aha! blog, sharing my own perspective and what we have seen with our customers.
Depending on what type of transformation is happening, it may require learning new technologies, adopting different processes, or modifying how products or services are delivered.
The goal is always a more strategic and agile organisation, but if not handled right, there can be negative repercussions.
A survey of more than 1,500 workers showed that organisational change is linked to chronic work stress, adverse physical health symptoms, and lower levels of job satisfaction.
People were also more likely to distrust their employer and want to quit their job within the next year.
Initial reluctance in the face of something different and new is only natural, but you can help make a difference for yourself and the people you work beside each day.
Whether you are a leader in title or action, you have the power to reframe change positively and rally people around what is next.
Of course, this assumes a healthy organisation overall, with healthy relationships, but it is possible. Here is how.
Start small:
No one responds well to a dump of ‘new, new, new’.
It feels scary and sudden.
While there is no guidebook and every organisation is unique, there are some basic things you can do to make it more palatable.
Begin by seeding the major concepts and themes of what is to come when you talk about the organisation’s overall plan and direction.
This way, the eventual revelation will feel natural and almost expected.
Connect the dots:
“Why is this change even necessary?”
Even if teammates do not vocalise this question, you can bet it is something they are all thinking.
It is up to you to give the answer — explaining the benefit to the organisation, team and clients.
You can start by creating a roadmap for what will happen, prioritising what is most important and establishing key milestones that teammates need to reach.
This will help you monitor progress, while giving the team clarity into the areas of focus.
Share expectations:
Another question teammates are likely thinking: “Where does my work fit in?”
You need to make it clear how the organisation will be impacted by the new way of working and what you need from people in the future.
You can do this by referring back to the overall plan, clarifying who is responsible for each area of focus or activity.
Be sure to ask questions yourself. A good one to start: “What do you need to accomplish this?”
Highlight continuity:
As I wrote earlier, change can be hard.
This is why people like knowing what will stay the same.
According to recent research on organisational change, most people place a high value on continuity.
Tap into this by sharing what will not change.
Ideally this is something as big as the organisation’s core values and approach to work.
However, you could also speak to other comforts — like team structures and who people report to.
Identify supporters:
Yes, there will be detractors — but expect supporters too.
You need to identify people who will be excited about the big plans at varying levels in the organisation.
Research suggests that enlisting the help of teammates (and giving them a specific role) may improve the success rate of change initiatives.
For instance, maybe you could ask someone to help manage the transformation roadmap or to set up weekly status meetings.
Empower teammates:
Studies state the obvious — managers play a key role in helping people cope with the stress that organisational change can bring.
So what can you do?
You can listen to concerns and find ways to include people in decision-making, even if the decisions are trivial (such as when to schedule new meetings).
Giving this sense of agency will help teammates feel less like powerless bystanders and more like active participants.
Change can lead to greatness — if you are able to create space for inspiration, not fear.
When you approach organisational transformation thoughtfully and incrementally, you can build trust.
As a leader, it is up to you to show people the value of where you are headed and guide them through it step by step.
Have you recently gone through a stressful change at work?
*Brian de Haaff is the Chief Executive of cloud-based software company Aha! He can be contacted on Twitter@bdehaaff.
This article first appeared on the Aha! company website.
