5 Factors to Consider When Implementing Change

by Edmund Brunetti

Change is constant in life, yet it can still cause apprehension, friction, and negative emotions to rear their ugly heads. When something changes in the workplace, it can elicit these same feelings in employees and lead to the experience of stress. Resilience is the ability to handle stress and deal with change effectively, which can be developed through resilience training as well as courses in change management.

Change management courses can help employees deal with change in a more effective way, decreasing the amount of stress experienced when changes are implemented in the workplace. However, even with change management training, Melbourne business owners should be aware of these 5 factors that can impact the response your employees have to change.

Control

Your employees take pride in the control they have over their tasks and operations in the workplace. Changes that can be perceived as negative by employees include diminishing the amount of control they have, such as hiring a supervisor that micro-manages them constantly. The more control an employee feels they have, the more challenges they will be able to handle without excessive stress.

Predictability

Simply knowing what is to come next can decrease stress and allow employees to take changes in stride. This is known as ‘perceived control’ and can be a much more effective way of implementing change. By letting your employees know what is going to happen, they can feel more in control than they would if they remain unaware of what changes are taking place.

Understanding

Making changes without explaining the reason behind the change can negatively impact employees and alter their response. Explaining why the change is occurring allows professionals to make sense of the situation and therefore understand it better – another example of perceived control. With no explanation, employees can feel helpless and experience anxiety or stress.

Time Frame

Sudden changes may seem like a good idea at first, but they can have a lot of drawbacks when it comes to the response to these changes that employees have. The time frame between announcing a change and implementing the change is crucial, as employees should have adequate time to prepare for the change to come in order to avoid increasing the stress they experience.

Relationships

The relationship that employees have with co-workers and supervisors also plays a role in enforcing change in the workplace. Employees that feel as though they are heard, respected, and valued are more comfortable asking for information and voicing any concerns they have about the company. Having a good relationship with supervisors as well as other employees reduces stress and fosters resilience.

With these factors in mind, you can make changes that are seen in a more positive light by employees and decrease the stress that employees may experience. Change management courses can also improve response to changes, leading to a better work environment and increased focus when completing tasks.

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