Challenging change management myths

People naturally fear change. Whether caused by previous experiences or approaches, this means teams can be resistant to the process. However, for transformation to be successful, employees must be on board, otherwise things can go awry and impact the whole business. Combat this by being mindful of the change curve that people experience and put mitigations in place to address concerns at each point of the change. For example, early and regular engagement will make colleagues feel heard and allow their questions and concerns to be addressed.

Change can be a powerful tool for good, with the potential to take an organisation to where it needs to go. Drawing out the benefits to colleagues, customers and the business as a whole will allow those the change is happening to feel more confident that the decision is valid and will deliver meaningful improvements for them. Answering the “what’s in it for me” and communicating both progress and success will help colleagues to accept why the change is happening and be more open to sustaining new ways of working – and accepting change in the future when it comes.

Clear communication and engagement with employees are vital, as they are the ones who will be impacted by the change. Keeping them informed on deadlines, responsibilities, skills development needs and having 360 feedback loops will manage expectations and improve acceptance. Demonstrating care for teams by capturing how new processes will work and what they need to have to embrace the change can lead to more employee buy-in and improvements to company culture, such as increased flexibility, preparedness and agility.

Change can impact people’s wellbeing, so it’s important to be able to recognise change fatigue. By tailoring their change approach, businesses can identify how people are impacted in different ways, and ensure employees are supported. People and teams are diverse, with have different learning styles, so one size generally doesn’t fit all. Have hands on support throughout, particularly during and immediately after “go live” when change can be most daunting.

Change is an inevitable part of business life. In order that it’s kept positive, businesses need to demystify what it means for employees. Through communication, clarity and effective change management, decision-makers can ensure their business delivers ‘change for good’.