We have all seen it, the lingering elephant in the room during organizational change, and management is reluctant to address it out in the open. At the same time, team members cannot think about anything else; their whole workday revolves around trying to gather insights about how this change will impact them. Team members start feeling disengaged; some have already started looking for a job while fearing that this change might affect them negatively.
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
But change doesn’t have to be negative, and the simplest way to navigate it smoothly is to address it and engage team members in the process; they are your primary asset in driving this organizational change.
“Research indicates that workers have three prime needs: Interesting work, recognition for doing a good job, and being let in on things that are going on in the company.”
Zig Ziglar
Today more than ever, with the shift in the economic landscape, change is inevitable. We are all impacted by change every day in one way or another. So, how can we break the pattern and use change to create positive outcomes for the organization's benefit and, most importantly, its driving force: the people.
We are all programmed to resist change because it comes with uncertainties, and it forces us out of our comfort zone, even when it is positive change. This usually results in a loss of engagement, which impacts organizations on all levels: a decrease in productivity and negative overall workplace culture, which is reflected on the end user's experience, thus damaging the organization's reputation in the process.
In the following, we will go through 6 actionable practices that can help you secure purposeful employee engagement through organizational change for a collectively smooth journey. Whether you are in a leading role or taking part in the change, taking notice of these practices and focusing on them can massively help you in the long-run.
"People want to know they matter, and they want to be treated as people. That's the new talent contract.”
Pamela Stroko
Photo by Charlie Firth on Unsplash
First of all, we need to understand that during change, everyone has a role to play.
Management and C-suite: Engage executives and frontline managers to deliver information
Engaging everyone in the organization to perform their roles in times of change is crucial. Individuals in executive roles need to understand that they have to be active and visible during the life of the change.
Frontline managers make up the largest population of leaders in an organization. They should play a vital role in the change since they are responsible for most day to day operations. They have to be accurately informed and have prepared a response plan to address any questions, even if it's uncomfortable. Their role is to communicate in a timely fashion, with transparency; they should establish a two-way conversation with their teams and address questions and concerns.
Most importantly, both executives and frontline managers need to understand that it is more helpful to say “I don’t know” than to hide and avoid confrontation. Providing team members with a safe environment where they are free to ask questions and provide feedback is essential.
HR and Communications: Explain and proactively align thought processes with the change
Whether the organization is going through a merger, redundancy rounds, or adjusting its operations, organizational leadership should empower and encourage team members to shift their perspective and thought processes to align with the new direction. Keep in mind that human adaptation takes time but isn’t impossible as long as they are given a say in the process.
Team Leaders: Allow team members to dream collectively and arm them with the tools to achieve this dream
Outline the dream, highlight the benefits of the change, and how it can positively influence teams' experience at the organization. This is an excellent place to start. Set the ultimate vision that this change aims to achieve, get everyone on board, assign tasks, and put in place tangible objectives; everyone should understand their role in the process. This will eliminate confusion and engage team members proactively, instead of them wasting time pondering what will the change mean for them; they will be busy making it happen.
And while change means a shift in responsibilities, this can create a new exciting learning curve for team members that will certify that every team member is ready to take on new responsibilities.
It is essential to identify what existing skills they can employ and which need to be acquired, how they can learn them, and how success will be measured.
Team Members: Embrace change, empower yourself with the needed knowledge, and drive it
You are the key player in the change, and you must be responsible for checking that the best practices of transformational leadership are being put in place. Your presence during change allows you to take part in the journey forward while scrutinizing and assessing that adequate actions are being implemented to set up a fair and sustainable advancement ahead. This is a fitting occasion where you can be offered a positive change for your career path and a learning framework.
“Once a new technology rolls over you, if you're not part of the steamroller, you're part of the road.”
Stewart Brand
During organizational change, frontline managers play a vital role in reeling back team members by being dynamic role models. Team members need to know that their leader is personally committed to the success of the change. For this reason, provide resources, organize and follow up on learning activities for each team member, partner with stakeholders, and support team members through change, measure progress, and quickly manage resistance.
Everyone should show empathy and be tactful when dealing with team members and communicating, being respectful, and avoiding office gossip as they are pillars for ensuring a positive work environment.
Organizational change is a critical and sensitive time. To decrease resistance and achieve a positive flow of information between you and team members, make sure you show them genuine care, and be respectful and understanding when communicating. Understand your audience and try to accommodate different personalities as much as possible; the most cynical team member might respond better to one on one discussions about his new role. At the same time, extroverts may need outspoken positive feedback to fuel their engagement…each team member reacts differently to messages.
96% of employees believe showing empathy is an important way to advance employee retention, according to a Forbes article [1].
Communicate early and often
Middle and frontline leaders are the primary communicators to team members. Communication from them should be recurring and consistent.
Everyone affected by the change needs to understand what it entails, why and how it is happening, and what's in it for them. Don't just impose change; engage team members in a conversation about it. Ask for their feedback and opinion. They will talk if they believe you are listening.
The figure below featured in the book “Internal Communications: A Manual for Practitioners” by Klavs Valskov and Liam Fitzpatrick, explains how the emotional response shifts when communicating change.
Face the challenges head-on
Concern is a normal response to change management. Create a safe environment and a two-way communication mechanism that allows team members to bring forth problems before there is any chance of derailment. Address concerns fairly, reasonably, and in alignment with the vision and the aim of the change.
Finally, various independent and organization-based studies have revealed that employee engagement is the heart and soul of the change management process. Most team members are reluctant to change, and there can be various reasons behind it.
Organizations need to take the reluctance of team members into account and take essential steps to help them understand their necessity and benefits in a manner that brings positive results.
The dedicated team members who always look forward to taking challenges may not be as reluctant as disengaged team members. To guarantee that, empower management with the right information and means to communicate it.
Conclusion
To wrap up, ensure timely and transparent communication flow along with a two-way communication stream to engage team members in the conversation. Outline the benefits of the change to all stakeholders and put adequate and fair processes in motion to execute it.
Support team members with acquiring the needed knowledge to drive change management and express positive feedback. Reel back disengaged team members through being a dynamic role model. Monitor and assess to get ahead of any issues that might arise.
Are you going through organizational change and looking for ways to strategically leverage it to meet your business objectives? Contact us to receive tailored support for all organizational changes needs.
References:
[1]https://www.forbes.com/sites/nazbeheshti/2019/01/16/10-timely-statistics-about-the-connection-between-employee-engagement-and-wellness/#1186320522a0
Comments