Change is inevitable and can be hard. Here is how to make it less painful and support your employees through it.

Change is an inevitable part of any organisation. Currently we are seeing organisations experience periods of change including organisational restructures, mergers and acquisitions, change in leadership, divestments and many more. It can be a stressful and challenging time for employees. Some will handle it better than others and supporting your employees through it is an important part of the role of a leader.

Recently we have been working with an organisation who is in the middle of an acquisition. The lead up has been a long process. Communication has been a challenge. For majority of their employees, they have never experienced something like this, so the change is new and scary. We have been running a series of workshops with this organisation on how to lead and support employees through change and help them handle it in the workplace.

Here are some of the strategies:

Communication

Where possible, provide regular updates about the change process, timelines and expectations. A change manager and communication plan is a good idea. Be open and honest about the change and the impact it may have. Promote communication as a two way street and encourage employees to share their thoughts, concerns and ideas and involve them as must as possible.

Demonstrate exceptional leadership

Ensure as a leadership team you are united and have each others back. Lead by example. Ensure the messaging is consistent to avoid confusion and coach and mentor your teams through this period as people want reassurance and positivity.

Involve your employees in the change

Where possible, promote your employees to get involved in the change process or workstream and recognise and acknowledge their efforts if they do. This will help empower them and give them a sense of inclusion throughout the change period.

Provide training and development opportunities

Offer training and tips to employees on how to handle this period of change. Equip them with the necessary skills for the new environment and where possible speak to them about career development opportunities that might be available.

Offer support and resources

Know the signs and identify when one of your team is struggling and reach out to offer support. A good idea is to consider an EAP or counselling services. Flexible work arrangements might also help some people manage stress better and offer training services on how to cope with it.

Build trust and show empathy to your employees

Acknowledge the challenges and emotions that they might be facing with the change. Actively listening to your employees through this period helps build trust and show genuine interest in their feelings and thoughts.

And lastly, celebrate the wins! Positive reinforcement and recognition goes a long way sometimes and will help to boost morale, creating a positive work atmosphere through this period.

“The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been.”
—Henry Kissinger

Mikahla Smith
Executive Consultant – Group Solutions

Mikahla began her career working for a small business consulting firm before joining Optimum Consulting in 2010 as a Consultant. She has since gained over 10 years’ experience in the industry and over this time has held a number of leadership roles (both onshore and offshore) and is currently an Executive Consultant – Group Solutions.