CHANGE AND HOW IT AFFECTS THE WORKPLACE
Nothing in business stays the same forever, whether it is management turnover, software changes, policy updates, relocation, or anything else that shakes the foundation of the business or its system. As managers and executives, you recognize that change is inevitable in the workplace, yet managing it effectively remains a challenge for many companies. Today, we will explore the details of this topic to provide valuable insights on successfully managing change in the workplace.
Understanding the Dynamics of Change
People at every business level, from interns to executives, have complex emotions about change. In most cases, people enjoy positive change. For example, you don’t see people giving back a winning lottery ticket or a bonus for their hard work. However, when it comes to change perceived as unfavorable or a loss, people tend to hold on to existing structures and resist the change as a whole.
Recognizing Different Types of Challenges
Not all challenges requiring change are the same. For example, technical challenges have clear solutions. There is typically a system in place where you know how to follow the steps to resolve it. So, even if it is a “loss” change, it doesn’t have a hard impact because it has a set solution.
On the other hand, adaptive challenges like new management or relocation can necessitate shifts in priorities, beliefs, habits, or loyalties. With this, business leaders must take action in managing change in the workplace to avoid loss.
Strategies to Avoid Failed Change Initiatives
To effectively address adaptive challenges, leaders must expand their influence, listen for values, frame their message, and acknowledge losses. Here are some ideas on managing change in the workplace.
- Agree on a #1 Priority: Whenever change is inevitable, agree on a priority list of what’s most important to the company.
- Define Your Change: Using the formula “from X to Y by WHEN,” you can define your changes in a concise manner to share with all.
- Establish Progress Metrics: Craft a clear scorecard to measure your progress before initiating change.
- Celebrate Milestones: When progress is made, celebrate with everyone to keep morale high.
- Conduct a “Pre-Mortem”: Encourage project members to speak up about potential failures and weaknesses of a change plan.
- Implement Short-Term Experiments: Test new theories and ideas in short-term experiments before diving in.
- Encourage New Ideas: Encourage continuous improvement through frequent idea generation.
By keeping these strategies in your arsenal for management change in the workplace, you can better strategize, adapt, and improve as you move forward. Just remember: What often looks like resistance is typically just confusion.
Leveraging Change Management Services
As change management consultants, we at PeopleWorks assist businesses in managing change in the workplace with ease. Our “Making Change Stick” methodology guides organizations through the discovery, definition, deployment, and verification phases of change. By partnering with PeopleWorks, businesses can mitigate risks and ensure successful change implementation. For more information, contact us today for a consultation!