Unanswered questions often drive anxiety and leave employees to imagine their worst fears. Hence, good change management steps would include:
- scheduling meetings with employees to discuss concerns and provide answers to their questions.
- explain that by implementing the change slowly, in small steps and with sufficient training to learn the new processes or systems, the organisation will survive the change.
- provide evidence that shows how implementing said change will help the company competitively against other industry players
- convince them that as individuals, they will survive the change; whatever change occurs, it cannot replace their valuable work and efforts.
- confirm they can learn to cope with the change at a pace they can manage
The above steps were suggested as a way of reducing change-anxiety of a farming community, caused by the introduction of automated dairy-production systems. Not sure it'll work in the white-collar arena where "I'm-smarter-than-what-you-pay-me" is the norm, eh?
Posted at 08:37 am by alwynlau
 | Posted by lim siok lin @ 09/30/2006 12:09 PM PDT | |
Sounds a bit like that extract from Management of Change, by Mollie Neville . She devised a checklist of how to help your staff cope with change:
- avoid a long gap betwn announcement and implementation
- have face-to-face rather than written communication
- LISTEN
- encourage positive openness
- retain your objectivity
- MEDIATE in conflict situations
- Focus with clear work objectives
- confront sarcasm, as it is really deep anger
- avoid scapegoating
- allow time for those resisting to finsih the grieving cycle
- build self esteem
- do not personalize your anger
- avoid retreating to an autocratci management style
Though you say that your above steps help reduce anxiety in a farming community - I think it will work in the Office environment where the concept of a strong workable team equate to the survival of the company!
But in matters of survival of the individual within a company - there is , to me one underlining factor ' above all else, to thine own self be true' (Shakespeare again ?). If a place is toxic .....get out .......
I thank my lucky stars that when my last place of employment became toxic , I had the good sense to 'weigh anchor' and move away.
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