Fear, anxiety, stress, anger, excitement, and relief are all emotions that can occur when change is present. 73% of change affected employees reported experiencing moderate to high levels of stress during and after change. Embracing change is inevitable, whether we welcome it or not, and occurs in all aspects of our lives. While some of us relish the challenges that come with change, others can become fearful and resistant in which change needs to be addressed and dealt with.
Change and uncertainty are becoming familiar aspects of working life. However, change does not have to be negative; the opportunities it can present when embracing change be far more beneficial than first thought. It is imperative to understand the adversity that is happening, the impact it has on the organisation, your colleagues and you personally, and how you can get the most out of the situation.
Embracing Change as a Manager
Having a defined strategy in place makes it easier to communicate change with your team members and monitor progress towards key milestones and goals. Only 40% of front-line managers understood why change was happening. Regardless of how you believe employees will react, you must set a clear, honest, and positive narrative for the changes you want to make or are going through. Clearly communicating the drivers for change and well-defined desired outcomes and benefits provide tangible benchmarks for people to understand, aim for and ultimately measure in terms of how successful the change has been.
A leader’s impact on change is well-understood. It is important that senior leaders promote and act as role models for change. Identifying and involving relevant people in the organisation irrespective of their roles, to drive and support change. This helps to ensure that there is a real ownership of the change from the wider organisation for them to advance change successfully.
Engage employees in change
It is extremely important to avoid ignoring resistance within your teams. Studies show 62% of employees don’t like leaving their comfort zones. This can be done through feedback loops with employees, like surveys, feedback channels and input sessions to proactively identify signs of resistance. Ignoring resistance, denying it exists, and trying to beat it down only serves to worsen the situation.
Embracing Change as an Employee
Recognising and embracing change is key to managing it effectively. Maintaining a positive outlook towards workplace changes aids in acceptance and adaptation. Focus on controlling your attitude and staying open-minded. Avoid dwelling on negatives and instead, acknowledge your feelings briefly. Consider how change can positively impact your role and help you navigate challenges.
As an employee, address concerns early by discussing them with your manager. Seek honest information about upcoming changes to ease adaptation. Asking questions clarifies new procedures and tasks.
Discussing workplace changes with close colleagues or friends provides a supportive environment to alleviate stress. Engaging in conversations over lunch or a walk outdoors can offer insights and solutions to manage the situation effectively.
How Can Wellity Support You?
At Wellity we’ve seen a large amount of teams struggle to navigate organisational change within the workplace. Whether it be an organisation-wide transition, unexpected external events, or an internal restructure, it is undeniable that the business landscape is often in a state of flux.
Our ‘Ice and Fire’ Training Programme has been specifically designed by the Wellity Global academic team, to reflect the challenges faced by organisations across the world as more and more managers face turbulence and changing times and tides.
The programme will take your people on a journey of discovery, self-awareness, whilst learning the life-changing leadership lessons to guide their people in a changing and uncertain world. Using experiential learning, actor based interventions and roleplays, and proven tools and frameworks, this training course is essential for all managers and leaders facing times of change, transition, or uncertainty.
For any information on this programme or to book a meeting, contact our team at hello@wellityglobal.com.
