How leaders can navigate through significant changes

Any organizational change may have an unsettling impact on employees. You can help through thoughtful planning, effective communication, and engaging employees in exploring how changes can be handled in a psychologically safe way.

In some organizations and during these unusual times, constant change is the norm, which could have a negative impact on the psychological health of some employees. Applying a psychological health and safety lens to change management is a worthwhile investment to support employee performance, loyalty, and buy-in for the changes.

Applying a psychological health and safety lens to change management is a worthwhile investment to support employee performance, loyalty, and buy-in for the changes.

This page outlines some things you can do to prepare your workers for inevitable future changes. These approaches can benefit all employees and make implementing the change be the difference between an extremely difficult transition and one that involves a manageable level of adjustment.

Set the expectation of ongoing change with all employees...

…at onboarding, during training, and as part of regular conversation between management and employees.

Celebrate or recognize the good work that was done under the old system...

…to acknowledge past successes and show appreciation for long-standing employees.

For every change, create an honest, positive, accessible and compelling vision of the intended outcome to increase understanding and acceptance, as well as decrease the apprehension that comes from uncertainty.

Be specific about why and how the change will be implemented and be open about known challenges and concerns before the employees bring them up.

Openly discuss potential pros and cons of the proposed changes, listen to concerns and take steps to address them with input from workers, or make resources available.

Link the change to previous, similar, positive changes to reduce worker’s anxiety and reassure them that you have done this before and you have been successful.

Break the change up into small, incremental steps.

Repeat, repeat, repeat and allow employees the opportunity to try out the change several times so that it becomes part of the day-to-day routine.

Other resources:

Workplace Strategies for Mental Health – Helping employees to manage change
Here to Help – Wellness Modules
My Workplace Health – Tips to Lead Through Change: Lessons in Inclusion Through COVID-19